Swantown Boatworks Main Office

For a rented motor-driven boat or vessel with 15 horsepower or more, Washington law allows unsupervised operation from age 12 if the operator carries the required Boater Education Card; a personal watercraft cannot be rented to anyone under 16. An operator age 12 or older without a required card must be accompanied and under the direct supervision of a person age 16 or older who possesses a card. The card requirement generally begins at 12 for operators born after January 1, 1955. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 14. These rules are in RCW 79A.60.640 and 79A.60.190. Rental operators may set higher minimums, so confirm when booking.

Source: Washington State Parks Recreational Boating Safety Program (app.leg.wa.gov)

Yes, Washington requires many recreational operators to carry a Boater Education Card rather than a traditional boating license. Operators age 12 or older who were born after January 1, 1955, must carry it when operating a vessel with a motor of 15 horsepower or more. This includes personal watercraft meeting that threshold. The minimum operator age is 12 for these motorboats and 14 for personal watercraft; personal watercraft cannot be rented to anyone under 16.

Rental customers may instead complete and carry the State Parks approved safety checklist. Common exemptions cover people born before January 1, 1955, qualifying short term visitors and recent boat purchasers. A course completion certificate serves as a temporary card for 60 days. Washington State Parks administers the program.

Source: Washington State Parks Recreational Boating Safety Program (parks.wa.gov)

From Olympia, boat through Budd Inlet, then use Dana Passage to reach Eld Inlet or Squaxin Passage and Hope Island. Put in at Swantown on East Bay or at the Boston Harbor ramp. Budd Inlet keeps you close to Olympia, but the heads of East and West bays have drying flats and shoals, so follow the dredged channels.

Boston Harbor is a cove with marina services. Dana Passage is the main connector, where currents frequently reach 3 knots or more. Eld Inlet offers good anchorage inside its entrance. Squaxin Passage is narrow and requires caution; Hope Island is a boat-only state park with mooring buoys.

Source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov)

From Olympia, boaters can make South Puget Sound day trips to Hope Island in Squaxin Passage for a boat-only picnic stop and forest trails; Tolmie State Park on Nisqually Reach for buoy moorage, beach exploring and its artificial reef; and Jarrell Cove on Harstine Island for dock or buoy moorage, swimming and forest walks.

Source: Washington State Parks (parks.wa.gov)