Hawaii Yacht Club

Under Hawaii’s operating rules, a person must be 16 to operate a power driven vessel without the special supervision required for younger operators. Under Hawaii Administrative Rule 13-244-15.5, anyone under 16 must possess the required boating safety course certificate and be accompanied on board and directly supervised by a person age 21 or older who also holds the certificate. Approved boating safety education is generally required for motorized vessels over 10 horsepower. Personal watercraft, called thrill craft, have a separate minimum age of 15 and require basic boating safety and thrill craft certification. The rental operator sets its own minimum, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (dlnr.hawaii.gov)

Most operators in Hawaii need boating education credentials rather than a boating license. Operators of motorized vessels over 10 horsepower must carry proof of a NASBLA and state approved course; there is no birth date cutoff. Those under 16 must be certified and supervised by a certified adult 21 or older. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 15 and hold thrill craft certification, and Hawaii does not accept out of state certification for thrill craft. Renters qualify after a state approved safety briefing. Exemptions include engines of 10 horsepower or less, Merchant Mariner Credentials, and out of state visitors on a voyage originating elsewhere who stay under 60 calendar days. Certificates are valid for life and need no renewal. DLNR's Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation administers it.

Source: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (dlnr.hawaii.gov)

From Honolulu, aim for Māmala Bay, Waikīkī Beach Waters, Keʻehi Lagoon or Maunalua Bay, using Ala Wai Harbor, Keʻehi Harbor or the Maunalua Bay ramp as local starting points. Māmala Bay is the open-water link, while Ala Wai’s harbor basins connect to it through a marked reef channel. Waikīkī Beach Waters extend offshore from Fort DeRussy to Diamond Head and include temporary anchorage. Keʻehi is a reef-fronted lagoon with channels leading to its small-boat harbor. Maunalua Bay is an open, reef-fringed bight; its public ramp is behind the reef, and sheltered water behind Koko Head’s reefs is recommended only for small craft familiar with the area.

Source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov)

Boaters from Honolulu go to Turtle Canyon, Kapua Entrance off Waikīkī, the Diamond Head shoreline and the anchorage behind Koko Head’s reefs in Maunalua Bay. Turtle Canyon draws snorkel boats for green sea turtles, coral and reef fish. Kapua Entrance offers a designated anchorage off Waikīkī’s hotel-lined waterfront. Diamond Head is a scenic cruise landmark, with its crater and lighthouse visible from the water. In Maunalua Bay, the anchorage behind the Koko Head reefs gives small craft a sheltered stop in a coral-fringed bay.

Source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov)