Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Specific Requirements for Personal Watercraft (PWCs)
In addition to adhering to all boating laws, PWC operators have
requirements specific to their watercraft.
- Every person on board a PWC must wear a U.S.
Coast Guard–approved Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation
device (PFD) that is in good and serviceable condition.
- If the PWC is equipped with a lanyard-type ignition
safety switch, the lanyard must be attached to the person,
clothing, or PFD of the operator.
- A PWC may not be operated between sunset and sunrise.
- A PWC operator must always face forward.
- A PWC may not be operated faster than slow, no wake speed within:
- 100 feet of any other vessel
- 100 feet of a dock, pier, raft, or restricted area
- 200 feet of shore on any lake
- There are minimum age and
boater education requirements for operators of personal
watercraft.
- A PWC must be operated in a responsible manner. Maneuvers that
endanger people or property are prohibited, including:
- Jumping a wake with a PWC
within 100 feet of another vessel
- Operating within 100 feet of a vessel that is towing a
skier, tuber, or wakeboarder or the tow rope of the vessel
- Weaving your PWC through congested waterway traffic
- Steering toward another object or person in the water and
swerving at the last possible moment in order to avoid collision
- Chasing, harassing or disturbing wildlife with your PWC
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Towing a Person Legally with
a Vessel
Vessel operators towing a person(s) on water-skis, aquaplanes,
surfboards, inner tubes or any similar devices must obey these
laws:
- A person may not be towed from sunset to sunrise.
- When a vessel is pulling a person on water-skis, surfboards
or similar devices, an operator must have a competent person
on board to act as an observer.
- A PWC operator may not tow a person on water-skis or other
devices unless the PWC is designed and recommended by the manufacturer
to accommodate at least three people.
- Those towing skiers on water-skis, surfboards, or similar devices
and those being towed must act in a safe and prudent manner.
- Vessels towing persons may not come within 100 feet of
other vessels, persons in the water, a swimming area, or
a public boat landing.
- It is illegal to operate the vessel or manipulate the towing
rope, water-skis, or other devices such that the towed device
or person collides with any other person or object.
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