Free boat safety inspections held Saturday at Centennial Park

Boaters have an opportunity to have their watercraft undergo a free safety inspection 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 20, when the Sarasota Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard Flotilla 84 partner for Interagency Boating Safety Inspection Day.

The event will be held at Centennial Park, 1059 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, also known as the 10th Street Boat Ramp. 

“According to the United States Coast Guard, hundreds of lives are lost yearly, thousands of people are injured and millions of dollars in property damage happens because of preventable recreational boating accidents on our waterways,” said Officer Ron Dixon of SPD’s Marine Patrol Unit. 

A boating safety public service announcement video with safety tips provided by the Marine Patrol Unit can be viewed on YouTube.