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Course Outline

PWC jumping wake of a boat; prohibited sign on the image

In New Jersey, these are the operating laws for PWC.

  • A PWC operator must always face forward.
  • A PWC may not be operated:
    • Between sunset and sunrise
    • During periods of restricted visibility
    • In the Point Pleasant or Cape May canals
    • In a way that causes the PWC to become airborne within 100 feet of another vessel
  • A PWC may not be operated above “minimum headway speed” within 100 feet of:
    • Buoys or signs that mark the boundaries of a swimming area
    • A shoreline
    • A person in the water
    • A residential dwelling unit
  • A PWC must be operated in a responsible manner. Maneuvers that endanger people or property are prohibited, including:
    • Operating a speed such that the PWC cannot be stopped safely
    • Weaving through congested vessel traffic
    • Jumping the wake produced by another vessel at a distance within 100 feet of any vessel
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