BOATING SAFETY

Personal watercraft (a.k.a. PWC) are often called Jet Ski's or Wave Runners and are one of the fastest growing forms of boating in Florida and the United States. They are considered "boats" and are subject to all the same boating laws as any other type of boat. They are fast and easy to drive. What defines a personal watercraft? "Personal watercraft" means a motorboat less than sixteen feet in length which uses an inboard motor powering a jet pump as its primary motive power and which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on, rather than in a conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel. When riding a PWC, it's important to always be considerate of the effect you may have on the environment and others enjoying the waterways. Never jump the wake of a passing boat or ride too close to another boat. Do not operate a personal watercraft in shallow water (less than 24 inches dep). Bottom sediments or aquatic vegetation can be sucked into the water pump and damage your personal watercraft and the environment. Do not dock or beach your personal watercraft in reeds and grasses. This could damage fragile environments. Also, never use your PWC to chase wildlife such as birds feeding near shore, waterfowl or other animals. Riding a personal watercraft can be fun, but it's important to be careful out on the water. Remember to also wear a life jacket, even if you know how to swim.

Before you go out on your adventure in the ocean on a  jet ski or if you operate a boat, you must know the rules and regulations of the water. Did you know that in Florida you must have a Florida certificate of registration and validation decal to operate a vessel legally on public waters in Florida?

There is only one exception to this and that is non-motorized vessels or vessels used only for private lakes or ponds. To receive a decal and a registration for your water vessel you must submit the proper application and fee to your county tax collector’s office!

You must have a certificate of title for your water vehicle because it proves ownership of the vehicle. Did you know that if you get a certificate of registration, it expires in one year on the last day of the month the owner was born?

To operate a water vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or greater, including PWC’S (personal water crafts), a person 21 years of age or younger must have completed a boater education course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) or passed an approved equivalency exam.

Operators who are required to have completed a boating education course or exam must carry on board his/her boating safety education identification card issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and a photo identification.

It is a violation of Florida law to operate a vessel while impaired by alcohol or any other drug. In Florida, a vessel operator is presumed to be under the influence if their blood or breath alcohol level is at or above .08. Any person under 21 years of age who is found to have a breath alcohol level of .02 or higher and operates or is in actual physical control of a vessel is in violation of Florida law.

Whether you are driving a speed boat or riding a jet ski, don't forget to put on a life jacket. They may appear in the form of a simple vest or even a jacket. Life jackets are often made of a tough synthetic fiber material which covers either foam or air for buoyancy. They are often brightly colored as yellow or orange for better visibility during rescues.

In the United States, federal law requires any recreational boater to carry one U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Boats over sixteen feet in length are also required to carry a throwable (Type IV) PFD, but canoes and kayaks are exempt from this rule. The Coast Guard classifies life jackets into five different types based on their minimum buoyancy. Each life jacket is designed for different boating activities and water conditions.

It is recommended that before you wear your life jacket on the water, take the time to make sure it fits properly and test it in the water to make sure it supports your body. Wearing a life jacket should keep your mouth and head clear of the water with no effort on your part.

It is unlawful for any person operating a vessel involved in a boating accident to leave the scene without giving all possible aid to the involved persons and without reporting the accident to the proper authorities.

Any vessel operating in a speed zone posted as "Idle Speed - No Wake" must operate at the minimum speed that allows the vessel to maintain headway and steerageway. Any vessel operating in a speed zone posted as "Slow Down - Minimum Wake" must operate fully off plane and completely settled in water. The vessel's wake must not be excessive nor create a hazard to other vessels.

Law enforcement officers of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Sheriff's deputies of the various counties, and any other authorized enforcement officer, shall have the authority to order the removal of vessels deemed to be an interference or hazard to public safety, enforce all boating safety laws, or cause any inspection to be made of all vessels in accordance to state law. A law enforcement officer may stop any vessel for the purpose of checking for compliance with boating safety equipment requirements.

Manatees are protected by state and federal law. It is illegal to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal, including manatees. Anything that disrupts a manatee's normal behavior is a violation of law, punishable under federal law up to a $50,000 fine, one-year imprisonment, or both. Boaters must observe all manatee protection zone requirements. Boaters who accidentally strike a manatee are urged to report the strike to the FWC and may not be subject to prosecution provided they were operating in accordance with any applicable vessel speed restrictions at the time of the strike. Sea grasses are the principal food for endangered marine herbivores such as manatees and green sea turtles, act as natural filters to help purify the water, and provide a suitable environment for a wide variety of marine life. Boaters should make all available attempts to avoid running through sea grass beds. Navigation charts identify sea grass beds as light green or marked as "grs" on the chart.

Boaters should make all possible attempts to stay within channels when unfamiliar with a waterway. Avoid taking shortcuts through sea grass beds to avoid causing propeller scars. It is a violation of Florida law to damage sea grass beds in some areas within state waters.

Marine debris is anything man-made that is thrown away or lost in the ocean. It usually applies to floating waste such as bottles, cans, Styrofoam, cruise ship waste, offshore oil and gas exploration and production facilities pollution and fishing paraphernalia from professional and recreational boaters. If the marine debris is made of plastic, they float and they are not biodegradable. That means they will be around as a danger to marine life for a very long time. To understand the long-lasting effect marine debris can cause, it's important to learn the decomposition rates for common types of marine debris:

Marine debris	Decomposition rate
cotton rope	1 year
paper towel	4 weeks
cloth	1-5 months
apple core	2 months
juice carton	3 months
styrofoam	10-50 years
steel can	50 years
plastic bag	10-20 years
disposable diaper	450 years
plastic 6-pack ring	400 years
monofilament line	600 years
glass bottle	1 million years
aluminum can	200 years
cigarette butt	80 years
plastic bottle	plastic bottle