Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Summary

You've completed the material of Chapter 4 of the online boating safety course!

You should now:

• Know which vessels need to be registered and how to do so
• Be able to correctly place certificate numbers and registration decals on a vessel
• Know where to find the HIN number
• Know the age restrictions on operation
• Be able to list the unlawful behaviors that should be avoided when operating a vessel
• Be able to explain the dangers of consuming alcohol or drugs while boating and the penalties for doing so
• Be able to identify classifications and uses of personal flotation devices (life jackets) and state the legal requirements
• Know the legal requirements for fire extinguishers, backfire flame arrestors, ventilation systems and mufflers
• Know the legal navigation light requirements
• Know the legal requirements for visual distress signals and sound producing devices
• Know requirements for other equipment such as diver down flags or state-required equipment
• Understand the legal requirements specific to PWCs– A small vessel that uses an inboard jet drive as its primary source of propulsion, and is designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel rather than inside the vessel
• Know the legal requirements for towing a skier with a vessel
• Understand how to properly dispose of waste, oil and trash and properly use MSDs
• Know when and how to report a boating accident.

If you haven't already completed the Chapter 4 review exercise, click here to take the Review Questions for Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating. Or, go through the interactive Flash animation below.