Homer Smith Docks and Marina

North Carolina sets no general minimum age for operating an ordinary motorboat, but personal watercraft operators must be at least 14. Under G.S. 75A-13.3, a 14- or 15-year-old may operate a PWC only with a person at least 18 physically aboard who complies with G.S. 75A-16.2, or while carrying proof of age and approved boating safety certification. For vessels with motors of 10 horsepower or more, operators born on or after January 1, 1988 must meet the boating education requirement. The rental operator sets its own minimum, so confirm it when booking.

Source: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (ncwildlife.gov)

North Carolina uses a boater education requirement rather than a conventional boating license: operators born on or after January 1, 1988 must have proof of approved education when operating a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater on public waters. This includes personal watercraft. PWC operators generally must be 16; ages 14 or 15 may operate with a compliant adult aboard or with proof of age and approved education, while children under 14 may not operate.

Exceptions include an authorized operator named on a rental or lease agreement, a 90 day state temporary certificate for a new or transferred boat, onboard direct supervision by a qualified adult at least 18, and qualifying nonresidents. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission administers the requirement.

Source: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (ncwildlife.gov)

From Beaufort, you can cruise Taylor Creek, the Newport River and Back Sound, explore Carrot Island and Bird Shoal, or run through Beaufort Inlet. Taylor Creek is the marked downtown channel, with slips at Beaufort Town Docks and a public motorboat launch at 2370 Lennoxville Road. The Newport River and the waters around Carrot Island and Bird Shoal form a tidal estuary, with flats and marshes close by. Back Sound is a marked route connecting Beaufort Harbor with Core Sound, but shoals lie close to its channels. Beaufort Inlet is the exposed route from the harbor to ocean water.

Source: Town of Beaufort (beaufortnc.org)

From Beaufort, boaters can make day trips to Bird Shoal, Shackleford Banks and the Cape Lookout Light Station. Bird Shoal offers a beach stop within the Rachel Carson Reserve, with Town Marsh nature trails nearby. Shackleford Banks draws visitors for swimming, shelling and searching for its wild horses. Cape Lookout adds lighthouse views, the Keeper’s Quarters Museum and an ocean beach. All three are reached by boat, and National Park Service ferry information specifically lists Beaufort service to Shackleford Banks and Cape Lookout.

Source: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (deq.nc.gov)