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Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Requirements Specific to Personal Watercraft (PWCs)
In addition to adhering to all boating laws, personal watercraft (PWC) operators
have requirements specific to their vessel.
- Each person on board a PWC must wear a properly secured U.
S. Coast Guard-approved PFD.
- PWCs must either be equipped with an ignition
safety switch or have a self-circling feature if the operator falls
off. If the PWC is equipped with an ignition safety switch, the lanyard
must be attached to the person, clothing, or PFD of the operator.
- PWC operators are subject to the age restrictions
and education requirements.
- PWCs must be operated in a reasonable and prudent manner. It is illegal
to operate a PWC in a way that endangers the life, limb, or property of others.
Specifically, it is against the law to:
- Weave your PWC through congested waterway traffic at high speed.
- Follow closely behind and within the wake of a vessel towing a person
on water skis or other similar devices.
- Cut between a vessel and the person(s) being towed by that vessel.
- Jump the wake of another vessel unnecessarily close to that vessel.
- Encircle or buzz another vessel or person in the water.
- Cross the path of another vessel at right angles while close to the
stern of the other vessel or when visibility around the other vessel
is obstructed.
- Swerve at the last possible moment to avoid collision.
- Chase, harass, or disturb wildlife or birds with your PWC.
- It is strongly recommended that PWCs be operated during
daylight hours only. If a PWC is operated at night, it must display the required
navigation lights.
Towing a Person with a Vessel Legally
Vessel operators towing a person(s) on water skis, aquaplanes, surfboards,
inner tubes, or any similar devices must obey these laws also.
- It is illegal for vessels to tow person(s) on water skis, an aquaplane,
or a similar device between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.
- Each person being towed behind a vessel on water skis or similar devices
must wear a properly secured Type I, II, III, or V U.S. Coast Guard–approved
PFD. Ski belts are not U.S. Coast Guard–approved. It is the legal responsibility
of the owner of the towing vessel to enforce this requirement.
- Every vessel (except personal watercraft) towing a person(s) on water skis
or a similar device must:
- Have on board a capable observer, other than the operator who is
at least 12 years old or ...
- Be equipped with a wide-angle rearview mirror. The size of the mirror
must be at least 500 square centimeters (78 square inches) and have
a field of vision of at least 170 degrees.
- Every PWC towing a person(s) on water skis or a similar device must have
mirrors mounted on both the right and left sides of the PWC (but not attached
to the steering control) and the mirrors must be at least 2.5-inches high
x 4-inches wide.
- The vessel operator must maintain reasonable distance from other vessels,
people, and property to avoid endangering life or property. It is illegal
to tow a person on water skis or a similar devices behind your vessel, or
to manipulate the water skis or a similar devices, in a manner that causes
the towed person to collide with another person or object.
Boats towing a person(s) on water skis or a similar device must either have
an observer on board or be equipped with a wide-angle rearview mirror.
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