Boating season has begun in NC. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe on the water
The weather is warming up, which means boating season in North Carolina is officially here.
Though boating is a popular recreational activity in the spring and summer months, it also presents a risk on the waters.
On Sunday, a man died after a crash between a jet ski and a pontoon boat on Lake Norman, just northwest of Charlotte.
In North Carolina, there were 134 boating accidents in 2019, and 14 of them resulted in fatalities, according to the most recent report from N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). There were 25 accidents recorded in the Charlotte area, with 10 occurring in Iredell County, the report says.
According to the Coast Guard, lack of proper safety equipment is one of the main causes of boating accidents.
If you’re new to North Carolina or are one of the many consumers who purchased a boat during the pandemic, there are rules and regulations you should know before hitting the water.
What are the requirements to operate a boat?
Any person born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, must complete a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators-approved boating education course before operating a boat with 10 horsepower or greater, according to state law.
Boating education courses can be completed in-person or online. There is no minimum age requirement, but the course is taught at a sixth-grade level, and a written exam must be completed to pass the class, NCWRC says.
What equipment do you need to operate a boat?
According to NCWRC, all recreational boats must have a personal flotation device (PFD) for each person aboard, and the type of PFD required on each boat depends on its length and whether the boat is used for recreational or commercial purposes.
Recreational boats that are 16 feet in length or greater must have an additional throwable PFD, and children under 13 years of age are required to wear PFDs while onboard, NC Wildlife says.
Here’s what else you’ll need to operate a boat, according to NCWRC:
A boater education certificate and certificate of registration on board.
Registration decals displayed on the front half of your boat on each side, where they can easily be seen.
A fire extinguisher, unless your boat is more than 26 feet in length or has a built-in fire extinguishing system.
An Ignition safety switch. NCWRC recommends having a safety kill switch and lanyard, but they are not required.
A backfire flame arrestor to disperse any flames caused by engine backfire.
A ventilation system to release any explosive or flammable gasses that could become trapped in the fuel tank.
A working muffler.
Sound-producing devices like horns, whistles or bells.
Navigation lights. Boats operated at night are required to display navigation lights between sunset and sunrise.
More information on these requirements can be found at ncwildlife.org/boating.
What should I know about operating a personal watercraft?
Similar to boats, state law also regulates the use of personal watercrafts (PWC), commonly referred to as “jet skis” or “Wave Runners.” Here are the laws pertaining to them.
PWCs cannot be operated between sunset and sunrise.
No one under the age of 14 can operate a PWC, but those between the ages of 14 and 16 can if they are accompanied by an adult or have passed a boating safety education course.
Each person aboard a PWC is required to wear a PFD.
If the watercraft has a lanyard cut-off switch, it must be attached to the operator.
PWCs must not be operated in a way that could endanger the lives or property of others.
What should I know about ‘no wake’ zones?
A wake, or the disturbance of water resulting from a boat or jet ski moving through the water at high speeds, can create dangerous driving conditions for other boaters and property damage to docks, NCWRC says.
“No wake” zones, or areas where boats and other vessels are required to travel at idling speeds, are marked with signs, according to NCWRC.
To avoid excessive wake, NCWRC advises boaters to stay at least 200 feet away from the shoreline, docks or other structures, and minimize the number of times driven along any one portion of the shoreline.
What should I know about boating access areas?
Boating access areas are designed and maintained for public use, NCWRC says.
According to NCWRC, it is against the law to:
Leave any vehicle, trailer or boat where it will impede the use of the ramp by others
Park any vehicle anywhere other than the designated parking area.
Use the area for swimming, camping or operating concessions.
Operate any vessel within 50 yards of the ramp greater than the “no wake” speed.
Have loaded firearms in the access area.
Leave trash on the grounds of the area.
Conduct special events without authorization from the Division of Engineering Services.
Where are the boating access areas around Charlotte?
There are public boat access areas for all of the lakes in the Charlotte area, including Lake Norman, Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake. Here are a few of them:
- Riverbend, 190 Eddie Nichols Rd., Mount Holly, NC 28120
- Neck Road, 5898 Neck Rd., Huntersville, NC 28078
- Highway 73, 8670 N.C. 73, Stanley, NC 28164
- Beatties Ford, 9124 Unity Church Rd., Denver, NC 28037
- Little Creek, 4906 Burton Ln., Denver, NC 28037
- Hager Creek, 788 McKendree Rd., Mooresville, NC 28117
- Pinnacle, 1556 River Hwy., Mooresville, NC 28117
- McCrary Creek, 1437 River Hwy., Mooresville, NC 28117
- South Point, 199 Boat Launch Rd.. Belmont, NC 28012
This story was originally published April 13, 2022 at 9:00 AM.
