Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Requirements Specific to Personal Watercraft (PWCs)

In addition to adhering to all boating laws, PWC operators have requirements specific to their watercraft.

• Each person riding on a PWC must wear a USCG-approved Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device.
• It is illegal to operate a PWC between sunset and sunrise.
• If the PWC is equipped with an ignition safety switch, the lanyard must be attached to the person, clothing, or PFD of the operator.
• You may not carry more passengers on a PWC than the PWC was designed to carry by the manufacturer.
• When operating a PWC, you must reduce speed to no wake or idle speed when within 50 feet of:
  • Docks, piers, or boathouses
  • Boat ramps
  • Persons in the water (note this does not apply to your towed skier)
  • Another vessel other than a PWC
• PWCs must be operated in a reasonable and prudent manner at all times. It is illegal to:
  • Weave your PWC through waterway traffic or anchored vessels.
  • Steer toward another object or person in the water and turn sharply to spray or attempt to spray them with water.
  • Follow closely behind another vessel or skier.
  • Jump the wake of another vessel, or cross the path of another vessel, more closely than is reasonable and prudent.
  • Cut between a vessel and the person(s) being towed by that vessel.
• It is illegal to chase, harass, or disturb marine mammals or birds with your PWC.

Be Part of the Action! Learn more about operating a PWC with this interactive animation. (Most students will already have Flash installed. If not, follow this link to install the Flash Player.)

Remember—As an owner of a PWC, you may be held liable if you knowingly allow anyone else to operate your PWC in such a way that it violates the laws of Virginia.

Towing a Person with a Vessel Legally

In addition to adhering to boating laws as they apply to all vessels, vessel operators towing a person(s) on water skis, aquaplane, or other similar device must obey these laws.

• You may tow a water-skier only between the hours of one half-hour before sunrise and one half-hour after sunset. PWCs are restricted to sunrise to sunset.
• A vessel towing a person(s) on water skis or similar device must have one of the following:
  • A person, in addition to the vessel operator, on board and observing the towed person(s) or ...
  • Person(s) being towed are wearing a USCG-approved PFD. Ski belts and inflatable PFDs are not approved.
• The operator of the towing vessel and the skier must not operate in a manner which endangers the safety of persons or property. It is illegal to cause the person being towed to collide with any object or person.

If an observer is on board while towing a skier with a personal watercraft, the PWC should be rated for at least three people—the operator, the observer, and the retrieved skier.