Now is the perfect time of year to take a boater education course or continuing education in navigation, plotting, and other in-depth classroom courses. It's also a great time of year to make sure you have all of your safety equipment loaded in your boat and preparing for the 2011 boating season!

ALL Oregon Resident boaters need to carry a boater education card when operating powerboats (including personal watercraft or any motorized watercraft) greater than 10 hp.

The Marine Board contracts with 31 county Sheriff's Offices and the Oregon State Police for marine patrol services in Oregon. Law enforcement deputies are on the water to ensure your safety and make sure you are complying with waterway rules and regulations. All marine deputies are specially trained in boat operation, detecting boaters under the influence of intoxicants, and swift water rescue/recovery.

The Marine Board is committed to helping provide boaters with safe, sufficient, and quality boating facilities. Most boaters launch at a public boat ramp and will likely need to use boarding floats, a transient tie-up, a parking space, a restroom, a pumpout, or other amenities every time they go boating. While the Marine Board does not own or operate any of these facilities, we provide funding to the public agencies that do.

The Oregon State Marine Board's environmental programs work to protect and improve our pristine waterways by promoting the usage of environmentally sensitive practices by boaters and boating facilities. The environmental programs include the Clean Marina Program, the Clean Boater Program, the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program, and the Foam Encapsulation Program.

All motorized boats, regardless of length or type, must be titled and registered in Oregon. Sailboats 12 feet and longer must also be titled and registered.

Registration and title fees and marine fuel taxes support boating facilities, marine law enforcement and boating safety education.