What You Should Know Before Water Sporting In Florida

For waterskiing, state law has a number of regulations. A skiing vessel needs to have an observer, besides its operator, who can see how the skier is doing, and if there are any problems, the observer can assist. If the vessel does not come with an observer, it should at least have a wide angle rear view mirror.

There are also other rules. You may not water ski between 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise. The skier also needs to wear an USCG approved non-inflatable Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device (PFD). The skier cannot be under the influence of drugs or alcohol; though this may seem redundant (who can ski with alcohol in the body?), you will be amazed by the number of drunk or worse skiers rescued by coast guards every year.

The operator of a skiing boat also has the responsibility to avoid collisions, and may not take the skier near any object with which there may be collision. Moreover, unless there is an emergency, boat operators cannot moor their boats to any legally placed navigation aid in the water. It is illegal to cause interference with the navigation of other vessels, and this law applies to skiing boats and other crafts alike.

For diving, too, there are a number of regulations. When someone is diving from a boat, it is supposed to display a flag indicating that a diver is down. The size of this divers-down flag has to be 20 inches by 24 inches, at least, with a regulatory stiffener to maintain the flag in an unfurled state. The boat operator should also make sure to display the flag at the highest point of the boat, so that its display is not obstructed.

Divers, too, need to maintain a maximum distance of 300 feet from the divers down flag. This is for open waters. In navigation channels, inlets and rivers, the distance is even less, only 100 feet. This single law, if strictly followed, can help avoid half of the diving accidents, including a diver coming up and bumping into the hull of a passing boat. This also helps other vessels know where a diving is going on. They are supposed to maintain a safe distance wherever possible and at least slow down to idle speed if they are too near a diving boat.

If you are boating in Florida, you should be aware that killing or otherwise harming a manatee, or any marine mammal, for that matter, is unlawful. Doing so is a misdemeanor B, and can result in punishments up to $50,000, or one year imprisonment, or both. For marine flora, too, there are regulations, including that it is unlawful to pass through and damage marked sea grass beds.