Hingham Yacht Club

Massachusetts sets 12 as the minimum age to operate a motorboat without direct adult supervision, if the operator satisfies the applicable boater safety certificate rule; personal watercraft operators must be at least 16. A child under 12 may operate a motorboat only while accompanied on board and directly supervised by a certificate holder at least 18. Direct supervision requires visual contact and verbal communication at all times while underway.

Certification is phased by birth date under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 90B, section 9E: people born after January 1, 1989, have been covered since April 1, 2026; those born on or before that date must comply by April 1, 2028. Rental operators set their own minimums, so confirm when booking.

Source: Massachusetts Environmental Police and Boat and Recreation Vehicle Safety Bureau (mass.gov)

Yes. Massachusetts requires a boater safety certificate, rather than a boating license, for motorboat and personal watercraft operators born after January 1, 1989; those born on or before that date must comply by April 1, 2028. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 16. Children under 12 may operate a motorboat only under direct onboard supervision by a certified adult age 18 or older.

Rental customers are not generally exempt, and temporary rental certificates are only under consideration for lower power boats. Exemptions include direct supervision, qualifying nonresident certificates, merchant mariner credentials, certain military and commercial fishing operators, and recent boat buyers carrying a temporary certificate. Massachusetts Environmental Police administers the program.

Source: Massachusetts Environmental Police (mass.gov)

From Hingham, you can launch at Town Wharf into Hingham Harbor, then follow the buoyed channel into Hingham Bay for island, river and anchorage outings. Hingham Harbor is shallow, with broad flats at low water; boats within the harbor may not exceed six knots or create a visible wake. Hingham Bay is part of Boston Harbor and has extensive shoals around its islands.

Bumpkin Island offers a recreational pier and picnic areas. Weir River is another shallow, buoy-marked route bordered by extensive flats. The small-craft anchorage by World’s End has good holding ground, but it is unmarked and local knowledge is advised.

Source: Town of Hingham (hingham-ma.gov)

Boaters leaving Hingham can make day trips to Peddocks, Spectacle, Georges and Bumpkin islands in Boston Harbor. Peddocks, in Hingham Bay, combines hiking trails with Fort Andrews history; Spectacle offers hiking, picnicking and visitor facilities; Georges is the stop for exploring the Civil War era Fort Warren; and Bumpkin provides a more rustic island outing.

The park boating guide lists reservable moorings at Peddocks, Spectacle and Georges, allows anchoring off park islands at the boater’s risk, and identifies the public launch at 5 Otis Street in Hingham.

Source: Boston Harbor Islands Partnership (bostonharborislands.org)