No state had mandated operator licensing or boater safety education before Maryland passed a law in 1988, the Coast Guard says. Before a boater can operate on the state's waters, Maryland law requires 8-10 hours of safety education. It will take a generation for everyone to fall into the program. Maryland requires no boater licensing and the law includes no minimum age requirement. Among the lessons taught in boater safety classes are to always stay with a disabled boat.
People think they can make it to shore.
Dave Street with the Maryland Natural Resources Police. You've got to be respectful of what can happen out there The safest thing is always staying with the boat. We always find the lifejacket. Dilger remains amazed and frustrated that more boaters don't take or don't know to take the most basic steps to ensure their safety before going out on the water.