May 30, 2026 · Updated May 30, 2026
Town of Islip unveiled a 33-foot Silverback Marine Apache at East Islip Marina last Monday, the most capable patrol vessel in its fleet. Officials are urging all motorized boat operators to obtain state certification before the town's free class on June 13, the last session of the summer.
The Town of Islip launched its most capable marine response vessel yet last week, a 33-foot Apache patrol boat built by Silverback Marine that will cover the Great South Bay starting this weekend.
The craft, stationed at East Islip Marina, arrives as town officials push to raise compliance with a state boating certification requirement that now applies to every motorized vessel operator on New York waters, regardless of age. The town's last free summer certification class is June 13.
Public Safety Commissioner Tony Prudenti unveiled the boat May 25 during National Safe Boating Week, walking a crowd of town officials and local boaters through the Apache's expanded capabilities. He called it a step up in every operational category: speed, range, nighttime capacity and communications equipment.
The extended fuel range was Prudenti's lead point. Previous patrol vessels in the Islip fleet had to return to dock during extended bay operations, interrupting responses to incidents in the far reaches of the Great South Bay. The Apache eliminates that constraint, he said, allowing officers to stay on station longer during search-and-rescue operations and enforcement runs near Fire Island's inlets.
The bay's geography makes a longer-range vessel consequential. The Great South Bay runs wide and shallow, with busy channels near Fire Island's National Seashore inlets and heavy recreational boat traffic throughout July and August. Prudenti said the Apache was chosen with that specific operating environment in mind.
Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter attended the launch alongside Town Board members, Town Clerk Linda Vavricka and Parks and DPW Commissioner Tom Owens. She connected the new boat to the season's broader public safety push.
"The most fun boat days are the safe boat days," Carpenter said at the East Islip Marina dock, the Apache dwarfing the department's previous vessels in the slips behind her.
That message carries practical weight this summer. Under New York State law that took full effect Jan. 1, 2025, every operator of a motorized vessel must hold a valid boating safety certificate, a requirement that previously applied only to younger operators. Adults who regularly take powerboats, jet skis or motorized kayaks onto Long Island waters without the certificate are out of compliance with state law.
Prudenti said many boaters remain unaware the requirement was extended to all ages. The certification course covers navigation rules, right-of-way, weather awareness, emergency procedures and life jacket requirements, and takes roughly four hours to complete in the in-person format.
The Town of Islip's final free summer session runs Saturday, June 13. The class is open to all ages and is accepted statewide as proof of compliance. Seats in past summers have filled weeks before the scheduled date.
Registration is through the Town of Islip Parks Department at 655 Main Street, Islip. Residents who miss June 13 can complete certification online through the New York State DMV at dmv.ny.gov, though the town's in-person class includes hands-on instruction the online module does not replicate.
The Apache's communications package connects to the Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau's dispatch network, allowing the Islip unit to coordinate with county-level response more directly than was possible with older equipment. That coordination has historically been handled through radio relays; the new setup formalizes direct channel access.
State boating accident data shows Long Island waters among the highest-volume recreational boating zones in the Northeast. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has recorded a multi-year increase in reported incidents, with alcohol involvement and operator inattention cited as contributing factors in a majority of cases. A more visible marine patrol presence, officials argue, can deter reckless behavior before incidents occur.
The Apache will be docked at East Islip Marina when not on active patrol. Prudenti said overnight patrol shifts begin this weekend, with frequency increasing through Labor Day. The department plans to post a full summer schedule at islipny.gov in the coming weeks. Boaters with non-emergency concerns can reach the Islip marine unit through the Town Police non-emergency line.
