Know boating laws before heading out to the water

Last year, there were 147 boating incidents and 19 boating-incident related fatalities, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). Incidents can happen quickly and the chance of one occurring greatly increases if boat operators are either unfamiliar with or fail to follow the existing boating laws, or "rules of the road," that govern lakes and rivers.

"Boat operators do not need a license to operate a boat and people over the age of 16 are not required by law to take a test to operate a vessel," says WRD Lt. Col. Homer Bryson, Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement. "Therefore, it is extremely important for boat operators to take responsibility for educating themselves on boating safety and boating laws. Your efforts to learn boating laws could potentially save your life or the life of someone you know."

One of the most important "rules of the road" is the '100 foot law' which includes all boats, not just personal watercraft (such as Jet Skis or Sea Doos), and requires boat operators to slow to idle speed when they are within 100 feet of docks, piers, bridges, horelines or people in the water.

The 100-foot law states, "No person shall operate any vessel or tow a person or persons on water skis, an aquaplane, a surfboard, or any similar device on the waters of this state at a speed greater than idle speed within 100 feet of any vessel which is moored, anchored, or adrift outside normal traffic channels, or any wharf, dock, pier, piling, bridge structure or abutment, person in the water, or shoreline adjacent to a full-time or part-time residence, public park, public beach, public swimming area, marina, restaurant, or other public use area."

The law indicates that it is illegal to jump the wake of another boat within 100 feet and to "buzz" other boats. In addition, the law prohibits vessels from operating around or within 100 feet of another vessel faster than idle speed unless it is overtaking or meeting the other vessel in compliance with the rules of the road for boat operation. The law also makes it illegal for boat operators to follow close The Georgia Department Of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), encourages everyone to practice safety at all times when in and around the water. ly behind another vessel, jump the wake of another vessel, or change or reverse their course of direction in order to ride or jump in the wake of another vessel.

"People who operate boats and personal watercraft at dangerously high speeds, and zip into and out of coves and along shorelines where other vessels are anchored or where people are in the water are not only putting themselves and others at risk for serious accidents, but they are also breaking the law," explains Lt. Col. Bryson.

Other "rules of the road" for boating include: when meeting another vessel, boat operators should pass on the right side (just like in a car) unless the boats are far enough apart that they are not meeting head-on or close to head-on; on narrow rivers and streams, stay as far right as possible and be careful when rounding bends and curves and overtaking or passing other boats; In a crossing situation, the boat on the right should hold its course and the boat on the left should slow down and cross behind the other boat; and powerboats always should yield to sailboats.

To take a boating safety course or for more information on boating laws and other boating safety issues, visit www.goboatgeorgia. com or contact the nearest WRD Law Enforcement Office.

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