Lawful Operation of a PWC

These are additional laws for operating a PWC in Wisconsin.

• A PWC may not be operated between sunset and sunrise.
• A PWC operator must always face forward.
• 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 person on water skis, inner tube, wakeboard, or similar device, or operating within 100 feet of the tow rope or person being towed
  • 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
• There are minimum age and boater education requirements for operators of personal watercraft as discussed in the "Who May Operate a PWC" section of this course.