Lake Dunmore / Fern Lake Association
Water Safety
*Age Restrictions:
- People less than the age of 16 shall not operate a personal watercraft.
- Persons less than the age of 12 are restricted to 6 horsepower or less.
- Anyone born after January 1, 1974 must successfully complete an approved boating safety course prior to operating any motorized vessel. This can be obtained at http://www.boatsafe.com/vt.htm. This is free of charge.
- Persons less than 12 years of age must wear an approved type I, II, III or V PFD (personal floatation device/life jacket) when above decks and underway.
- Persons less than 16 years of age must wear a type I, II, III or V PFD on a sailboard.
- Water-ski (sport) observers must be at least 12 years of age.
*Snorkeling and Diving:
- All divers and snorkelers shall display a diver down flag while in the water.
- ALL MOTORIZED VESSELS MUST MAINTAIN A DISTANCE OF NO LESS THAN 200 FEET FROM DIVER DOWN A FLAG (red with white diagonal stripe).
*Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
- All vessels, except sailboards, must carry one wearable (Type I, Type II, Type III or Type V) U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD for each person onboard.
- All PFDs must be in good and serviceable condition and readily accessible. The PFDs must be of the proper size for the intended wearer. Sizing for PFDs is based on body weight and chest size.
- In addition to the above requirements, vessels 16 feet in length or longer must have one Type IV U. S. Coast Guard-approved PFD onboard and readily accessible.
- Children under 12 years of age must wear a Type I, II or III U. S. Coast Guard-approved PFD at all times while underway on the open deck of any vessel.
- A person under 16 years of age must wear a Type I, II or III U. S. Coast Guard-approved PFD at all times while onboard a sailboard.
- Everyone onboard a PWC must wear a Type I, II or III U. S. Coast Guard-approved PFD.
- Anyone being towed behind a vessel must wear a Type I, II or III U. S. Coast Guard-approved PFD.
*Accident Reporting:
Any accident involving personal injury or damage greater than $100 must be reported within 36 hours. Report accidents to Vermont State Police.
*Boating While Intoxicated:
Boating while intoxicated is a criminal offense punishable by fine, imprisonment and loss of privilege to operate. The fine for a first offense is not less than $200.00 nor more than $750.00. For a second, or subsequent offenses, not less than $250.00 nor more than $1,000.00.
Effective July 1, 1997 no person under the age of 21 shall operate, attempt to operate or have physical control of a vessel on Vermont waters when the person's blood alcohol concentration is 0.02 or greater.
By operating on Vermont waterways, you are deemed to have given consent to be tested for alcohol if arrested for operating under the influence.
*Speed Limits:
Within 200 feet of shore, dock, swim area, person in water and other vessels or anchorage, speed must be less than 5 miles per hour and must not create a wake.
*Motorized Vessels:
All engines must be muffled in order to reduce operating noise level to not more than 82 decibels on the A scale at 50 feet.
*Navigation Rules:
United States Coast Guard inland navigation rules are adopted for Lake Champlain, Lake Memphremagog and Wallace Pond in Canaan.
*Personal Watercraft (PWC):
Operation of a personal watercraft shall not be operated at any time between sunset and sunrise.
PWC operators and passengers must wear an approved Type I, II, or III PFD.
No person less than 16 years of age shall operate a PWC.
*Water Skiing:
An observer (who is not the boat operator) is required. The observer must be at least 12 years of age.
Water skiers must remain at least 100 feet away from a person in the water or light craft.
*Registration/Documentation:
If your boat is not Vermont registered, a validation sticker is required if it is in Vermont waters between 30 and 90 days per year. A Vermont registration is required if your boat is in Vermont waters more than 90 days per year.
The numbers and stickers are placed on both port and starboard sides, with the sticker fore of the numbers.
Documented vessels require a Vermont validation sticker if in Vermont waters 30 or more days per year.
*Information obtained from the Vermont State Police.