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CONCORD — Moultonborough resident John Harrington has been tapped to succeed Scott Verdonck as president of the grassroots boating organization Safe Boaters of New Hampshire.
Harrington has decades of boating experience on New Hampshire’s inland and coastal waterways and is a strong supporter of boater education. He has spent years instructing young boaters on the proper way to handle a vessel in his role as a scoutmaster, passing along to the next generation the joys of boating along with the knowledge and expertise that he himself learned as a scout.
Harrington is also a member of the Lakes Region Sail and Power Squadron where he is qualified to conduct Vessel Safety Checks on recreational boats to help the owner of each vessel be assured he or she has the proper and functioning safety equipment on board. He is also president of the Moultonborough Snowmobile Club.
Harrington takes over as president of Safe Boaters of New Hampshire at a time when austerity is the key word in Concord and he will continue to work with other boating safety organizations, the Marine Patrol, legislators and others to ensure that safety on New Hampshire’s waterways is not compromised.
Safe Boaters of New Hampshire took the lead in, first, fighting the enactment of speed limits on Lake Winnipesaukee and, then, pushing for a more lenient speed limit on "The Broads" section of the lake. Both efforts were ultimately unsuccessful but observers credit the organization with being a political force to be reckoned with when it comes to lake use issues.
Verdonck, who has been president of Safe Boaters of New Hampshire since its founding in 2009, will continue to have a key role in the organization. He has been named political director and spokesman for the organization, utilizing his experience in Concord to help ensure that safe boating in New Hampshire does not fall victim to overzealous budget cutting.
Bob Flannery of Alton takes over as vice president of the organization. He has grown up around boats and on the water and he is an experienced sailor and power boater spending years boating up and down the East Coast and in the Caribbean. He is also a member of the Lakes Region Sail and Power Squadron as well as a trustee at the NH Boat Museum in Wolfeboro.
Chris Hazel takes over as the secretary and Jason Pridham continues in his role as treasurer.
"With this new leadership team in place Safe Boaters of New Hampshire has positioned itself to continue to advocate for boater safety through education and effective legislation," said Verdonck.
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"I'd rather be ridin than rolling"
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