Florida Keys fishing tips include monitoring the fishing tackle you use. Also known as "the ditch," the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a natural but dredged channel that extends 500 miles down the east coast of Florida to the tip of the Keys. Use marked channels where they exist and stay in deeper water where your propellers and hull won't damage shallow-water habitats. All vessels are required to carry an efficient sound-producing device, such as a referee's whistle. If you have a full day on your hands then the open ocean is a great opportunity for the adventurous. In the Florida Keys and Volusia County, boaters have reported that police have been coming aboard, sometimes with guns drawn, alleging they're checking to see whether vessels are illegally dumping sewage out of their holding tanks. However the personal watercraft regulations and boating safety requirements below are age specific and would apply. Please call the FWC's Boating Safety Section at 850-488-5600 for annual updates to this information or questions regarding boating safety course requirements. This area certainly deserves its place on the list of best boating in Florida. Florida Online Boating Safety Course and Exam Florida Anchoring Laws as of late 2017 are as follows: You may not anchor or moor within 150 of any marina, boat ramp, boatyard, or other vessel launching or loading facility You may not anchor within 300 feet of a facility that services or repairs a yacht with a water line of 120 feet or more in length Florida Boating Laws Vessel Titling and Registration. On a vessel, the symbol must be at least 20 x 24 inches in size. Some lakes in Kentucky do not allow any alcohol on boats. It is against the law to operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol … All renters required by law to have a boater education ID card must have the card or its equivalent before the facility may rent to them. Florida Lawmakers Amend Vessel Safety Regulations Anchoring Restrictions In May 2005, the City of Miami Beach joined a number of other Florida municipalities in passing ordinances to regulate anchoring within their city limits. A person operating on a private lake or pond. ... Florida Boating Laws Make sure the bow of the boat is down and the motor is trimmed or tilted up. The number of abandoned boats in the Florida Keys was prime driver of the new law. It makes some changes in the law and the way it is enforced. Vessels less than 16 feet in length are required to carry at least 3 visual distress signals approved for nighttime use when on coastal waters from sunset to sunrise. The exhaust of every engine used on any airboat operated in Florida must use an automotive-style factory muffler, underwater exhaust, or other manufactured device capable of adequately muffling the sound of the engine exhaust. The PFDs must be of the appropriate size for the intended wearer, be in serviceable condition, and within easy access. Your rod has to be able to handle the stress of a big hit. If you buy a boat and intend to operate it, you’ll have to meet both registration and... Boating License Requirement. With a little care, you can avoid damaging valuable Keys habitat (and your boat) and avoid fines, fees, and other costs associated with running aground. If you run into a seagrass flat, you will be leaving a sediment trail behind your boat, making the water murky and probably cutting seagrass roots. In the Florida Keys and Volusia County, boaters have reported that police have been coming aboard, sometimes with guns drawn, alleging they're checking to see whether vessels are illegally dumping sewage out of their holding tanks. Chapter 26 of the Monroe County Municipal Code provides for boating and waterway regulations established by the County. Florida has always had a derelict boat problem but the recession in 2008 and our frequent hurricanes caused the numbers to skyrocket. Use the links below for the latest in boating regulations for Florida: Boating Under the Influence. Copyright 1999 - 2021 State of Florida. It is a violation of Florida law to damage seagrass beds in some areas within state waters. Search Boats Inflatable PFDs are prohibited for skiing/aquaplaning. (“Attend” means you must attend a classroom course or take the course on-line.) Okay, a new regulation has just passed or will be instated on October 1st, 2009. Waters surrounding the Florida Keys are protected and regulated by state statute and federal laws, as well as County and City codes. August 20, 2019 Today, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries released a draft proposal recommending a range of potential changes to existing boundaries, regulations, and marine zones in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, to better address long-term declines to the region’s marine resources as well as ongoing and emerging threats due to changing ocean conditions. and a boater education course completion certificate showing proof of having completed the required boating safety education course. Florida Online Boating Safety Course and Exam The handbook introduces you to Florida laws governing boating and provides … Life jackets can greatly increase chances of survival at sea. Always use up-to-date. Some lakes in Kentucky do not allow any alcohol on boats. Wind and weather can change rapidly around the Florida Keys. Any vessel operating in a speed zone posted as "Idle Speed - No Wake" must operate at the minimum speed that allows the vessel to maintain headway and steerageway. Boating Under the Influence. Respect for speed, no wake and manatee zones are an important part of proper navigation. Violator courses require approximately 4 hours to complete and must be taken through a specified State of Florida-approved online course. Maneuvering a personal watercraft by weaving through congested vessel traffic, jumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably close or when visibility around the vessel is obstructed, or swerving at the last possible moment to avoid collision is classified as reckless operation of a vessel (a first-degree misdemeanor). Are you allowed to have alcohol on the boat? 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