Boating Exam Prep

01 Certification and exemptions

• Who needs itBorn on or after 1/1/1986 and operating a motor over 10 hp; all PWC operators, any age, any state
• Passing score70% or higher
• Classroom routeMinimum 8 hours, state- and NASBLA-approved, exam at the end
• Self-study routeFree materials or a paid online course, then an in-person proctored exam
• Carry the cardCertificate must be aboard and available for inspection
• Exempt (non-PWC)Motor 10 hp or less; holder of a USCG commercial license; supervised aboard by a certified person 18+; non-resident meeting their home state's rule; resident 60 days or less; renters who complete the rental requirements
• ReciprocityOut-of-state cards accepted if NASBLA-approved; Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Card accepted

02 Registration, numbering and title

• Needs a numberEvery motorized vessel on RI waters
• ExemptNon-motorized canoe / kayak / rowboat under 12 ft; out-of-state registered vessel here 90 days or less; ship's lifeboats; approved racing vessels
• Term2 years, expiring February 28
• Number placementForward half of each side, as high above the waterline as practical, reading left to right
• Number styleAt least 3-inch bold block letters, contrasting color, space or hyphen between groups (RI 3717 ZW)
• DecalsTo the right of and in line with the number, both sides
• Title requiredVessels over 14 ft (not ship's tenders or non-motorized inflatables under 15 ft). Outboard engines get a one-time registration.

03 Life jackets

• Basic ruleOne USCG-approved wearable PFD per person, correct size, serviceable, readily accessible
• 16 ft and longerPlus one throwable (Type IV) device
• ChildrenUnder 13 must wear one while underway on a vessel under 65 ft, unless below deck or in an enclosed cabin
• PaddlecraftEveryone in a canoe, kayak, paddleboard, sailboard or kiteboard must wear one at all times, regardless of age
• PWCEvery rider wears a PFD designed for PWC use
• Towed peopleSkiers, tubers and wakeboarders must wear one
• InflatablesApproved only for age 16+; never on a PWC or while water-skiing

04 Fire extinguishers and distress signals

• LabelMust read "Marine Type USCG Approved"
• Under 26 ftOne 5-B (none required if a fixed system is installed)
• 26 to 40 ftTwo 5-B or one 20-B; one 5-B with a fixed system
• 40 to 65 ftThree 5-B, or one 20-B plus one 5-B
• Age limitDisposable (non-rechargeable) extinguishers over 12 years old are out of service
• Distress signalsOn coastal and federally controlled waters: 3 day + 3 night signals, or 3 day/night
• Night onlyBoats under 16 ft, manually propelled boats, and non-motorized sailboats under 26 ft need 3 night signals only
• FlaresMust be dated; at least 3 unexpired aboard. Expired ones may be carried as extras.
• False distress callUp to $1,000 fine, one year jail, plus repayment of the response cost

05 Navigation lights and sound signals

• WhenSunset to sunrise and in restricted visibility
• Powerboat under 65.6 ftRed and green sidelights + white masthead light + sternlight, or an all-round white light
• Sidelight range1 mile if the boat is under 39.4 ft, otherwise 2 miles
• Sailboat under sailSidelights + sternlight, no masthead light. Under engine it is a power-driven vessel.
• AnchoredAll-round white light, except in a designated mooring area
• Rowboat / small craftAt minimum a lantern or flashlight showing a white light in time to prevent collision
• Sound deviceUnder 39.4 ft: audible ½ nautical mile, 4-second blast. 39.4–65.6 ft: whistle. 65.6 ft+: whistle and bell, audible 1 nm.

• 1 short blastI intend to pass you on my port side
• 2 short blastsI intend to pass you on my starboard side
• 3 short blastsI am operating astern propulsion (backing)
• 5+ short rapidDanger, or I do not understand / disagree with your intentions
• 1 prolonged (4–6 s)Leaving a dock, rounding a blind bend, or underway in restricted visibility

06 Right of way

• Stand-on vesselMaintains course and speed
• Give-way vesselTakes early and substantial action: slow, stop, or turn (and usually passes astern)
• Meeting head-onNeither is stand-on. Both alter course to starboard and pass port-to-port.
• CrossingThe boat on your starboard is stand-on; you give way. You are stand-on for a boat on your port.
• OvertakingThe overtaking boat always gives way, even a sailboat overtaking a powerboat
• Power vs. sailPower gives way to sail, unless the sailboat is overtaking
• Everyone gives way toVessels not under command, restricted in ability to maneuver, and commercial fishing vessels engaged in fishing

07 Buoys and markers

• Red Right ReturningReturning from open sea or heading upstream, keep red markers on your starboard side
• Preferred channelRed-and-green banded. Green on top → preferred channel is to the right. Red on top → preferred channel is to the left.
• Orange circleControlled area: speed limit, no wake, no anchoring
• Orange diamondDanger: rock, shoal, stump, dam
• Orange crossed diamondExclusion: boats keep out entirely
• Orange squareInformation: directions, fuel, supplies
• White + blue bandMooring buoy
• RI fish trapsNets held up by lines of barrels and floats. Never run between the floats; give the anchor lines a wide berth.

08 Personal watercraft and towing

• EducationRequired of every PWC operator, regardless of age or residency
• Under 16May operate a PWC only with an adult along, or after passing a DEM or USCG approved safety course. An owner who lets an under-16 ride otherwise also breaks the law.
• HoursNo PWC operation from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise
• 200-foot ruleHeadway speed only within 200 ft of swimmers, divers, the shoreline or moored vessels
• Cut-off switchLanyard attached to the operator's person, clothing or PFD
• Leaving / returning to shoreGo directly, at headway speed, as near perpendicular to shore as possible
• Prohibited ridingWake jumping near other boats, weaving through congested traffic, chasing or harassing
• Capsized PWCRoll it upright in the direction shown on the manufacturer's decal. The wrong way floods the engine
• Towing observerA second person at least 12 years old, in addition to the operator
• Towing hoursNo towing from 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise
• Towed personMust wear a USCG-approved PFD (not an inflatable)

09 Speed, wake and restricted areas

• Harbors, inlets, ponds45 mph sunrise to sunset; 25 mph in darkness or restricted visibility
• Headway speedThe slowest speed at which you still hold steerage
• Emergency vesselsHeadway speed within 300 ft of one displaying activated emergency lights
• Your wakeYou are responsible for damage or injury your wake causes, no-wake zone or not
• Diver-down (state waters)Red flag with a white diagonal stripe; 12×12 in on the water, 18×18 in on a vessel
• Diver-down (federal)Blue-and-white International Code flag Alfa
• Stay clear of diversPowerboats keep at least 50 ft from the flag
• Naval vesselsStay 100 yards away; minimum speed within 500 yards; hail on VHF channel 16 if you must pass closer
• Also illegalRiding on gunwales or bow decking not designed for it, anchoring in a channel, tying to a navigation aid, entering a posted swimming area

10 Alcohol, accidents and enforcement

• BUI limit0.08% BAC, and it applies to powerboats, sailboats, PWCs, canoes, kayaks and water skis
• Implied consentOperating on RI waters is consent to alcohol and drug testing
• Refusing the test$300 fine, $700 assessment, 60 hours community service, one-year suspension
• First offense, 0.08–0.10$100–$250 fine, 45-day suspension, 10–60 hours community service, safety course, $500 assessment
• Child under 13 aboardUp to one year imprisonment, non-deferrable
• Operator under 21Loses the motor vehicle license for one year on top of the boating penalties
• Boater's fatigueSun, wind, noise and motion mean roughly one third the alcohol produces the same impairment as on land
• After an accidentStop, render assistance, and give your name, address and registration number in writing
• Report immediatelyDeath, disappearance, injury beyond first aid, or damage/loss over $2,000
• Written reportWithin 5 days to DEM Division of Law Enforcement, (401) 222-2284
• Reckless operationSerious bodily injury: up to 5 years. Death: up to 10 years.
• Who enforcesDEM Environmental Police, harbormasters and local police; the Coast Guard on federally controlled waters

11 Emergencies and seamanship

• CapsizingStay with the boat. Most swamped hulls float; climb on top, take a head count, signal for help.
• Cold waterRobs body heat about 25 times faster than air. Adopt the HELP position alone, or huddle as a group.
• Carbon monoxideOdorless; symptoms look like seasickness or drunkenness. Never sit on the swim platform under way.
• FuelingEveryone ashore, engine and electronics off, no smoking, ports and hatches closed, keep the nozzle in contact with the fill. Afterward: open up, run the blower 4 minutes, and sniff the bilge before starting.
• Float planLeave it with a friend or relative, not with the Coast Guard
• Capacity plateMaximum persons and weight. No plate on a small boat? Length × width ÷ 15 = number of people.
• AnchoringAlways from the bow; anchoring by the stern can swamp the boat. Let out about 7 feet of line per foot of depth.
• Running agroundStop the engine, lift the outdrive, check for leaks, shift weight away from the point of impact
• Person overboardAssign a spotter who never looks away, throw flotation immediately, approach from downwind or downcurrent, engine off at pickup
• Onboard firePut the fire downwind, cut fuel and power, aim the extinguisher at the base in a sweeping motion

12 Environment and wildlife

• No Discharge ZoneAll Rhode Island waters. Treated or untreated sewage discharge is illegal; Y-valves must be locked or sealed.
• MSDsTypes I and II treat waste; Type III is a holding tank or portable toilet emptied at a pump-out
• Oil placard5×8 in, vessels 26 ft or longer, posted near the bilge pump
• Garbage placard4×9 in, vessels 26 ft or longer on federally controlled waters
• Report a spillNational Response Center 1-800-424-8802; RI DEM (401) 222-1360
• Invasive speciesClean, drain, dry. Remove plants, drain the bilge and live well on land, never dump live bait in the water.
• Right whalesStay 1,500 ft away (required by law). Other whales: 100–600 ft.
• Seals, dolphins, turtlesStay 150 ft away

13 Boat terms and hulls

• Bow / sternFront / rear. Forward is toward the bow, aft toward the stern, amidships the middle.
• Port / starboardLeft / right when facing forward. Port takes the red light, starboard the green.
• BeamWidth at the widest point
• DraftDepth of water the boat needs to float: how far the hull reaches below the surface
• FreeboardWaterline up to the lowest point of the gunwale. Overload a boat and freeboard is what you lose first.
• GunwaleUpper edge of the side, said "gunnel." Riding on it is illegal unless it was built as a seat.
• TransomFlat panel across the stern; carries the outboard, the capacity plate and the hull number
• KeelCenterline backbone along the bottom of the hull
• UnderwayNot anchored, not made fast to shore, not aground. A boat drifting with the engine off is underway.
• Displacement hullPushes water aside. Slow, efficient, seakindly.
• Planing hullClimbs up and rides on the surface once it reaches speed
• Flat bottom vs. deep VFlat draws little water and sits steady at rest but pounds in chop; a deep V slices waves but needs more power and rolls at rest
• Hull ID number12 characters, permanently affixed to the upper starboard side of the transom

14 Engines, fuel and pre-departure

• OutboardEngine and drive in one unit hung on the transom
• InboardEngine inside the hull driving a fixed shaft; steered by a rudder
• Stern driveEngine inboard, steerable drive unit outside the transom
• Jet driveSteers only with thrust. No throttle, no steering.
• Capacity plateNear the helm or on the transom: maximum persons, weight and horsepower
• No plate?Length × width ÷ 15. A 14 by 5 boat carries four people.
• One-third ruleA third of the fuel out, a third back, a third held in reserve
• Cut-off switchFederal law since April 2021: use it on vessels under 26 ft when on plane or above displacement speed
• ChecklistWeather, fuel, battery, bilge, drain plug, lights, steering, throttle, PFDs, signals, float plan
• Brief your passengersWhere the life jackets and extinguisher are, and how to work the radio, because the operator is the person most likely to go overboard

15 Trailering, launching and retrieving

• Tongue weight5 to 10% of the total loaded trailer weight
• Weight distributionAbout 60% of the load forward of the trailer axle
• Safety chainsCrossed under the tongue, so they cradle it if the coupler lets go
• Trailer ratingMust cover boat + motor + fuel + water + gear, not just the hull
• Pre-trip checkWheel bearings (they run hot, especially after salt water), tire pressure, lights, winch strap, tie-downs
• Backing upHold the bottom of the wheel and move your hand the way you want the trailer to go. Slow, small corrections.
• Before the rampDo everything in the staging area: gear aboard, tie-downs off, drain plug in, trailer lights unplugged
• Why unplug the lightsHot bulbs crack when they hit cold water
• After retrievingPull clear of the ramp first, then secure, drain, and clean off weeds so you do not move invasive species

16 Docking, mooring and knots

• ApproachSlowly, at a shallow angle of roughly 20 to 45 degrees, heading into the wind or current when you can so it slows you instead of carrying you
• Wind setting you onStop parallel a few feet off and let it carry you in. Do not power into the dock.
• NeverFend off a moving boat with an arm or a leg. Fenders and a boat hook only.
• BowlineFixed loop that holds under load and still unties
• Clove hitchFast temporary hitch onto a piling; back it up with half hitches
• Cleat hitchOne turn around the base, figure eights over the horns, one locking turn. No more.
• Spring lineStops the boat surging forward or aft along the dock, and helps pivot off it
• Mooring buoyApproach into the wind, take the pendant to a bow cleat
• Setting the anchorPay out scope, back down gently, and watch two objects ashore. Steady bearings mean it is holding.

17 Weather

• Warning signsSudden wind shift, temperature drop, falling pressure, dark cloud building to the west, swell getting up
• Forecast under wayNOAA WX weather channels on the VHF, not Channel 16
• Small craft advisoryWind and seas hazardous to small boats. A reason to stay in.
• Caught outLife jackets on first. Then slow down, secure loose gear, close hatches, head for the nearest safe shore.
• Heavy seasTake waves on the bow at about 45 degrees at reduced speed. Beam-on is how boats roll over.
• LightningStay low and central, hands off metal and anything connected to the water
• FogSafe speed, lookout posted and listening, lights on, one prolonged blast about every two minutes under power
• Wind against tideShort, steep, stacked waves. Routine at the mouth of the Bay

18 VHF radio

• Channel 16Distress, safety and calling. Monitor it. No conversation, no radio checks.
• After hailingMove to a working channel: 68, 69, 71, 72
• Coast GuardChannel 22A if no one answers on 16
• PowerUse the 1-watt setting unless you need range or it is an emergency
• MAYDAYGrave and imminent danger to life or vessel
• PAN-PANUrgent, not immediately life-threatening (controllable leak, disabled in a bad spot)
• SECURITENavigational safety or weather warning
• Call orderWord three times → vessel name → position → nature of emergency → people aboard → description of the boat
• DSCThe red distress button transmits your identity and, with GPS connected, your position

Sources

Law and equipment material is drawn from the RI DEM boating safety certification page, the DEM summary of Rhode Island boating statutes, and the Handbook of Rhode Island Boating Laws and Responsibilities. Seamanship material follows the standard NASBLA boating curriculum, with radio procedure per BoatUS and the USCG. A study aid, not the official exam. Confirm anything that matters with the DEM Boating Office at (401) 222-6647.