Last weekend’s sunny break in the long February cold wave was a reminder that with the chilly March wind comes the dawn of another spring on the Outer Cape. And as the ocean water warms and things begin to percolate again, the cycle of marine life and migration begins.
The big news right now is that Massachusetts has finally joined the majority of other states in requiring boat operators to have completed a boating safety course before they will be allowed to operate a personal watercraft.
The Hanson-Milone Act, a safe boater bill, was signed into law by Gov. Maura Healey on Jan. 8. It requires all motorized vessel operators to earn a state-issued boater safety certificate before they can legally pilot their boats. The Mass. Environmental Police is working to get the word out about it now. The MEP’s Interim Colonel Chris Mason said in a statement that what’s required is for all recreational operators, “whether you’re an experienced boater or just starting out.”
The goals of this program are pretty simple. Participants will learn basic navigation rules and understand how to safely maneuver their vessels on the water to avoid collisions and be aware of what to do in case of an onboard emergency. The course will cover what boaters need to know to protect themselves and their passengers as well as practices that can help protect the marine environment from further degradation.
There’s plenty of time to prepare. The law doesn’t actually go into effect until April 1, 2026. Implementation breaks down like this: If you were born after Jan. 1, 1989, you must complete the course by April 1, 2026, with no penalties imposed until Sept. 1, 2026; if you were born on or before Jan. 1, 1989, you will have until April 1, 2028 to complete the course. In effect, they’re prioritizing younger boaters. Proof of completion will be required to be carried while boating in Massachusetts waters.
The required course will be available online and in person, through assorted local organizations — those details are yet to be determined, and the MEP is responsible for making sure everyone has access. The state has added a boat safety certificate page to its website where a list of approved providers will appear.
This is long overdue. The bill took over a decade to pass. And in that time, there have been far too many fatal accidents that could have easily been avoided with a little operator knowledge. The Coast Guard 2023 stats released last May showed they had logged 3,844 accidents resulting in 564 deaths, 2,126 injuries, and roughly $63 million in property damage nationwide, according to U.S. Coast Guard News. Most of these accidents were the result of operator negligence and errors.
In my five decades on the water, working on both commercial and private boats, I have seen every form of incompetence and ignorance one can think of. But knowing what you’re doing on the water has never been a requirement for operating a boat in Massachusetts.
Can you imagine if drivers of automobiles were not required to know what the colors of a traffic light mean, or what a yield sign means, or what a blinking rear red light means? That’s what it’s been like on the waters here. How anyone can think that driving a car safely requires training but running a boat doesn’t is beyond me. But as long as you were 16 or older, the only requirement you needed to operate a boat in our waters was a boat — until now.
Those of us who work on the water for a living applaud the change.
