Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Contents

• Your Vessel's Title, Registration and Registration Decals
• Other Facts About Registering and Titling Your Vessel 
• Hull Identification Number
• Who May Operate a Vessel
• Unlawful Operation of a Vessel
• Alcohol and Drugs
• Obstructing Navigation
• Homeland Security Restrictions
• Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
• Fire Extinguishers
• Backfire Flame Arrestors
• Ventilation Systems
• Mufflers and Noise Level Limits
• Navigation Lights
• Visual Distress Signals
• Federally Controlled Waters in Washington
• Sound-Producing Devices
• Other Equipment and Regulations
  • Diver-Down Flag
  • Local Regulations
• Requirements Specific to Personal Watercraft (PWCs)
• Towing a Person with a Vessel Legally
• Waste, Oil and Trash Disposal in Washington and Federal Waters
• Nuisance Species
• Boating Accidents and Casualties—What the Law Requires You to Do
• Enforcement
• Additional Information for Washington Boaters
  • Tsunamis
  • Vessel Traffic Systems and Shipping Lanes
  • Boating Safety Tips: Sharing the Water with Commercial Ships
  • Aquatic Nuisance Species in Washington
  • Be Whale Wise
• Washington Required Equipment Checklist
• Chapter 4 Summary
• Review Questions for Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating