Captain’s Cove Marina Office

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 Quincy, you can boat Quincy Bay, Hingham Bay, the Weymouth Fore River and Town River Bay in one day. Put in at Houghs Neck Maritime Center and Public Landing, a public ramp with trailer parking. Quincy Bay has marked channels and hazards around Houghs Neck that call for chart-based navigation. West Gut, between Nut Island and Peddocks Island, links it to Hingham Bay, where extensive shoals surround the islands. The Weymouth Fore River is a dredged working channel to Quincy Point; Town River Bay branches off into Quincy’s industrial waterfront.

Source: Discover Quincy visitor guide via Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (visitma.com)

From Quincy, good day-trip choices across Quincy Bay and Boston Harbor include Peddocks Island for shoreline, hiking trails and military history; Grape Island for beaches, picnic areas and wooded trails; Spectacle Island for swimming, hiking and Boston skyline views; and Georges Island for exploring historic Fort Warren and enjoying harbor views. These four Boston Harbor Islands are listed for private-boat access, making them practical destinations for a harbor outing when park access and boating conditions allow.

Source: Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (mass.gov)