Love boats: Keeping summer afloat

Some Long Island boaters, like Neil Phillips, take their craft to far-flung ports like Newport, R.I., or Cape Cod, Mass. And others, like Christine McCauley, never leave the dock.

However they use their boats, Long Islanders on the water treasure the relaxation and freedom that comes from taking leave of the land -- even if, like McCauley, they don't go anywhere.

There are 30,889 registered boats in Nassau County and 67,038 in Suffolk. And that doesn't count a roughly equal estimated number of people who venture out on unpowered sailboats, kayaks, canoes, sculls and paddleboards.

When you factor in family and friends who also share these craft, a large segment of the Island's population takes to the water during the warm-weather months.

Phillips, 74, of Freeport, a semiretired funeral director, finds boating relaxing, but he takes it very seriously.

He and his wife, Carole Lee, get a lot of use out of the 2006 Chris-Craft 40-foot Roamer express cruiser that he bought new and keeps in Sag Harbor. It's named after her.

"In the summertime, we get out at least once a week, and I take a two-week vacation on it too," said Phillips, who started boating at 14 with friends in New Rochelle and is now on his fifth boat. "Besides Greenport, we go to Newport, Falmouth, Massachusetts, Martha's Vineyard, Connecticut."

Phillips is also an officer in the United States Power Squadron's boating safety group and uses his craft for organization events.

"I just love the pure leisure and relaxation of boating," Phillips said. "We also enjoy the boating community with the power squadron. We're like one big family. And I enjoy the education and giving classes and taking classes."

Rich Hill, 47, of Oakdale, a New York City firefighter, has a 37-foot Egg Harbor flying-bridge cabin cruiser named Tide One On that he's owned for three years. He doesn't have to go far to use it: It's docked in the canal behind his house.

Hill spends about 30 days every summer on the boat. With two young boys, he and his wife like to anchor out in places like the Connetquot River, rafting up with other boats. They also go to Atlantique on Fire Island for two or three weeks every summer.

Hill has been boating for about 25 years and bought his first boat because he wanted to explore the South Shore after growing up on the North Shore. "I got into boating because I've always loved the water," he said.

McCauley, 50, of Massapequa Park, a retired events coordinator for the Developmental Disabilities Institute in Smithtown, has been boating since childhood when her parents kept a boat at Tobay Marina. "I continue the tradition today," she said.

This is McCauley's first season owning a 36-foot 1977 Uniflite cabin cruiser. She and her family spend every weekend on it and visit several times each week. But the skipper hasn't left the dock since the boat was launched in the spring because she just enjoys hanging with friends and family.

"It's kind of a 12-week tailgate party," she said. "The tents go up. It's community food. It is affordable. Our kids are safe. It's wonderful."