PWC stands for personal watercraft with an emphasis on the personal
PWC stands for personal watercraft with an emphasis on the personal. Trade name craft, such as Ski-Doo® (Bombardier Recreational Products), Waverunner® (Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA), and JET SKI® (Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA) are types of PWC. Personal watercraft are defined as motorboats less than 16 feet in length that are powered by jet pumps, not propellers, where the persons stand, kneel, or sit on, rather than inside the boat. PWCs are operated by one person, and often have seating space for others. Some models have seating for up to four riders (including the operator).
PWC Education Requirement
As of July 1, 2009, all PWC operators ages 20 and younger must complete a boater safety course. This is the beginning of the phase-in for all Virginia boaters:
- PWC operators between the ages of 16 and 20 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2009, operators ages 14 or 15 may operate a PWC if they have successfully completed an approved boating education safety course;
- PWC operators 35 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2010;
- PWC operators 50 years of age or younger and motorboat operators 20 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2011;
- All PWC operators, regardless of age, and motorboat operators 30 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2012;
- Motorboat operators 40 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2013;
- Motorboat operators 45 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2014;
- Motorboat operators 50 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2015;
- All motorboat operators, regardless of age, shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2016.
