PENNSYLVANIA BOATING HANDBOOK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PDF versions of the PA Boating Handbook and its chapters are provided below. Free print copies are available from many Commission offices and boat registration agents.
Complete book (3.4 Mb)
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission/Pennsylvania’s Boating Opportunities
Pennsylvania Water Trails
Boat Motors and Hull Types
Boat Terminology
Boat Operator Responsibilities
Boat Classification
Boat Operation Requirements
Homeland Security
Minimum Age of Operation/Mandatory Boating Education
Personal Flotation Devices
Boat Numbering and Registration
Launch Permits/Boat Titling
Capacity Plates/Hull Identification Number
Night Operation and Lights
Sound-producing Devices/Visual Distress Signals
Minimum Required Equipment/Recommended Equipment
Fire Extinguishers
Carburetor Backfire Flame Control/Noise Restrictions and Muffling Devices
Pre-departure Checklist /Preventative Maintenance
Leave a Float Plan/Trailering
Launching and Retrieving/Boarding/Boat Trim/Boat Handling/Docking
Departing/Boat Navigation Rules/Aids to Navigation (ATON)
Rules for Power-driven Vessels Underway
Sound Signals
Other Important Rules of the Road
VHF Radio
Anchoring
Locks and Dams
Boat Theft
Personal Watercraft
Paddlesports
Water-skiing and Similar Activities
Swimming and Diving
Sailing
Hunters and Anglers
Ventilation and Fueling/Carbon Monoxide
Fire Extinguisher Use
Running Aground
Water Hazards
Dams/Weather
Capsizing and Falls Overboard
Propeller Strikes
Rescue and Survival
Cold Water Shock/Hypothermia
Alcohol and Boating
Courtesy Vessel Safety Checks
Boating Accidents
Law Enforcement
PFBC Lakes and Access Areas
Permits
Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)
Littering and Pollution
Aquatic Invasive Species