Daily Herald opinion: Two distinct events on the Chain add emphasis to need for boating safety

There is an inescapable irony in the launches of two very different operations on the Chain O’ Lakes this week.

One is the dedication Tuesday of a new Lake County Sheriff’s marine unit to honor Tony Borcia, a 10-year-old Libertyville boy who was struck and killed in a drug- and alcohol-related crash on the water on July 28, 2012.

The second is the opening of Smokehouse Dispensary in Fox Lake, where boaters can motor up to the dock and pore over a variety of cannabis products, including novelties like dog bibs boasting “My owner is a stoner” under posters extolling the appeal of the “High Sailors Club.”

The shores of the Chain are dotted with bars and restaurants, so the addition of one more venue offering recreational substances is not in and of itself a cause for increased concern. But in conjunction with the new county patrol boat — a new Fluid Watercraft Patrol 26 purchased with the substantial help of a $75,000 donation from the Y-not Project founded by Tony’s friends and family in his memory — the dispensary’s opening should carry at least as strong a note of caution as it does a spirit of unleashed summer exuberance.

Tony Borcia loved nothing more than the excitement and joy of frolicking on the water with his family, his mother says. But his life ended in tragedy when a boater impaired by cocaine and alcohol struck him after he was spilled from the inner tube on which he was being pulled. The boater was eventually tried and sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Tony’s mother became an outspoken activist for boating safety.

Two years after his death, Margaret Borcia’s efforts led to legislation that increases both visibility of boats towing tubers or skiers and enforcement of regulations on boat operators. These are important measures, but their impact is manifested in the degree to which they instill a sense of self-control and responsibility among boaters.

“Tony’s death, and the reckless and careless decision that caused it, did not only impact his family. It impacted an entire community,” Sgt. Ari Briskman, commander of the marine unit said at a gathering focused on the new safety equipment.

And Sheriff John D. Idleburg added that the boat will be an important tool for securing that legacy.

“This boat will be used to stop impaired boaters from causing harm on the Chain O’ Lakes,” Idleburg said. “It will be there for those who need our emergency assistance and it will exist in Tony’s name and memory.”

Recreation on the Chain O’ Lakes is in large part a celebration of the season and a valued attraction of the region. Restaurants, bars and, yes, cannabis dispensaries can be a reasonable complement to that spirit, but the key word to remember is responsibility. Stoners and “high sailors” may have a place in the lake culture — but like those who’ve had too much alcohol or anyone else whose physical or mental faculties are impaired, they owe it to Tony’s memory and to the many responsible boaters around them not to get behind the wheel.