Paul Charles Tobola is a regional vice president with OpenText in Gaithersburg, Maryland. An award-winning leader, Paul Charles Tobola is responsible for managing engagements at multiple banks around the world. When he is not working and focusing on OpenText business, Paul Tobola enjoys boating.

Boating laws in the United States are generally a state concern. The processes through which individuals achieve and maintain a boating license vary from one region to the next, and acceptable activities in one jurisdiction may be deemed unlawful in another.

Fortunately, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) provides boating enthusiasts with a number of helpful services, including a centralized resource for state boating laws. The organization also works to uphold these laws however possible. Additional services to the nation’s boating community include a comprehensive safety dashboard that can be modified by each state and a listing of state boating contacts who can provide more specific insight into local boating laws.

Beyond the basic steps needed to acquire a boating license, these are a few areas of safety and boating legislation individuals should research prior to their first voyage. These areas include laws about life jackets, right of way on different types of water channels, and open container alcohol laws.