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Boat Rentals

Boat Rentals

Rental Agents

A motorboat may be rented for up to 30 days. New Mexico’s mandatory boating education law requires businesses that rent motorboats to review the dockside safety checklist with each authorized operator. The checklist includes operating instructions and a summary of laws regarding the rental motorboat’s safe operation. This includes:

      • sail/float plan
      • emergency preparedness information
      • pre-departure maintenance check
      • required equipment check
      • handling/loading specifications and
      • weather forecast

Rental agents must review the contents of the checklist with each authorized operator to ensure every statement about operation and safety equipment is understood. The authorized operator must initial each item, sign, and keep the checklist onboard the rental motorboat. Boaters who do not carry the checklist aboard rented motorboats may be ticketed if stopped by a marine law enforcement officer.

Dockside Safety Checklist (PDF)

Rental Boat Responsibility

Marine law enforcement officers may cite the operator and owner of a rental boat for violation of 18.17.2.10 NMAC, which states that if a vessel does not contain the safety equipment required, then either the rental agent or the operator, or both, may be cited. Owners of rental vessels, including non-motorized vessels, need to ensure that the boat is properly equipped with all legally required safety equipment before allowing it to enter the water.