Review of Thrill Craft Facts
Rules pertaining to use of thrill craft in Hawaii are regulated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) and are enforced by the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE).
Most fines for non-compliance with the rules bear a fine of $50 to $1000.
There is no State regulation on the hours of operation for thrill craft. However, a thrill craft must display navigational lights appropriate for its size from sunset to sunrise.
In Hawaii, any boating accident resulting in a fatality, disappearance of an individual, an accident requiring treatment beyond first aid, more than $2,000 in damages or property loss, or complete loss of a vessel must be reported to DLNR. The accident report form can be accessed at: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/forms/
Thrill craft are only permitted to operate:
- in waters seaward of these islands in the Main Hawaiian Islands: Hawaii, Kauai, Maui and Oahu,
- in designated riding areas within ORMAs and while transiting to and from those designated areas,
- in undesignated waters outside ORMAs and non-designated ORMAs.
If you are meandering within the ORMA but outside of a designated riding zone, you may be cited.
There is no outer limit for PWC use around those islands where thrill craft operation is permitted. There is no prohibition on transiting the channels to neighboring islands where thrill craft operation is allowed.
Thrill craft operation is prohibited around Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, and Niihau (HAR 13-256-17).
Slow-no-wake and proximity to shoreline rules are different for thrill craft (300’) and all other vessels (200’).
All vessels operating in State waters must comply with rules pertaining to the 200’ slow-no-wake zone and 100’ stand-off/slow-no-wake zone around dive flags, rules of the road, fees, penalties for violations for reckless operations, carriage requirements, and all other boating rules enforced by the State of Hawaii and the United States Coast Guard.
Recreational thrill craft are exempt from carrying VHF radios and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons like other recreational vessels [§200-37.5]. However, having one or both of these emergency communication devices on board your vessel when it is being operated is highly recommended.
Any access to State waters from a private ramp or private beachfront property must be with the permission of the property owner. To launch from private beachfront property, the title to the property must include the shoreline down to the water’s edge and the submerged land beneath the water. Lacking title to this part of the shoreline, launching from a private residence bordering the ocean means crossing unencumbered State land between the high wash of the waves and the debris/vegetation line of the private property. This is not allowed according to HAR.
