7 Water Sports

Florida law requires you to be at least 18 to rent a livery vessel other than a human-powered vessel. Florida sets no general minimum age to operate a boat, but a personal watercraft operator must be at least 14.

Under section 327.395, anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, operating a vessel powered by 10 horsepower or more must carry the required boating safety credentials. An exemption applies when accompanied by a credentialed or exempt person age 18 or older who is attendant to the operation and responsible for safe operation and violations. The rental operator sets its own booking minimum subject to state law, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Florida does not issue a boating license, but operators born on or after January 1, 1988, must carry photo ID and a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boating education card when running a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more. This includes personal watercraft. There is no general minimum age for boats; personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, and no one under 18 may rent any vessel other than a human powered one. Exemptions include Coast Guard licensed masters, private lake or pond operators, operators accompanied aboard by someone 18 or older who holds the card or is exempt and is responsible for the vessel, and nonresidents with proof of a NASBLA-approved out of state course. Any non exempt operator may instead pass an FWC approved temporary certificate exam and carry that certificate with photo ID for 90 days.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

The best places to go boating in Florida depend on whether you want ocean coast, calmer bay water, a large reservoir, a river or connected lakes. In South Florida, the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida Keys offers coastal boating beside the island chain. In the Panhandle, Pensacola Bay provides calmer water, while Lake Seminole is a 37,500 acre reservoir at the Florida, Georgia and Alabama junction. Northeast and central Florida boaters can explore the St. Johns River around Jacksonville and DeLand. Near Orlando, the Harris Chain of Lakes connects ten lakes and has many public boat ramps.

Source: VISIT FLORIDA (visitflorida.com)

Florida’s most popular boating destinations include Miami’s Biscayne Bay, known for calm turquoise water, skyline views and mangrove shorelines; Fort Lauderdale, with extensive waterways, Intracoastal cruising and easy Atlantic access; St. Petersburg, for trips on Boca Ciega Bay, through John’s Pass and along Gulf beaches; Destin’s Crab Island, a lively submerged sandbar near Destin Harbor; and Key Largo, where boaters can reach renowned diving and fishing waters near John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

Source: VISIT FLORIDA (visitflorida.com)