Stay on top of the latest boating rules! There’s no need to be nervous when you know the latest in insurance requirements, international customs, permits, environmental standards, and more. With far more in the authoritative Wagoner Cruising Guide book, get started here with our tips for the latest boating rules.
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Proposed Changes Small Vessel Regulations – Canada
Canadian boaters can have their say on the proposed changes to the Small Vessel Regulations. The proposed changes to the Small Vessel Regulations for licensing a pleasure craft have been published in the Canada Gazette, Part I. Canadian boaters have until July 12,...
Staying Safe in Southeast Alaska!
Captain Darwin A. Jensen: Greetings fellow boaters! It is my honor to have the opportunity to reach you all. As an avid boater and fisherman myself, I share your excitement in hitting the water this summer. As Commander of Coast Guard Sector Juneau, I am responsible...
The Ins and Outs of Sailboat Racing
It’s finally summer, and with that comes the most exciting sailboat racing in the Pacific Northwest of the year! With races like Swiftsure, Van Isle 360, and Race Week, the region’s most active and experienced sailboat racers gear up for adventures of a lifetime. For...
Take the Survey – Flying the Flag for Endangered Southern Resident Orca
The Endangered Southern Resident Orca are an icon of our State, much loved by many. In a local effort to help improve boater presence around Southern Resident Orca, the San Juan County and Marine Resources Committee teamed up in 2018 to introduce the Whale Warning...
USCG Vessel Documentation Center to Launch eStore in 2022
“Documentation” is a form of vessel registration through the U.S. Coast Guard. This certificate/title for the vessel is on a national/federal level, as opposed to State titling. USCG title is proof of ownership and authentication of the vessel’s origin. The United...
Back to Basics – Encountering Other Boats
Before heading out on the water for the season, we like to review the systems on our boat and handling procedures. Even experienced boaters run the risk of becoming complacent, and some boaters may simply not be aware of the nautical rules of the road. Understanding...
Report Sightings of the European Green Crab
The European Green Crab is an invasive species that destroys and degrades eelgrass habitats by foraging and burrowing into the seabed, much more so than native crabs of the Pacific Northwest. Eelgrass is vitally important for fish that attach their eggs to eelgrass...
Vessel Traffic Lanes – Pleasure Boaters Beware
Vessel Traffic Lanes are used to regulate busy traffic in confined waterways for deep-draft commercial vessels such as cargo ships and tugs with barges. VTS is primarily for commercial vessels, although all power-driven vessels 40 meters (131 feet) or longer,...
Boaters Encouraged to be Whale Wise for Orca Action Month
After what felt like a very long winter, Puget Sound residents are excited to get out on the water and enjoy the beauty of our region. June is Orca Action Month, a time to celebrate and protect one of our region’s most iconic marine mammals, the Southern Resident...
400-Meter Separation from Southern Resident Killer Whales in B.C. – Territory Extended
Boaters in B.C. waters are reminded to stay 400 meters (approximately 1/4 mile) from Southern Resident Killer Whales. This Federal Law (Fisheries & Oceans Canada) has designated the law to now include the waters of Howe Sound and Barkley Sound, including all of...
Transit Through B.C. – The Harsh Reality
Many of us might be dreaming about cruising in Southeast Alaska this summer, but how many of us have thought through all of the logistics and challenges of legally passing through Canadian waters during an on-going Covid pandemic? Currently, foreign-flagged vessels...
Engine Cut-Off Switch – New Federal Law Effective April 1, 2021
Operators of vessels less than 26 feet in length, with open-helm stations, must wear a link that shuts off the engine in the event an operator is ejected from the vessel or thrown from the helm station. This Federal Law takes effect on April 1, 2021, and applies only...
Boat Insurance – What is Covered?
Insurance for your vessel can also mean the difference between an accident remaining an accident, or an accident becoming a launching pad for financial ruin
Copper Bottom Paint in Washington until 2026
The use of copper bottom paints in Washington State is now secure until January 1, 2026. Thanks in part to the legislative work of Recreational Boating Association of Washington (RBAW) and Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA), the previous earlier...
Clean Marinas Benefit the Environment & Marinas
By Blair Englebrecht –Boating Programs Manager, Puget Soundkeeper AllianceTeeming beneath the docks and ship hulls of Washington marinas are some of the most sensitive and important resources in the state. By their very nature marinas can hover over...