McCarthy River Tours

Alaska law does not set a statewide minimum age to operate a boat, so the rental operator sets the minimum age for renting. The statewide rule has no separate operator age minimum for personal watercraft, and Alaska does not require a boater education card at any age.

There is a location-specific exception on Alaska state park land and water: under 11 AAC 12.110 and 11 AAC 12.990, a person under 14 may not operate a motorized boat unless accompanied by and under the direct supervision of a parent or a person age 21 or older. Confirm the rental operator’s age policy when booking.

Source: Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Office of Boating Safety (akleg.gov)

No. Alaska does not require recreational operators to complete boating education or carry a boater education card. There is no birth date cutoff or statewide minimum operator age, and personal watercraft operators follow the same general responsibilities as other boaters. Because education is voluntary, rental customers do not need a state card or temporary certificate, though renters may receive a watercraft safety orientation. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Office of Boating Safety administers the voluntary program and offers approved courses such as Alaska Water Wise.

Source: Alaska Department of Natural Resources Office of Boating Safety (dnr.alaska.gov)

Alaska’s best boating choices include Prince William Sound and Resurrection Bay in Southcentral, the Kenai River on the Kenai Peninsula, and Lake Louise in the Copper Valley. Prince William Sound and Resurrection Bay offer protected coastal water with fjords, bays, coves, islands, and marine parks suited to kayaks and sailboats. The Kenai River Special Management Area covers more than 105 linear miles of rivers and lakes, with public access near Cooper Landing, Sterling, Soldotna, and Kenai. Farther inland, Lake Louise is part of a chain of lakes and rivers, providing broad lake boating and access to connected waters.

Source: Travel Alaska (travelalaska.com)

Popular Alaska boating destinations include Juneau, for humpback whale watching in nearby waters; Ketchikan, for fishing and sightseeing trips into Misty Fjords National Monument; Seward, for cruises through Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park; Homer, for Kachemak Bay birding and marine wildlife excursions; Sitka, for boat trips to the seabird colonies of St. Lazaria Island; and Kodiak, for whale watching and wildlife charters around its rugged island coastline.

Source: Travel Alaska (travelalaska.com)