Ski Haven Marine

New Jersey does not use an adult supervision exception: the minimum age is 13 for limited power vessels and 16 for any power vessel, including personal watercraft. Operators ages 13 through 15 need a boating safety certificate and may operate only an electric powered vessel or a vessel at least 12 feet long with less than 10 horsepower. Anyone under 13 cannot operate a power vessel, and the State Police manual says there are no exemptions to the age requirements.

The rental operator sets its own minimum, so confirm it when booking.

Source: New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau (nj.gov)

Yes. New Jersey requires operators 16 or older of power vessels, including personal watercraft, to hold a boating safety certificate. The requirement goes by age, not by birth year. Ages 13 to 15 may operate only an electric powered vessel, or one at least 12 feet long with under 10 horsepower, and still need a certificate; children under 13 may not operate power vessels at all.

Operating on non-tidal waters also requires a New Jersey boat license, an endorsement the Motor Vehicle Commission adds to a driver's license or ID card. It is an additional required document, not a replacement for the safety certificate. Out of state proof is accepted for visits under 90 days, as are Coast Guard operator licenses. The New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau administers certification.

Source: New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau (nj.gov)

From Hewitt, the practical boating water is Greenwood Lake, with open main-lake cruising across the New Jersey–New York line. For quieter, narrower water, turn into Belcher Creek from Brown’s Point; the Brown’s Point area has documented aquatic vegetation and navigation issues. The Greenwood Lake Commission warns boaters to follow the buoys at the creek mouth and not pass through or around them. Fox Island and Storm Island are open-lake landmarks, but both appear in the commission’s dredging plan, so do not assume the island edges are deep. Paddlers can put in at West Milford’s Lambert Road EZ Dock for exploring Belcher Creek and Greenwood Lake.

Source: Greenwood Lake Commission (gwlc.org)

From Hewitt, boaters can spend the day making a Greenwood Lake circuit: Fox Island, also called Pine Island, for a close island pass; Storms Island for another scenic loop; and Chapel Island to complete the lake’s three-island tour. The Village of Greenwood Lake waterfront is another destination, with Thomas P. Morahan Waterfront Park offering a small sandy beach, lake views and live music on shore. For paddlers, the East Arm provides a separate outing centered on rowing and other quiet, nonmotorized boating.

Source: New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism (visitnj.org)