Huntington Town makes improvements to inner harbors

Just in time for the last gasp of summer, Town of Huntington is making improvements to address some concerns of its boating community.

Officials say the town’s inner harbors will be a lot safer thanks to additional lighted buoys paving the way, and those who use smaller vessels are getting some storage space.

Supervisor Chad Lupinacci said the town is adding more LED-lit navigational buoys in Centerport, Huntington and Northport harbors.

Lighted buoys that were added to town harbors over the past couple of seasons were well received by boaters, officials said.

The addition of more devices will complete the transfer to lighted buoys for Huntington waters.

“Right now we have about 120 navigational aids that we maintain and many of those channel markers are unlit,” Lupinacci said. “This will make entering and leaving the channel easier at night.”

On order are about 110 lighted buoys that will replace unlit markers. The cost to the town is $30,000, Lupinacci said.

Lupinacci said the Greater Huntington Council of Yachting and Boating Clubs recommended the enhanced devices to help mariners navigate town waters more safely at night.

Ian Milligan, commodore of the Greater Huntington Council of Yachting and Boating Clubs, said the council raised the issue of safety when recommending the lighted buoys.

“We work closely with the town and the town has been great and receptive to our suggestions and do their best to honor our requests,” Milligan said.

The newest buoys are expected to be in place by Labor Day.

“This goes a long way with our commitment to boating safety,” Lupinacci said. “Whether it’s stressing safety precautions around peak times like Memorial Day, July Fourth and Labor Day, this will make our 65 square miles of waterways as safe as possible.”

Town officials said they did not forget those who use smaller personal watercraft. Storage racks at Fleets Cove Beach to accommodate 20 boats, such as sailing dinghies, dinghies with masts, sunfish and small sailing catamarans that are up to 14 feet in length, will be installed around Labor Day.

There is storage space across all town beaches for 800 kayaks, which costs about $100 per kayak per season to rent, Lupinacci said.

There is dinghy row-out program at Gold Star Battalion Beach that allows small boat owners to moor their boats in the water and be rowed out to their boat. That program costs $200 per boat a season.

The larger storage racks are a trial program in response to boaters' request.

“The kayak storage racks would not accommodate larger size vessels,” Lupinacci said. “Fleets Cove was the only beach with the appropriate space for storage on land.”

The storage racks will cost boaters $200 a season and be located just south of the swimming area. The pilot program is costing the town $3,500.