eFoil regulations & spots in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda does not name eFoils, but its Small Craft (Control) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017 No. 38) apply to every craft under 24 m operating in its waters "whether non self propelled, power driven, manoeuvred by oars or poles, or under sail", and define "power craft" to include personal watercraft. The Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) administers the regime with the ABDF Coast Guard; an electric foil board is a powered small craft under these definitions and is best treated as a PWC.

ADOMS states that licensing "is compulsory for all powered craft below 24 metres in length": local craft are surveyed and issued a Safety Certificate and Licence (EC$400 for a jet ski, EC$372 for other craft) valid five years with annual self-certification and a decal, and the licence number must be displayed. The certificate applies to Antigua-registered craft; visiting foreign vessels operate under a cruising permit whose conditions incorporate the small-craft safety standards. Under regulation 19 nobody under 16 may operate a power craft, and under-18s may not operate commercially. Every person on a PWC must wear an inherently buoyant PFD at all times, a kill-cord must be attached to the rider, and a PWC Proficiency Certificate is mandatory for commercial operators and recommended for pleasure riders. Third-party insurance is expected under the Code of Safety.

Regulation 7 sets the riding envelope near beaches: leave and return to shore at roughly 90 degrees for the first 200 m, stay under 5 knots within 75 m of the shore, remain at least 200 m offshore except when transiting, and keep 50 m outside any designated swimming area. Regulation 24 bars operating within 15 m of another vessel unless at 5 knots or less; ADOMS Marine Notice 2017-03 adds 50 m from anchored vessels, people in the water, jetties and wharves, and confines PWCs to near-shore, buoyed or designated areas. Regulation 17 prohibits PWC use between sunset and sunrise.

The Coast Guard and police may stop, inspect and seize craft; the general penalty is a fine of up to EC$30,000, a year's imprisonment or both, and ADOMS can withdraw a licence for unsafe operation. Rules are uniform across Antigua and Barbuda. Practical advice: ride from a designated beach zone with a licensed operator, or contact the ADOMS Technical Division (technical@abregistry.ag) before importing a private board to confirm how it will be certified.