New Rules for New Jersey Boaters and Fishermen

Bayhead NJ, it’s that time of the year. A USCG approved life jacket is required to be worn at all times outside of a cabin on a boat under 26 feet while in motion during the cold-water months between November 1st and May 1st.

The goal of this legislation is to prevent hypothermia deaths. In almost every instance of a vessel related drowning, the victim was not wearing a life vest. According to the 2023 USCG Recreation Boating Statistics, where the cause of death was known, 75% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. 87% of those victims were not wearing a life jacket.

Per Regulation 13:82-1.4(f) – Starting in November, no owner or operator of a recreational vessel less than 26 feet—including rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards—shall permit its operation between November 1 and May 1 unless each person on board is wearing a securely fastened, United States Coast Guard-approved wearable PFD of an appropriate size while the vessel is underway. A person inside the cabin of a cabin vessel is exempt from this requirement.

Cold water immersion presents a near certain risk of cold-water shock, hypothermia, and possible drowning without any type of flotation. A PFD can keep your head above water and give you critical seconds to call for help or get back to the boat. Cold-water shock and swim failure can occur in the first 3 minutes of immersion. These first few minutes are vital to a successful rescue.

Be prepared. This regulation serves the best interest of the safety of operators and passengers on all New Jersey’s waterways and we want to see that you make it home alive. For more information, go to: https://www.nj.gov/njsp/marine-services/index.shtml