Coming to Florida

[swoop]

I was wondering if there are any regulations for pwc in Florida coastal waters. I am from the mid west and I am headed down for spring break and will be staying in clear water area. I looked at the regulations and they look like the same regs that I have to adhere to on the mid west lakes. But are the ocean waters any different? Special insurance or licenses? Thanks

Swoop

 

[Rampage]

Pretty much the same basic rules. Let me know when you come down and you can hook up with our group and ride. We are only about 30 or 45 min from clearwater

 

[custompartsguy]

• Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 who operates a vessel powered by 10 horsepower or more must pass an approved boater safety course and have in his/her possession photographic identification and a boating safety education identification card issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
• The following operators are exempt:
  • A person licensed by the U. S. Coast Guard as a master of a vessel.
  • A person operating on a private lake or pond.
  • An operator who is accompanied onboard by a person who is least 18 years old and possesses the required Boating Safety Education Identification Card, provided that person is attendant to and responsible for the safe operation of the vessel.
  • An operator who is accompanied onboard by a person who is exempt from the educational requirements, provided that person is attendant to and responsible for the safe operation of the vessel.
  • A non-resident who has in his or her possession proof that he or she has completed a NASBLA-approved boater safety course or equivalency examination from another state.
  • A person who is operating a vessel within 90 days after the purchase of that vessel, provided they have available for inspection aboard that vessel, a bill of sale meeting all the requirements as established in Chapter 328.46(1), Florida Statutes.

The next info is for sarasota county:

[FONT=ARIAL,GENEVA,HELVETICA][SIZE=-1]No person shall operate any watercraft in excess of IDLE SPEED within 300 feet of any land in Sarasota County fronting on the Gulf of Mexico.[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=ARIAL,GENEVA,HELVETICA][SIZE=-1]No person shall operate any watercraft within a swimming area which has been marked with buoys, nor within 500 feet of any public beach on the Gulf of Mexico.[/SIZE][/FONT]

However make sure to check the county laws in which you are operating as some have more stict laws taking the 300 ft from shore to 500 foot, yes to all that think out there that you can just jump on your ski from a gom beach front and take off, think twice, its idle speed out in sarasota to 300 ft min before off idle speed and yes they do enforce it, in florida you will notice that law enforcement targets certain types of vessels including pwc, this is mostly in part to too many people just jumping on a ski without paying attention to the laws and it hurts people and marine life.