A new Massachusetts law requiring all powerboat operators to receive safety training has gone into effect. Governor Maura Healey signed the Hanson-Milone Boater Safety Act into law last month. The law is named after David Hanson, a drowning victim, and the late Weymouth harbor master Paul Milone, who spearheaded the legislation.
Before this law went into effect, Massachusetts was the only state in New England that did not have a boating safety law or requirements for those operating recreational boats.
Unlike in other New England states, anyone 16 or older can operate a powerboat with any size engine. Only children aged 12 to 15 have been required to receive safety training before operating a recreational boat without adult supervision.
To obtain a boating certificate, anyone born after 1988 must complete a training course by April 1, 2026, according to the new state law. The document will serve the same purpose as a driver’s license.
Boat operators must have the certificate to operate any personal watercraft or powerboat. Individuals born before 1989 have until April 1, 2028 to complete the required course and obtain their boating safety certificate.
According to Edgartown police chief Chris Dolby, the new boating safety legislation has been a long time in coming. “This should have happened long ago. In an interview with The Vineyard Gazette, he asked, “How many people have died in the last 13 years?”
He frequently collaborates with Edgartown’s harbormaster, Charlie Blair, when boaters cause or encounter serious problems on the water. “Charlie and I have seen some tragic, horrific boating incidents in our harbor over the years,” he told me.
Those who choose to ignore the new law will face a fine of at least $50 for the first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses. Enforcement of the new boating safety training requirements falls to harbor masters and environmental police.
