Va Boating Certificate Needed for 35 and under

This year, if you are a Va resident and 35 yrs old and younger, you will need a boating safety certificate to operate a jetski. Go to:
www.dgif.virginia.gov
and download the operators manual under the boating section to study.
Got To:
http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/Virginia.asp

To take the test for free and get a certificate.
This test is not easy and you should study, unless you are very familiar already with the rules of the road, lighting and most all details with boating safety and the gear needed on different vessels. It is good for life and covers all vessels....well not ships though, thats a different test.
 

Conquistador

B-Saw
Site Supporter
I will check, but I think our special permit may negate this requirement within the surf ride zone. It definitely will not negate it during the Flatwater Friday though.
 

madscientist

chilling with these guys.
Location
good old p'cola
usually the state laws are only enforceable on state residents. i have seen this before with tinted windows. in California i was pulled over several times for it and was always released since i was a classified as a visitor. out of state tag, license and insurance..
 
usually the state laws are only enforceable on state residents. i have seen this before with tinted windows. in California i was pulled over several times for it and was always released since i was a classified as a visitor. out of state tag, license and insurance..

That stuff only works sometimes and is according to what officer you get. In Illinois you can only have one ball hitched trailer. So if your pulling 2 trailers through IL. and the officer sees you they will make you disconnect one trailer and pull the single to the state line then come back for the 2nd. I have seen it more than once. It's like trying to get from IL. to FL. without a helmet on a motorcycle. I don't own a helmet and was made to turn around and head back to Illinois 1/2 the way through Kentucky or face a fine.

But back on topic I think boater laws are stupid for jetskis when there are druken boaters everywhere. If the opossom cops would just police the waters and not just look for jetskiers then the waters would be a TON safer than any test could make them.
 

RyanITV

Living on the lake!
Location
Lewes, DE
I started to get all panicked trying to find my Delaware boater's license. Ripped my office apart, then it dawned on me... I'm 37. Oops.
 

tor*p*do

Squarenose FTW
Site Supporter
Location
NW NC
so how did this work out?
are out-of-town riders legal as long as they were legal in their state?
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
I know it's an older post.

But back on topic I think boater laws are stupid for jetskis when there are druken boaters everywhere

The license applies to boaters, too - not just jetskiers. I've talked to the local watercops more than once about who they target.
Drunk boaters and sitdown jetskiers.
 

tor*p*do

Squarenose FTW
Site Supporter
Location
NW NC
found this on the Boat US site:

What if I am Only Visiting Virginia?
You must demonstrate that you are not a resident of Virginia, that you are temporarily using the water of Virginia for a period of 90 days or less (your boat is registered in another state as the “state of principal use”), and that you meet any applicable boating safety education requirements of your state of residency.
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
They leave us COMPLETELY alone (standup riders).
The only time that they have even come close to hassling us was Labor Day Weekend last year. The weather was cold, so there was nobody else on the water.
But it being a holiday weekend, the watercops were out in force. Two different counties boats, a sheriff boat, and a Coast Guard boat.
They kept driving by our launch, one after the other. :biggrin:
It was almost comical.
One would come flying in, stop and drift.
Once he was gone, the next one comes flying in, stops and drifts.
And so on.
But they didn't hassle us.
 

Dmac80sc

Site Supporter
Location
Here
Hey for the guys out there over 35 is there something magical that happens when u turn that age that makes u safe to operate a boat with out having to be tested? I am 30 and live in GA so don't to worry about anything but WTF is the age thing 35?
 
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