do i need a boaters liscense or not

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diver josh

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fort lauderdale, florida
ok this is kinda dumb question i was deciding if i wanted a waverunner or not and i was researching to see if i need a boaters lisence or not i live in florida in broward if it makes a difference i am just wondering what i need to buy one besides money. oh yea i am also 18 so if i want to drive a boat i need a lisence i know that much but not sure about waverunners
 
i don't think there is any regulations about boating licences i have been on the water for years, i'm 16, and have never heard of anything like this. i'm in new england so there may be local laws.
 
diver josh:
ok this is kinda dumb question i was deciding if i wanted a waverunner or not and i was researching to see if i need a boaters lisence or not i live in florida in broward if it makes a difference i am just wondering what i need to buy one besides money. oh yea i am also 18 so if i want to drive a boat i need a lisence i know that much but not sure about waverunners
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In New York it is now mandatory for "ALL" operators to get their boating license regardless of age.

I have owned and operted Waverunners for over 10 years I HIGHLY recommend a boaters safety course. There are a lot of boating laws you may or may not be aware of. Waverunners in general get a real bad rap and are probably not far from being banned from use everywhere because of a few irresponsible riders. A safety course can in no way hurt.

On another note. What are you thinking of getting? I have a 1998 GP 800 limited I use for the kids (They both have licenses) and for wave jumping. Then I have my toy. 2002 GP1200R with a few Eh........goodies under the hood. It is a true 70 MPH machine (on GPS not speedo) and handles like it is on rails.

Take Care
Scott
 
I have a 2002 Honda F-12. Thing handles great and has plenty of speed for me. it's also a four-stroke which I would recomend getting, nothing is worse than having to mix gas with oil. This way all I have to do is fill it up and ride. Honda also has thier new R-12, it looks very nice! Check them out here Honda Watercraft


Jambi
 
Josh,

Check with the state parks & wildlife people, they can tell you exactly what you need.

Also, absolutely check with the local US Coast Guard Auxiliary or the US Power Squadron in you area. The boating courses they offer are free (except for materials). To say the courses are excellent is an understatement. Highly recommend you take one of the courses. When you finish, not only will you know how to operate a waverunner, but you will also have learned rules of the road, buoys & markers, some lights and navigation. You'll be able to be comfortable on just about any pleasure boat. It is also a good foundation for a later sitting for A US Coast Guard issued Captain's License. Good luck.

Regards,
 
The answer to your question is this: There is no established boating regulations requiring a license.. in fact there isn't even a license. I would highly suggest taking the US Power Squadron or Coast Guards power boating safety class though as it will be a foundation for what I hope is some laws enacted in the future requiring training and certification for every boat a person owns (like they do for planes) since we all know they all handle different and have different quirks and characteristics.

If you get a wave runner and find yourself following a boat named Sea Shanty beware of flying debris... ;)
 
Go with the C/G class I am now in the charting phase of my 100 ton captains class and their is a wealth of knowledge for all boaters to know trust me when i say alot needs to be taught to jet ski folks nothing wrong with them i have two myself but never knew how many bad choices i made until i had to take this class for the new new 36 foot dive boat coming in may yippppppie can not wait
 
Does anyone have a website for the Coast Gaurd class? Looking for info on locations, times, costs, etc. One of these days I'll have my boat (see " boat works" in this forum) actually water worthy, & even if a license is not required, I don't know the first thing about boat handling.
 
mike adams adams marine he teaches the masters class i am taking where are you located
 
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