Vermont Boating Safety Laws

The Shadow Lake Association encourages all to be aware of and follow Boating Safety Laws and Rules which have been instituted by the State of Vermont. VT State Police Marine Division.

Please be a responsible boater and follow this summarized list of boating safety rules:

  • No vessel may be operated within 200 feet of shoreline, a person in the water, other vessels, anchorage or docks except at a speed of less than 5 mph which does not create a wake.
  • Personal Watercraft (jet-skis) are not allowed on Shadow Lake.
  • All divers and snorkelers shall display a diver down flag while in the water..image
  • All motorized vessels must maintain a distance of no less than 200 feet from a diver down flag (red with white diagonal stripe).
  • Persons under the age of 12 must wear a Coast Guard approved Type I, II or III personal flotation device (P.F.D.) aboard a vessel, while underway and on an open deck.
  • A person under the age of 12 may not operate a motorboat powered by more than six horsepower.
  • A person under the age of 16 must wear a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device while aboard a sailboat.
  • All individuals born after January 1, 1974, are required to complete a boating safety course prior to operation of a motorboat.
  • In addition to the operator, a boat towing a person(s) on water skis, a tube, or similar devices, must carry an observer at least 12 years old, in a position to observe the person(s) being towed.
  • If the recreational boat is 16-ft or more in length, except a canoe or kayak, for each person aboard, there must be a U.S. Coast Guard Approved Type I, II or III wearable P.F.D. on board. In addition, there must be at least one Type IV P.F.D. (throwable) on board.
  • Operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal on all bodies of water and can lead to serious injuries and consequences. In Vermont it is illegal to operate a vessel with a BAC level of .08 or higher- the same as it is to operate a vehicle. 
  • All boaters should understand and follow the State of Vermont statutes pertaining to Title 23 chapter 29 section 3311 (c) distance requirements (2) Divers-down flag. See the Vermont statutes here.

You can find more information on Vermont Boating Safety Operating Rules and Regulations:

‘Clean, Drain, Dry’  Vermont’s Act 67 now requires any person transporting a vessel to or from a body of water to visually inspect the vessel, the transport vehicle, trailer, and other equipment used, and remove any aquatic plants, aquatic plant parts, and other aquatic nuisance species. See our webpage of Act 67 FAQ’s

[gview file=”https://shadowlakeassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/VTBoatingResourceGuide2018.pdf”]

Town of Glover Rules for The Public Beach

In 2015, The town of Glover upgraded their swimming area rules at the beach to include; ‘NO BOATS at the beach – please launch at the Fishing Access’. This rule includes all non-motorized watercraft such as; canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, etc. Now The 2017 Act 67 law mandates all watercraft must go through a state approved boat wash inspection and decontamination station if it is open before entering or upon exiting a state waterbody.  Shadow Lake operates such a station at the fishing access. 

The town of Glover also established a swim safety zone at the public beach.  Each spring, the town installs buoys in the lake at a distance of 200 feet from the beach shoreline to delineate the swim zone barrier for all watercraft to not enter. The regulatory cylindrical style buoys are marked in red to read ‘No Boat Zone’.  Please be very watchful at all times for swimmers in the water and always proceed with extreme caution in accordance with State of Vermont boating laws.

imageIn partnership with the town of Glover, the Shadow Lake Association supports the safety of beach goers and swimmers by excluding boats from the buoy designated swim area and beach. No longer off-loading boats at the beach and other areas around the lake will also help prevent the possible introduction of transporting aquatic invasive species. As of June 2017, it is a state violation of Act 67 for any watercraft to not go through our state-authorized boat wash station when it is open either before launching or after exiting Shadow Lake! Our Association has posted a sign at the beach entrance to help direct all watercraft to properly launch and exit at the state fishing access.