Boy’s Death During Boating Safety Lesson in New York Results in New Law

A Long Island county where a 12-year-old boy died during a boating safety lesson now has a new law aimed at preventing such tragedies from happening again.

Newsday reports that Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone signed Ryan’s Law on Saturday in Centerport. The law is named after Ryan Weiss, who was killed last July when he was hit by a boat propeller.

Authorities say the boy was participating in a sailboat capsizing lesson at the Centerport Yacht Club when he was pulled from the water into an inflatable Zodiac boat. When the boat took off, Ryan fell overboard and was fatally struck by the motor’s propeller.

The county’s new law requires boats used for instructing minors to be equipped with propeller guards.

Ryan’s parents, Kellie and Kevin Weiss of Greenlawn, lobbied for the new law.

Information from: Newsday