Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

[astuckey]

Hi, I could use some help with this one! According to the Maine Dep. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, "Persons under 12 years of age may legally operate a motorboat over 10 horsepower (excluding personal watercraft) only if they are under the immediate supervision of a person at least 16 years of age who is on board the vessel." This clearly states that if you are under 12, you can only drive a boat over 10 hp, if someone over 16 is on the boat (over 10 hp) with you. It also clearly states that if you are over 16, there are no age restrictions (not talking about PWC's) for operation. What it does not clearly state, is the restrictions between 12 and 16. To me, it sounds like if you are over 12, you can drive a boat over 10 hp, by yourself, or with someone under the age of 16 (or over 16, but I am saying you are able to with someone else under 16), without having someone over the age of 16 onboard. It sounds this way to me, because it is restricting operation to people under 12, and it never says you have to be a certain age, over 12, to operate a boat over 10 hp, by yourself, or with someone under the age of 16, without having someone over the age of 16 onboard. Lets say you have an 11 year old person, and a 15 year old person on a boat (lets say 16ft with 100 hp, of any type). The law implies that only the 15 year old could drive the boat, probably because you wouldn't want a person under 12 to drive a boat, because if something goes wrong, you would want a person who is at least 16, to handle the situation. Therefor, it would be ok to have lets say a 13 year old person, on the same boat, alone, or with other people (lets say under 16)...Right??? The way the state of Maine words this is so confusing. What does this mean for someone between 12 and 16?

Thanks!

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

Given what you have posted, my interpretation would be that if you are under the age of 12, you require someone of at least 16 years to supervise. If you are 12+ years, you are clear to operate a boat having more than 10HP.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

A question like this is best answered by the state of Maine's water enforcement group. Laws are sometimes (most times) written in very obscure language for some reason.

 

[astuckey]

Re: Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

Thanks for the help, r.j., thats what I thought too, but I will get in touch with some law enforcement groups, and get a definitive answer. Thanks again!

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

I've always been curios about how governments choose the cutoff ages for the things they pass laws about. Often seems arbitrary.

Sea ya...

 

[bassman284]

Re: Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

I've always been curios about how governments choose the cutoff ages for the things they pass laws about. Often seems arbitrary.

Sea ya...

Well, it generally is somewhat arbitrary.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

Thanks for the help, r.j., thats what I thought too, but I will get in touch with some law enforcement groups, and get a definitive answer. Thanks again!

The enforcers of the law are under no obligation to inform you of the law, only which law you broke after the fact... That said, for the most part, most LEO's will be more than happy to help you out, especially when you are talking about the Game and Fish/DNR type LEO's.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

In my state of WV it was 13 for many years and it got changed to 16 as the PWC got populer.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

They screwed up here in WI.
Age Restrictions:
Motorboats (Other Than Personal Watercraft)
•A person under the age of 10 may not operate a motorboat •A person 10 or 11 years old may operate a motorboat only if accompanied by a parent, a guardian, or a person at least 18
years old who is designated by the parent or guardian
•A person 12-15 years old may operate a motorboat under either
of the following two conditions:
? He or she is accompanied by a parent, a guardian, or a person
at least 18 years old who is designated by the parent or guardian ? He or she has completed a boating safety course that is accepted
by the Wisconsin DNR
•A person born on or after 01/01/89 and over 16 years old may operate
a motorboat only if he or she has completed a boating safety course that is accepted by the Wisconsin DNR


So if you are 15, you can drive the boat if your parent is along.

If you are 16, you cannot drive the boat under parental supervision.

I have contacted the state DNR official at the top, Warden 1 if you will, and he said they know it is messed up, but can't change it, as it was actually a law passed by the state legislature; it is not a DNR administrative rule.

 

[shrew]

Re: Maine Age Restrictions for Operation

I think it is pretty clear, but as stated, calling the Maine DEP for clarification is your best bet. I read this as:

<12 = Must have someone 16 or older onboard when boat is over 10HP
>=12 = No restrictions for operation when boat is over 10hp
>= 16 = No restrictions, and person can assume responsibility as supervisor of operator >12

The key is whether the boat is over 10 hp or not and whether the operator is is 12 or older. The age of 16 only denotes whether that individual can be a responsible supervisor of an operator <12.