Peterburg safety board looks to decrease risky skiff use

Petersburg's public safety advisory board wants the state of Alaska to initiate a safety standard for motorized rental boats. At a meeting in mid September, board members said lodges near town let tourists use skiffs without making sure they know what they're doing. Vice Chair Mark Tucillo said he doesn't want people to die because they don't know how to operate a boat.

"I think it's the right thing to do," he said. "To say 'You should have training before you get in a watercraft and go off on your own in Southeast Alaska.' It's telling that there's only five states that don't require this."

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