Summer is busy for boating in Florida. As temperatures warm up and the long Memorial Day holiday weekend nears, more and more boaters will hit the bays, lakes, rivers and Gulf of Mexico. Bay County Tax Collector Chuck Perdue wants boaters to operate safely this year and wants to ensure all boaters are aware of a new law which went into effect on April 1st.
When Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 in January, it included Section 8316 which requires individuals operating recreational vessels less than 26 ft. in length and with an engine capable of 115 pounds of static thrust (3 hp) or more to use their engine cut-off switches (ECOS) much of the time they are at the helm. It means those operating the vessel must wear a lanyard (ECOS link) while at the wheel. The law applies when the primary helm is not in a cabin and when the boat is operating on a plane or above displacement speed. The ECOS link is not required when docking, launching and loading on a trailer, or trolling and operating in no-wake zones.
While this law will be enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard in federal navigable waterways, Sarasota Rep. Fiona McFarland has proposed similar state legislation with a bill called “Ethan’s Law.” The bill is named for ten-year-old Ethan Isaacs, who lost his life in a boating accident in Sarasota in November 2020. Ethan’s Law would require operators of boats less than 26 feet long to wear the ECOS link to ensure an engine automatically shuts off if the operator is thrown overboard. Companion legislation has also been introduced in the Senate.
If Ethan’s Law is passed, the bill could take effect as early as July 2021 and would make it a requirement to use an ECOS link in all public waterways and state waters.
For Perdue, this message of utilizing the safety equipment currently aboard most vessels hits very close to home.
“Last year, my dear friend and beloved community member, Christ Cordon, died in a boating accident. So many boating accidents are avoidable,” said Perdue. “I strongly urge fellow boaters to make use of their ECOS this year, while it may not yet be a law in state waters, let’s spare our families and friends another tragic event.”
For more information on Florida’s boating laws and regulations, please visit myfwc.com/boating/regulations.
Reminder: Renew your boat registration online, save time!
Don’t wait until the last minute to renew your boat registration. Visit OkaloosaTax.com or WaltonTaxCollector.com to renew online.
