Chapter Two: Colorado Laws and Safety Requirements

Practice safe and legal boating every time you are on the water. Boating is a highly regulated recreational activity, and there may be occasions when a law enforcement officer will inspect your boat for compliance with equipment and legal conformity. The boat operator has the responsibility of ensuring the safety of all passengers and this includes making certain all required safety equipment is onboard the boat and ready to use.

COLORADO LAW ENFORCEMENT

Colorado Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks & Wildlife 13787 South Highway 85 Littleton, CO  80125

Mission Statement

It is the policy of Colorado to administer the registration and numbering of vessels in accordance with federal laws pertaining thereto and to promote the safety of persons and property in connection with the use, operation, and equipment of vessels.

Enforcement

Every Parks and Wildlife officer and other peace officer of this state has the authority to enforce the provisions of this article and, in the exercise thereof, has the authority to stop and board any vessel except that the officer shall have reasonable suspicion prior to boarding any vessel.

The provisions of this article and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto shall apply to all waters of this state; except that such provisions shall not apply to standing bodies of water on private property which are used for private, noncommercial purposes.

Education and Age Requirements

Anyone operating a motorboat, including a personal watercraft (PWC) or sailboat in Colorado must be at least 16 years old.

Fourteen and 15-year-olds who successfully complete a state approved proctored boating safety course, such as the one offered by Colorado State Parks (http://www.parks.state.co.us/Boating/), can operate a motorboat, jet ski or sailboat in Colorado. The course is offered throughout the state and is open to adults as well as teens. An online class is not accepted for our mandatory youth education. 

Definitions

“Motorboat” means any vessel propelled by machinery, whether or not such machinery is the principal source of propulsion including “personal watercraft”.

“Operate” means to navigate or otherwise use a vessel.

“Owner” means a person who claims lawful possession of a vessel by virtue of legal title or an equitable interest which entitles him to such possession.

“Personal Watercraft” means a motorboat that uses an inboard motor powering a water jet pump as its primary source of motive power and is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel, rather than the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel. “Personal watercraft” includes a motorboat known as a “specialty prop-craft”, which is similar in appearance to a personal watercraft but powered by an outboard or motor driven propeller.

“Sailboard” means a sail propelled vessel with no freeboard and equipped with a swivel mounted mast, not secured to a hull by guys or stays. Any vessel propelled by the effect of wind on a sail, including sailboards. For the purposes of this article, any vessel propelled by both sail and machinery of any sort shall be deemed a motorboat, when being so propelled.

“Vessel” means every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation of persons and property on the water, other than single-chambered air-inflated devices or seaplanes.

“Vessel staging area” means any parking lot, boat ramp, or other location that any vessel is transported to or from by a motor vehicle and where such vessel is placed into operation on or in the water. “Vessel staging area” does not include any location to which a vessel is transported primarily for the purpose of service, maintenance, repair or sale.