Marine Patrol Laws & Rules

Effective: August 13, 2024
Limits the number of inflatables allowed to be towed behind a vessel to no more than two and requires a second observer any time three or more persons are being towed.

RSA 270-D:3 Motorboats Towing Water Skiers and Aquaplanes

I. (a) No person shall operate a motorboat while towing water skiers, aquaplanes, or similar devices, or while engaged in wake surfing, unless another person is present in the motorboat who is physically able to observe and assist the person or appurtenance being towed or wake surfing. The observer shall be 13 years of age or older.
(b) For water skiers only, an observer shall not be required if the motorboat is a tow boat that has been approved by the American Water Ski Association and operated by a person at least 18 years of age. The motorboat shall be equipped with a wide-angle mirror having a viewing surface of at least 48 square inches and operated within a slalom course approved by the American Water Ski Association. The course shall have a valid state police permit.
II. The operator of the motorboat shall be responsible for compliance with the navigation requirements under this subdivision for both the vessel and the person or appurtenance being towed or wake surfing. In addition, any person being towed by or wake surfing behind a motorboat shall comply with all navigation rules.
III. No more than 6 persons may be towed at any time on one or more inflatable tubes and no more than 2 persons may be towed on water skis, aquaplanes, or other devices from the same motorboat at the same time. When 3 or more persons are being towed on any device, 2 observers, in addition to the operator, shall be in the towing vessel.  For inflatables, only one observer is required when towing only one inflatable with less than 3 people, and 2 observers for 2 inflatables with up to 6 people, but no more than 2 inflatables may be towed at a time.  Such observers shall be 13 years of age or older. Notwithstanding this paragraph, more than 2 skiers may be towed if a special permit is issued by the director.
IV. Except in connection with water events and exhibitions authorized by the director, no towing of water skiers, aquaplanes or similar devices shall be conducted during the period between sunset and sunrise. In addition, no person shall operate a boat engaged in wake surfing during the period between sunset and sunrise.
V. No person shall be towed on water skis or other appurtenances unless the person is wearing a Coast Guard approved type 1, 2, or 3 PFD, except when directly participating or competing in an American Water Ski Association approved event or exhibition, authorized by a special permit issued by the director of state police.
VI. No person shall engage in wake surfing unless such person is wearing a Coast Guard approved PFD.
VII. No person shall operate a motorboat propelled by an outboard motor, inboard/outboard motor, or water jet while a person is wake surfing in or on the wake of such motorboat, unless the propulsion system is designed by the manufacturer for that activity.

Effective: August 13, 2024
Requires the operator of any boat less than 26 feet in length, or an outboard engine greater than 3 horsepower, to wear an engine cut-off switch (ECOS) when the travelling greater than headway speed. This only applies to boats and engines that were manufactured with an ECOS. Boats manufactured prior to 2020 that were not equipped with an ECOS or boats equipped with an enclosed cabin as defined below, are exempt from the requirements of this law.

RSA 270:30-d  Powerboat Engine Cut-Off Switch

I.(a) “Engine cut-off switch (ECOS)" means a system of lanyards, electronic switches, fobs, or similar devices manufactured specifically for the purpose of disabling propulsion or a vessel engine when the operator is unexpectedly displaced from the vessel's helm.
(b)  "Headway speed" means the slowest speed that a boat can be operated and maintain steerage way.
(c)  "Enclosed cabin" means a space on board a vessel that is surrounded by bulkheads and covered by a roof.
II.  No person shall operate a powerboat less than 26 feet long, or outboard engine with greater than 115 pounds of thrust or 3 horsepower, at greater than headway speed unless the person is wearing an ECOS.
III.  Paragraph II shall not apply if:
(a)  The main helm of the vessel is installed within an enclosed cabin.
(b)  The vessel or outboard engine was manufactured prior to 2020 and was not equipped with an ECOS.

Effective: September 1, 2024

Allows the operator of a boat with an engine greater than 25 horsepower to carry a copy of their boating education certificate in lieu of the original card. For the purposes of this law, the copy includes an electronic copy and must include an image of both the front and back of the original.

RSA 270-D:11, I.

I. Any person required to have a safe boater education certificate shall:
(a) Possess the certificate when operating a motorized vessel with any type of power motor in excess of 25 horsepower on the public waters of the state.  The certificate shall be a physical original or copy, or an electronic copy, or a photograph of the certificate on an electronic device.  Any electronic copy or photograph of the certificate shall contain the front and back of the physical original.
(b)  Present the certificate or the copy upon the demand of a marine patrol officer. 

Effective: January 1, 2025

This law requires the owner of a boat to report a boating accident when the operator of the boat fails or refuses to make such report.

RSA 270:1-a, I

I. The operator of a vessel who knows or reasonably should have known that he or she has just been involved in any accident that involved death, personal injury, or damage to property, shall immediately stop said vessel at the scene of the accident, render any assistance that he or she is capable of giving to the occupants of any other vessel involved in the accident, and give the operator or owner of any other vessel involved in such accident, and to any person injured, and to the owner of any property damaged, the operator's name and the owner's name and address, the vessel registration number, and the name and address of each occupant. If by reason of injury or absence or removal from the place of the accident or other cause, such injured person, or operator of such other vessel, or owner of the property damaged, or any of them, is unable to understand or receive the information required in this section, such information shall be given to any marine patrol officer or other police officer with jurisdiction arriving at the scene of the accident or immediately to a marine patrol officer or other police officer at the nearest police station or at marine patrol headquarters. Any person operating a vessel that is in any manner involved in the accident shall, within 15 days after such accident, report in writing to the department of safety the facts required hereunder together with a statement of the circumstances if any person is injured or killed or if damage to property is in excess of $2,000. If the operator is physically or mentally incapable of making such report, or fails or refuses to make the report or provide required information, the owner of the vessel involved in the accident or the owner's representative shall, after learning of the accident, forthwith notify any marine patrol officer or other police officer with jurisdiction and make such report. The operator or the owner shall furnish to the department such relevant information as the department shall require.

270:1-b Penalty. Whoever fails to file the reports required by RSA 270:1-a, I or otherwise fails to comply with the requirements relating to injury to property, or relating to the immediate notification of the incident or report to be made to the department, shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor if a natural person, or guilty of a felony if any other person. Whoever fails to comply with the requirements when death or personal injury resulted or whoever gives information required knowing or having reason to believe that such information is false, or fails to comply with any of the other requirements thereof shall be guilty of a class B felony.

Effective: January 1, 2025

This law changes the penalties for Careless and Negligent Operation of boats to a violation and creates the misdemeanor offense for Reckless Operation of boats. In addition, it creates a boating and motor vehicle loss of license as part of the penalty.

RSA 270:29-a

270:29-a Careless and Negligent Operation of Boats. Any person who shall operate a power boat upon any waters of the state in a careless and negligent manner or so that the lives and safety of the public are endangered shall be guilty of a violation.

270:29-b  Reckless Operation of Boats.  Any person who shall operate a power boat upon any waters of the state in a reckless manner or so that the lives and safety of the public are endangered shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.  A violation of this section shall include payment of a fine of not less than $500, a loss of the person's driver's license for 60 days, and loss of the person's privilege to operate a boat for 60 days.  The period for the loss of the person's privilege to operate a boat shall be between Memorial day and Labor day.  Any unserved suspension will be continued to the following year's boating season.