Recreational boating safety

Welcome to the recreational boating safety section of iMarine.

Western Australia's (WA) 12,500 kilometre coastline is the most extensive and isolated in Australia. We have 72,000 registered vessels and an estimated quarter of a million people enjoying our aquatic resources.

Whether you’re into fishing, sailing, diving, cruising or just having fun, boating safety awareness is essential, irrespective of the size of your boat or your experience.

This section will help you understand the rules and regulations of recreational boating in WA (including rules of the road, navigation lighting and restricted boating areas) and provides information on planning your trip and safety equipment. 

Looking for information on what to do in an emergency situation? This section provides information on distress signals and first aid.

If you are new to boating we have tips on buying a boat and maintenance.

The Department's policy is to promote safety through boating education rather than regulation. We accept that some regulation is necessary, but in general we believe that informed people taking responsibility for their own safety achieve the best results.

Remember, everyone has some responsibility for themselves and those around them. The safety and seaworthiness of a vessel is your responsibility.

We hope that you will find the information useful and informative.

Find out more

Fees and charges

For all fees and charges related to recreational boating.

Forms and publications

For forms and publications related to recreational boating.

Contact us

For more information please contact us.