Until January 1, 2009, those operators age ten (10) through thirteen (13) that have a boating safety certificate may continue to operate a PWC if they are accompanied by:

• someone over 18 years of age and
• within 500 feet on another personal watercraft or vessel and
• within sight of the personal watercraft and
• holding a safety certificate of their own.

A Boating Safety Certificate is a certificate issued by the Commissioner, the United States Power Squadron, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, or in the case of a non-resident his/her home state or country, as a result of completing a boating safety course.

This law only affects the operation of PWC's. Anyone over the age of ten (10) that holds a boating safety certificate can still operate a motor boat alone.

#2. For regular boat operation, safety courses are only required for those 10-18 to operate a regular boat solo.  Those between 10 and 18 can operate a regular boat with an adult 18 or older present on the craft. 

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary recommends that everyone who ventures out in the water take a safe boating course. Generally there is a primary operator who does most of the operation, docking, fueling, and piloting of the craft.  There is a situation which we call SIC (Suddenly in Command) where the primary operator make become ill or incapacitated.  This is why we encourage attendance by families.  It just may save you in an emergency situation.  

BS&S (Boating Skills & Seamanship)

BOATING SKILLS AND SEAMANSHIP is an intermediate boating course designed to be appropriate
to both new boaters seeking basic boating skills and those who want to advance their basic
skills to a higher level. The Core Course, described below, is approved by the National Association
of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and, as such, will serve as an approved course in
all states when state regulations are added to the course. It is up to local instructors to add such
material. In addition, some states require state specific questions to be added to the final exam.
COURSE ORGANIZATION
BS&S consists of the Core Course and five Optional Lessons.
The Core Course lessons are:
Lesson 1 Which Boat is for You
Lesson 2 Equipment for Your Boat
Lesson 3 Trailering Your Boat
Lesson 4 Handling Your Boat
Lesson 5 Your “Highway” Signs
Lesson 6 The Rules You Must Follow
Lesson 7* Inland Boating
Lesson 8 The Rest of our Story
*Special note: The Inland Boating lesson is optional and included to assist inland boaters.
Instructors may exclude this lesson if it is not appropriate for their boating area. This lesson does
not include information necessary for NASBLA approval. Thus, if Lesson 7 is not taught, the
graduates of the Core Course may still receive a NASBLA-approved certificate.
The Optional Lessons are:
Lesson 9 Introduction to Navigation
Lesson 10 Powering Your Boat
Lesson 11 Lines and Knots for Your Boat
Lesson 12 Weather and Boating
Lesson 13 Your Boat’s Radio
Each of these Optional Lessons may be added, individually or collectively, to the Core Course or taught
as single (or multiple) lesson courses.
Information and review questions, previously in the Student Study Guide, are now incorporated into each
lesson. There is a supplemental publication (ordered separately), Student Review Questions, which contains
the review questions for ALL lessons. This is for use by students who are sharing one textbook and
wish to do the quizzes themselves.
 

GPS for Mariners