The Harbor Patrol also oversees the titling of recreational vessels. Several areas have speed regulations, which are enforced by the Harbor Patrol. There are no other maximum speed restrictions for this area. One of the critical aspects of successful ferry service implementation will be a waiver of the speed restrictions currently enforced by the District of Columbia. At that rate, the ferry service could not compete on a travel time basis with other modes.
Most speed restrictions exist to control wave action generated from boat hulls.
This wave action causes two main problems, shore erosion and potential damage to docked vessels. Speed restrictions on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers are primarily established to protect boats that use marinas. Different hull designs produce different wakes. The level of wake generated by a high-speed ferry vessel, the wake's dispersion rate, and performance in varying conditions and speeds can be calculated and measured. Discussions were held with the District of Columbia's Harbormaster to determine the process required to achieve a waiver for speed restrictions for a particular vessel.