A new amendment to New York's navigation law was approved through the state's Assembly and Senate.  It was ultimately signed into law  by Governor Paterson. It states:

* (e) No owner or operator of a pleasure vessel less than twenty-one feet, including rowboats, canoes, and kayaks shall permit its operation, between November first and May first, unless each person on board such vessel is wearing a securely fastened United States Coast Guard approved wearable personal flotation device of an appropriate size when such vessel is underway.

In layman's terms: if you are boating in a New York water body [including those parts of Lake Champlain and the Great Lakes] between November 1 and May 1, and the vessel you are in is under 21-feet in size, than you must be wearing a life preserver. It does not matter if the vessel is a canoe, kayak, or fishing boat.   This means that we must wear them at all times after the 1st of November While underway on our Charter Boat.

Thanks in advance for your understanding and compliance.

Sincerely,

Captain Ed Reyes