United States Coast Guard Federal laws Equipment requirements Safety recommendations Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Additional equipment requirements Educational requirements Registration Legal Responsibility

Virginia Title & Registration Title (and registration) required if boating on Virginia waters State issues registration numbers Decals are issued for calendar years and are valid for three years 15 days to report sale of vessel

Virginia Registration Display number and decals as follows: Number must be painted, decaled or otherwise affixed to forward half of each side of vessel Number must read from left to right Number must be at least 3” high, bold, BLOCK letters Slide 3 of 56

Virginia Registration (cont.) Number’s color must contrast with its background Letters must be separated from numbers by spaces or hyphens No other numbers may be displayed on either side of bow Decals must be affixed on each side of the vessel within 3 inches of the number Slide 4 of 56

Virginia Registration (cont’d) Registration Certificate Must be on board when underway Issued by Virginia DGIF

Slide 6 of 56 U.S. Documented Vessels U.S. Citizens only may have a large vessel documented (at least 5 gross tons) Documentation number must be permanent and clearly visible on the interior structure

Slide 7 of 56 Hull Identification Numbers HIN unique number Engraved into transom fiberglass

Who May Operate A Vessel As of July 1, 2014, Boating safety course required PWC operators age 14 and older Motorboat operators 45 and younger must Beginning July 1, 2015, PWC operators age 14 and older Motorboat operators ages 50 and younger need to take a boating safety course. By July 1, 2016, All operators regardless of age need to meet Virginia’s Education requirements. Slide 8 of 56

Who May Operate A Vessel (cont.) Certificate obtained by successfully completing boating safety course or passing equivalency exam approved by VDGIF Persons required to have certificate must have it on board and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever operating a vessel on Virginia waters Slide 9 of 56

Who May Operate A Vessel (cont.) No one under 14 may legally operate a PWC, even if they possess a certificate of boating safety education

Boat Rentals Renter must read and understand VGIF’s boating rules and regulations Renter will be issued temporary certificate to operate a vessel on Virginia’s waters by rental company PWC rental: renter must be over 14 and have a certificate (if required) Slide 11 of 61

Exemptions Can operate the motorboat under onboard direct supervision of a person who meets the compliance requirement Other exemptions from requirement for Canadians, out of state boaters, US federal licensees Slide 12 of 61

Slide 13 of 56 Negligent Operation Operating in restricted areas Wake jumping, hull leaves water Failure to regulate speed Operating while under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Slide 14 of 42 Regulatory Markers

Alcohol and Drugs Use causes impaired balance, blurred vision, poor coordination, and impaired judgment BWI became federal offense Jan 13, 1988 Standard for BWI : 0.08% bac Criminal penalty: up to $2500 fine or one year imprisonment; a loss of the privilege of operating a watercraft for 12 months, and/or mandatory enrollment in the Alcohol Safety Action Program

Obstructing Navigation It is illegal to: Anchor in a channel Tie up to a buoy or other ATON Tamper with, deface, or move any ATON Obstruct a pier, wharf, boat ramp

Security Zones

Homeland Security Observe and avoid all security zones and other restricted areas. Avoid commercial port operation areas Do not stop or anchor beneath bridges or in the channel Keep a sharp eye out for anything that looks peculiar or out of the ordinary. Report all suspicious activities to local authorities, USCG, or port or marina security

PFD Requirements One per person (Type I, II, III, or V) One throwable (Type IV) per boat >16’ Children under 13 must wear one (underway <21’ unless moored or child is below deck in enclosed cabin) Must wear on skis and PWC’s Must have onboard all motorized and non-motorized vessels (kayaks, canoes, sail/paddleboards) Good condition, readily accessible, and sized for user Slide 19 of 61

Slide 20 of 56 Minimum Buoyancy 22 pounds Type I: Offshore Life Jacket

Slide 21 of 56 Minimum Buoyancy 15.5 pounds Type II: Near-Shore Vest

Slide 22 of 56 Minimum Buoyancy 15.5 pounds Type III: Flotation Aid

Slide 23 of 56 Minimum Buoyancy 22 pounds Type III/V: Inflatable PFD

Slide 24 of 56 Must have on board Type IV: Throwable Device

Slide 25 of 56 Type V: Special-Use Device

Slide 26 of 61 Type PFDsMinimum Adult Buoyancy in Pounds (Newtons) I - Inflatable33.0 (150) I - Buoyant Foam or Kapok22.0 (100) II - Inflatable33.0 (150) II - Buoyant Foam or Kapok15.5 (70) III - Inflatable22.0 (100) III - Buoyant Foam15.5 (70) IV - Ring Buoys16.5 (75) IV - Boat Cushions18.0 (82) V - Hybrid Inflatables22.0 (Fully inflated) (100) 7.5 (Deflated) (34) V - Special Use Device - Inflatable 22.0 to 34.0 (100 to 155) V - Special Use Device - Buoyant Foam 15.5 to 22.0 (70 to 100) HIGHER BUOYANCY MEANS HIGHER LIFT

Slide 27 of 56 Trash Wood Paper Liquids Grease Electrical Equipment Types Of Fires

Fire Extinguishers Should be on all vessels

Slide 29 of 56 Fire Extinguishers Dry chemical most common for marine use Type B required onboard Inboard or I/O engines Permanently installed fuel tanks Closed living spaces Closed compartments where portable fuel tanks are stored

Slide 30 of 56 <26 feet 1 B-1 26 feet to <40 feet 2 B-1 40 feet to <65 feet 3 B-1 Note: These are minimums Federal Rules For Fire Extinguishers

Slide 31 of 56 Charge Indicators

Required on gasoline engines installed after April 25, 1940 Backfire Flame Arrestor

Proper Ventilation Required on gasoline powered boats Powered ventilation on boats built after 31 July 1980 Natural ventilation for boats built before 1 August 1980

Slide 34 of 56 Proper Ventilation Powered ventilation

Proper Ventilation Natural ventilation

Mufflers Excessive noise can prevent vessel operator from hearing signals and voices All vessels manufactured after January 1, 1990 must be equipped with muffler system in good working order and in constant operation to suppress engine noise You may not remove or modify a muffler or muffling system if it results in an increased noise level No person may operate a vessel on Virginia waters that emits noise in excess of 90 db(A) Vessels involved in marine event approved by USCG exempt from these requirements

Slide 37 of 56 Lights – Under Power Sunset to sunrise Restricted visibility Range of visibility Example: In vessels of less than 12 meters in length: –a masthead light, 2 miles; –a sidelight, 1 miles;

Slide 38 of 56 Lights – Sailboat

Slide 39 of 56 < 23’ or 7 meters under oars Lights

Service life: 42 Months Visual Distress Signals Three hand held red flares Day and Night

One Hand Held Red Flare & Two Red Meteors Service life: 42 Months Or...

Slide 42 of 56 Or... One hand held orange smoke Two floating orange smoke And one electric SOS light

Slide 43 of 56 Orange flag Day signal only Arm signal Not USCG approved Use if no other Other VSDs

Slide 44 of 56 Sound Producing Devices Boats less than 65’ (20 m) must carry a sound producing device, e.g., whistle, horn, etc.

Slide 45 of 56 Sound Producing Devices Boats greater than 65’ (20 m) must carry a bell (in addition to other device)

Avoid placing in: Areas already occupied by boaters Narrow channels Diving/Snorkeling Flags

Requirements Specific To PWC Education requirements State registration PFD required Lanyard required: essential for engine cutoff No night operation

PWC (cont’d) Prudent operation – Speed <6 kts within 50’ of shore, persons – Speed <6 kts within 50’ of another vessel unless overtaking or crossing

Towing Requirements Boat Or PWC No skiing or towing between sunset and sunrise PFD required for towed person PWC must be rated for 3 persons: observer required

Waste and Trash Sewage carries harmful bacteria: use pump out stations Do not throw any trash overboard

Environmental Protection Pollution regulations Placard required vessels greater than 26 feet

Slide 52 of 56 Oil/Fuel Spills Spills: Thimble of fuel or more should be reported: US Coast Guard Virginia Department of Health Placard displayed for vessels >26’ Fines up to $10000

Type I or II Chemically treated Type III Holding tank only for pump-out or discharge beyond 3 miles off-shore Marine Sanitation Devices

Slide 54 of 56 All MSD’s Must Be USCG Approved Marine Sanitation Devices – Type III

Slide 55 of 56 Use Pump Out Stations

No Discharge Zones No discharge of any waste, even treated waste from MSD type I and II Three zones –Smith Mountain Lake –Lynnhaven River in southeast Virginia –Deltaville: Broad Creek, Jackson Creek, and Fishing Bay Slide 56 of 61

Waste Management Plan Vessels greater than 40 feet with galley and berths must have a written plan Captain is responsible for implementation Plan should be posted with directives for crew and passengers

Slide 58 of 56 Trailer boaters should remove visible mud, plants, fish or animals from boats and trailers prior to transport to another body of water. Scrape any mussels from boat or outdrive, and flush hull, bilges & water holding compartments with hot water (at least 120º F). Do not release plants or fish, including bait, into a body of water unless it came out of that same body of water. To prevent the spread of non-native fish and mollusks in our waterways, boaters should follow these simple rules: Aquatic Nuisances

Slide 59 of 56 Pump fresh water through engines before leaving the area. Empty water out of kayaks, canoes, rafts, etc. Let boat, PWC's, trailer and equipment dry for at least 5 days. Aquatic Nuisances

Accidents Stop and provide assistance; exchange information Accident reports must be filed within 48 hours, if death, missing or medical treatment beyond first aid If vessel is lost, or damage is over $2000,  Report must be filed within 10 days  30 days if Virginia boat in accident outside of Virginia waters

Accident Reporting Slide 61 of 61

Slide 62 of 56  USCG can stop and board your vessel  Yield right of way, stop vessel and stay in position until police have passed Enforcement

America’s Boating Course Slide 63 of 40 Select a sheltered area Approach into the wind or current Lower the anchor until it reaches bottom Pay out line for appropriate scope while backing down (7:1 recommended) Back down hard to set the anchor Check position periodically for drift Setting Anchor

America’s Boating Course Slide 64 of 33 Fueling Safely Portable tanks: Fill on dock On-board tanks: 1. Close hatches and portholes 2. Keep fuel nozzle in contact with deck plate 3. Do not overfill tanks 4. Ventilate bilge after fueling 5. Open all hatches and portholes

America’s Boating Course Slide 65 of 33 Fueling Safely Turn off all electrical/electronic equipment Turn off bilge blower After fueling, turn on bilge blower for 4 minutes prior to restarting engine

America’s Boating Course Slide 66 of 33 PWC: Fueling Safely Keep fuel line closed Check system for leaks Fill tank slowly do not overfill After fueling ventilate engine compartment Check for spills