California law requires a person to be 16 years of age or older and in possession of his/her California Boater Card to legally operate a vessel powered by a motor of 15 hp or more, including personal watercraft (PWCs).
How much is a Boating License in California?
A. The steps required to get your California Boater Card are as follows: Pay the one-time fee of $34.95 – free unlimited retries of the final exam. Study the California Boating Safety Course and pass the final exam.
What do you need to drive a boat in Florida?
Do I need a license? In order to operate a motorboat of ten (10) horsepower or greater, Florida law requires anyone who was born on or after Jan. 1, 1988 to successfully complete an approved boating safety course and obtain a Boating Safety Education Identification Card issued by the FWC.
What is required to operate a boat in Massachusetts?
Minimum Age Restrictions
No person under 12 years of age may operate a motorboat, unless accompanied on-board and directly supervised by a competent person 18 years of age or older. Personal watercraft (PWC) users must still be at least 16 years of age in order to operate, with no exceptions.
What is required to operate a boat in California? – Related Questions
Do I need a captains license for my personal boat Massachusetts?
While a captain’s license is not required for personal use, some boaters seek out courses to brush up on their skills and feel the pride that comes with getting a USCG license.
Can you drink on a boat in Massachusetts?
Can boat passengers imbibe? The answer is yes. Passengers can drink alcohol on a boat, but the operator cannot. And as with cars and trucks, a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher is above the legal limit.
Do you need a drivers license to operate a boat in Massachusetts?
Do you need a Boating License in Massachusetts? Massachusetts law requires all motorboat operators who are 12 through 15 years of age to complete an approved boating course in order to operate a motorboat without adult supervision.
Is boat insurance required in Massachusetts?
A: The state of Massachusetts does not require insurance on a boat before registering. It is entirely up to the boat owner whether or not the boat is insured.
Can local police board your boat?
Peace Officers
These officers have the authority to stop and board any vessel where they have probable cause to believe that a violation of law exists. Peace officers are also authorized to order the operator of an unsafe vessel to shore.
What additional equipment must be on board if your vessel is 16 ft or longer?
Vessels 16 feet and over, except canoes and kayaks, must have one wearable Coast Guard-approved life jacket of a type and size appropriate for the conditions and the boating activity being engaged in for each person aboard, plus at least one Type IV throwable flotation device.
Is a flare gun required on a boat?
Visual signaling devices
Boats under 16 feet must have flares or nighttime signals. Boats over 16 feet must carry visual signals for both day and night use. Examples of pyrotechnic devices or flares that would qualify are orange or white smoke and aerial light flares.
What size boat requires a life ring?
(3) A vessel of more than 19.8 meters (65 feet) in length must carry a minimum of three life buoys of not less than 610 millimeters (24 inches) in diameter.
Can the Coast Guard take your boat?
The Coast Guard has sweeping authority to board any vessel (subject to the jurisdiction of the United States) at any time, any place. It does not require a warrant. It does not require probable cause. Boardings need not be based on a suspicion that a violation already exists aboard the vessel.
Why is the Coast Guard not considered military?
Even though the Coast Guard is not a part of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the Coast Guard is part of the United States Armed Forces (also known as the military). Technically, the Coast Guard is both a federal law enforcement agency and military branch within the Department of Homeland Security.
How far offshore do U.S. laws apply?
Laws enacted by Congress are presumed to apply within the territory of the United States (including within either a 3- or 12-nautical mile territorial sea), unless otherwise explicitly provided.
What do you need to have on a boat?
12 things you need on a boat
- Life jackets or personal flotation devices (PFDs) A PFD is a life jacket that must be available for each person on board.
- Registration and license paperwork.
- Throwable flotation devices.
- Fire extinguishers.
- Visual distress signals.
- Sound signaling devices.
- VHF radio.
- First-aid kit.
What size boat is good for a beginner?
So try to go for a boat in the 15ft-25ft range. For inshore fishing, you can go for smaller boats that won’t cost a lot and will be easier to handle as well. These can be in the 15ft-20ft bracket.
What do I need as a new boat owner?
What Supplies Do I Need for My New Boat?
- Boat Safety Equipment.
- Registration Numbers and Proper Documentation.
- Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs, also known as Life Jackets)
- Basic First Aid Kit.
- Visual and Sound Signaling Devices.
- Fenders and Docking Equipment.
- Boating Accessories.
What can you not take on a boat?
8 things to leave behind when going boating
- Shoes with marking soles.
- Spray sunscreen.
- Chocolate or other messy snacks.
- Cigarettes.
- Unexpected guests.
- Perfume.
- Glass bottles or containers of any kind.
- Plastic grocery bags.
Which side do you pass on a boat?
If you meet another boat head-on: Under the boating rules of the road, vessels approaching each other head-on are always supposed to pass each other port to port — or left to left, just like on the road.