Boating Safety
The State Legislature enacted new boating regulations on March 17,1997. The new
regulations establish minimum age limits for operation of personal watercraft. Persons
between the ages of 12 and 16 are now prohibited from operating a personal watercraft
without the direct, on-board supervision of a person over the age of 18.
A personal watercraft is defined as a vessel less than 16 feet in length propelled by
machinery, and designed to be operated by an individual sitting or kneeling on the vessel
rather than sitting or kneeling inside the vessel. There are tougher restrictions on
drinking and boating. Minimum blood-alcohol limits are now more stringent for boat
operators who are under Ohio's legal drinking age of 21, bringing state boating law into
agreement with the limit already in place for underage motor vehicle drivers.
The new regulations increase the age requirement for a supervising person. The age of a
person supervising boat operation by anyone under 12 years of age has been raised from 16
to 18 years of age. No one under 12 years of age may operate any vessel unless that person
is under the direct visual and audible supervision of a person 18 years of age or older.
Over 800 people die in boating-related accidents each year according to the U.S. Coast
Guard. The latest reports estimated a yearly total of over 6,900 recreational boating
accidents - the most ever reported.
"Nearly nine out of ten of the drowning victims were not wearing their life
jacket," said Captain Tony Stimatz of the U.S. Coast Guard. "It's simple, life
jackets save lives."
The U.S. Coast Guard, National Safety Council and Muskingum Watershed Conservancy
District offer these tips for using a life jacket:
Buy your own personal life jacket and use it. One size does not fit all. There may not
be one available that fits to rent or borrow. Look at the label. It will provide weight,
size and use information. Try it on to check the fit.
Once the straps and buckles are secured, it should not slip over your head or come
above your ears. Never use water toys in place of a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket.
Throw away a life jacket if you find air leakage, mildew or rot. Never alter a life
jacket. It could lose its effectiveness.
Check your life jackets yearly for flotation and fit. Wear a life jacket to set an
example for younger children while you increase your chances of survival. For more tips on
using life jackets contact the U.S. Coast Guard Infoline at: 1-800-368-5647.
