Anyone who operates a recreational vessel with an engine in South Australia, including a personal watercraft (PWC), is required to have a boat operator’s licence, even if the engine is not in use at the time. This handbook contains all the information needed to pass the exam for a boat licence.
Download South Australian Recreational Boating Safety Handbook (10.8 MB PDF)
Individual chapters
| Document link | Topics |
|---|---|
| Contents (410.4 KB PDF) |
Introduction Common marine terms |
| Licensing and registration (700.1 KB PDF) |
Boat operator licensing Applying for a boat operator’s licence Applying for a special permit Motor vessel registration Boat Code Proof of vessel ownership Vessels registered in other states Displaying your registration label and numbers |
| Planning and preparation (465.6 KB PDF) |
Choosing the right boat Before you take your boat on the water Towing and launching |
| Safety on the water (728.9 KB PDF) |
Let someone know Your duty of care Boating with children Speed limits Loading for stability Fuelling and fire prevention Alcohol and drugs |
| Safety equipment (1.3 MB PDF) |
What you need and where Required safety equipment checklists Variation from standard requirements Standards and features |
| Weather and other potential hazards (460.8 KB PDF) |
Before you go out On the water |
| Navigation (588.0 KB PDF) |
The international rules Anchoring restrictions Interacting with big ships Navigating in restricted visibility |
| Buoys, marks, beacons, signals and signs (2.9 MB PDF) |
Buoyage and navigation marks Signals on vessels Navigation lights |
| Anchoring, mooring and berthing (713.8 KB PDF) |
Anchoring and mooring Berthing at a wharf or jetty |
| Emergency action (870.5 KB PDF) |
Your obligations Common situations Abandoning your vessel Distress signals First aid afloat Search and rescue (SAR) Towing a vessel on water |
| Navigating South Australian rivers (688.8 KB PDF) |
Local knowledge Inland waters and rivers |
| Special activities (481.0 KB PDF) |
Personal watercraft Waterskiing Seaplanes |
| Protecting the environment (723.5 KB PDF) |
Marine wildlife Aquatic reserves and marine parks Avoiding pollution Historic shipwrecks Riverbank erosion Watching our borders |
| Contact details and further information (358.8 KB PDF) |
Service SA customer service centres Contacts for other enquiries Answers to self-check questions |
| Index (280.1 KB PDF) | A to Z index |
