It's the Law: Specifically for PWCs

PWC operators and those towing skiers must adhere to additional legal requirements that apply specifically to those sports.

Requirements Specific to PWCs

• PWC operators must obey the laws that apply to other vessels as well as obey additional requirements that apply specifically to the operation of personal 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).
• 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 one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise unless the personal watercraft is equipped with the required navigation lights (see earlier section, “Navigation Lights”).
• No one under the age of 14 may operate a personal watercraft unless there is a person 18 years of age or older on board the PWC. An exception to this law may be made in the case of an emergency.
• It is illegal to operate a PWC at greater than “slow, no wake speed” within 150 feet of:
  • A dock
  • A swimmer
  • A swimming raft
  • A non-motorized boat
• PWCs must be operated in a responsible manner at all times. Maneuvers that endanger people or property are prohibited, including:
  • Weaving your PWC through congested waterway traffic
  • Jumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably close to the other vessel or when visibility around the other vessel is obstructed
  • Waiting until the last possible moment to swerve and avoid collision
• It is illegal to chase, harass, or disturb wildlife with a PWC.
• It is illegal to operate a PWC through emergent floating vegetation at greater than “slow, no wake speed.”