WGME-TV13 • July 14, 2023
Lakes across Maine have still been busy. It's been good news for businesses that rely on people flocking to the water, but there's been concerns this season about safety after a number of recent close calls. "It's a lot of carelessness," said Ian Scott, who owns IPS Surf & Water Sports on Long Lake. "They think summer is fun and they can just go hit the lakes like the old days and not really think about it too much, but here on the lake we've seen a lot of scenarios where boats have almost come colliding into us." While a license currently isn't required in Maine to operate a boat, a new state law will require anyone born after 1999 to take a boater education course starting in 2024.