{"id":79,"date":"2024-10-16T10:29:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T10:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/blog\/\/?p=79"},"modified":"2024-10-18T19:59:17","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T19:59:17","slug":"rhode-island-boating-laws-and-regulations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/blog\/rhode-island-boating-laws-and-regulations\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Rhode Island Boating Laws and Regulations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Getting out on the water in Rhode Island is an excellent way to spend time, whether you enjoy fishing, kayaking, riding a personal watercraft (PWC)<\/a>, or simply taking a slow, relaxing cruise on the lake.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Make sure you prioritize safety when on the water. You’ll also want to understand Rhode Island boating laws and regulations to ensure you’re boating legally. So, keep reading to learn about the state’s rules for being on the water!<\/p>\n

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Who Needs a Rhode Island Boater Education Card?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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If you were born on or after January 1, 1986, and plan to operate a motorized vessel with at least ten hp in Rhode Island, you must pass a boating education course and receive a boater education card. You also need a boater card to operate a personal watercraft (PWC).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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What are Rhode Island\u2019s Life Jacket Requirements?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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All boaters must have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket<\/a> (or personal flotation device) on the vessel. Every boat needs a personal flotation device (OFD) for every passenger on board.<\/p>\n

Additionally, boating safety best practices call for all boaters and passengers not only to have a PFD but to\u00a0wear it<\/em> at all times while underway. Accidents on the water can happen very quickly \u2014 much faster than you can reach for and put on a stowed life jacket.<\/p>\n

Children under 13 years old must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket when on recreational boats underway. However, they do not need to wear a PFD if they are below decks or in an enclosed cabin.<\/p>\n

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Boating and Alcohol\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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It is against Rhode Island boating laws to operate a boat while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or a combination thereof. You are considered to be under the influence if you have a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level of 0.08% or higher.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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While anyone under 21 years shouldn’t be drinking, Rhode Island also has laws regarding minors under the influence. A person under the age of 21 cannot operate a boat, waterski, or similar device if they have a BAC of 0.02% or more.<\/p>\n

What Are the Penalties for Boating Under the Influence?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If convicted of operating under the influence in Rhode Island, you are subject to the following penalties:<\/p>\n

First Conviction (Offenders With a BAC Level Under<\/em> 0.10%):<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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