By Mike Roche

After over a decade of advocacy and legislative effort, spearheaded by the family of a man who was killed in a boating accident the Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act (H.4941) was signed into law on Wednesday, Jan. 8, by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, marking a monumental step in improving boating safety across the state.

This legislation establishes a mandatory boater education program, requiring all boat operators in the commonwealth to obtain a boater safety certificate. With its passage, Massachusetts joins 45 other states in mandating boater education, a move celebrated by the recreational boating community.

Initially drafted 13 years ago, the law is named in honor of David Hanson, a young man who tragically lost his life in a boating accident in 2010, and Paul Milone, a longtime Weymouth harbormaster and boating safety advocate, and aims to create a safer environment on Massachusetts’ waterways.

The new law mandates that boat operators pass a boater safety education program and examination to obtain the safety certificate, which must be present on the vessel during operation. While the law provides exemptions for certain groups, such as merchant mariners and qualified members of the Armed Forces, it emphasizes inclusivity by recognizing certificates from other states and prior certifications.

Additional Massachusetts boating regulations include requiring the use of engine cutoff switches provided by manufacturers and that vessels such as kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards carry at least one U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device.

The timeline for implementation is as follows:

Guidance will be published by the office of law enforcement no later than Oct. 1, 2025.

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Boaters born after Jan. 1, 1989, must obtain certificates by April 1, 2026, with enforcement beginning on Sept. 1, 2026.

Boaters born on or before Jan. 1, 1989, must comply by April 1, 2028.

This legislation is obviously important to everyone who operates a boat in Massachusetts and reflects the ongoing trend to focus attention on the needless loss of life and injury that occurs too often when boats are operated in a reckless manner. Many times, the critical factor in boating incidents is operators driving impaired. Unfortunately, alcohol is too often abused by boat operators, which can lead to catastrophic circumstances.

Boat operators need to understand that operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs is treated by the law exactly the same as operating a motor vehicle under those circumstances, and the penalties are also the same. Most importantly, you can lose your driver’s license for an offense driving a boat.

The timeline for implementation of the new law provides more than adequate time to take a boater safety course and meet the requirements. Boater safety courses are now available online. This writer was certified years ago during my tenure as a staff member at the Massachusetts Junior Conservation Camp, where I sat in on and completed the course when it was offered as part of the curriculum.

In 2021, I also took both the New Hampshire and Massachusetts boater safety courses. They are genuine learning programs and require an investment of time and serious attention. You must be at least 12 years ago to take the courses, which are administered by a national company that oversees outdoor education certification programs, including recreational vehicle and hunter safety programs for various states as well as many states boater safety certificates.

Boating season is still a ways off but it will be here before you know it. Meanwhile, we have to get through this cold weather! A few meteorologists were accurately predicting this cold January, including my personal favorite Dave Hayes, AKA “The Weather Nut.” He is a western Mass-based meteorologist whose website provides very accurate local weather.

Earlier this month, he provided his opinion of what the data looking forward indicated and he was spot on! He saw “an old-fashioned winter” with lots of cold weather and possibly significant winter storms. He nailed the temperatures, and we will see if the storms materialize.

Meanwhile, there is ice for ice fishing and my initial foray made it obvious that this writer has accumulated a bunch of ice fishing gear. The latest acquisition, a used Eskimo QuickFlip1 sled/shelter is a great piece of gear. It holds a lot of ice fishing tackle including the Ion electric auger, shiner bucket, another bucket for sitting, the traditional L. L. Bean tackle basket and Vexilar flasher. The unit flips up to provide a comfortable wind break when jigging or just waiting for a flag to pop up.

The biggest challenge is trying to choose what lure to use jigging. The leftover shiners that I bought at Crack of Dawn Tackle Shop in Phillipston nearly a week ago are still frisky thanks to the Cool Bubbles aerator and are ready for another trip out into the cold. Some say early ice is not productive and the fish are skittish when there is clear ice. You never catch any if you do put lines in the water, that is clear!

Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.