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Boating Requirements
Lifejackets
A minimum of one U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) - approved Personal
Flotation Device (PFD) must be readily available on board. In
Arizona waters, children 12 or younger are required to wear a
PFD; although, recommended for all children and non-swimmers.
Throwables
All boats 16 feet or over must have a USCG approved Type IV PFD
on board in addition to PFD's for each individual. Type IV PFD
is a throwable device, such as a ring buoy or buoyant cushion.
Registration
All boats must be numbered according to the rules and regulations
established by the states. Numbers must be displayed properly
on boat hull and valid registration papers must be carried on
the vessel.
Navigation
Lights
Lights authorized by Nevada and Arizona state law must be added
of the vessel is operated between sunset and sunrise.
Fire Extinguisher
All motorboats carrying gasoline as fuel shall carry at least
the minimum number of fully serviced and readily accessible hand
portable marine type fire extinguishers approved by the U.S.
Coast Guard.
General Information
Boating
Accidents
All boating accidents must be reported to the National Park Service
within 24 hours.
Boarding
Vessels
A boat may be boarded at any time by an authorized person to
determine compliance with regulations.
Parasailing
Parasailing is permitted in areas where waterskiing is permitted.
Regulatory Markers
Flat Wake
A flat wake speed, not exceeding 5 m.p.h. is required while in
areas posted with a "No Wake" buoy or within 200 feet
of a swimmer or a downed water-skier. Nevada also requires a
vessel to approach no closer than 100 feet to a swim beach.
Restricted
Areas
Restricted areas are marked by white buoys with an orange diamond
shape with a cross inside the diamond having an orange band above
and below the cross. ALL BOATERS KEEP OUT.
Dive Flag
In Nevada you must be at flat wake speed within 200 feet of a
diver-down flag. In addition to the flat wake restriction, in
Nevada a boat may not approach a diver-down flag closer than
100 feet.
Prohibited Activities
Bow Riding
No operator shall permit any person to ride on the gunwales,
transom, or on the decking over the bow of a vessel propelled
by machinery while the vessel is being operated above a flat
wake speed or 5 m.p.h.
Time and
Place
No vessel shall be operated within an area designated by a uniform
waterway marker or a white buoy, having a horizonatal international
orange band at the top and bottom and an international orange
diamond with a cross on the white portion of the buoy, or between
a line of such markers or buoys.
No motorboat
shall be operated within 200 feet of any designated swimming
area, except within marked channels in which instance a wakeless
or 5 m.p.h. speed shall be maintained.
All vessels
shall proceed with due caution and at a wakeless speed or no
more than 5 m.p.h. within 200 feet of any diver's flag, designated
by a standard square-shaped flag containing a white diagonal
stripe on a red field.
No vessel shall
be operated in excess of a wakeless speed or 5 m.p.h. within
designated harbors or in any area designated by a uniform waterway
marker or white buoy having a horizontal international orange
band at the top and bottom and an international orange circle
with a black "5 m.p.h." or "wakeless speed"
therein on the white portions of the buoy or between a line of
such buoys and the nearest shore.
No vessel shall
be operated on any waters which are zoned or marked as migratory
bird waters or for fish cultural or wildlife uses.
No vessel shall
approach any dam or other engineering works closer than the limits
posted with appropriate signs or markers.
The operator
of a motorboat must maintain a flat wake within 100 feet of a
swimmer or downed water skier.
Noise
Operating a boat which produces a noise in excess of 82 decibels
measured at 82 feet is prohibited. Not all muffled engines will
meet this requirement. No vessel shall be equipped with, nor
shall any person install upon a vessel a siren, whether operable
or not, except for authorized emergency and enforcement vessels.
Drugs/Alcohol
and Reckless Operation
Operating a vessel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
or operating a vessel in a reckless or negligent manner. Any
person who operates or is in actual physical control of a vessel
under power or sail on the water shall be deemed to have given
his consent to an evidentiary test of his blood, urine, breath
or other bodily substance for the purpose of determining the
alcohol content of his blood or the presence of a controlled
substance.
Age Limits
In Arizona, no person under 12 years of age may operate a motorcraft
propelled by a motor of greater than eight horsepower. In Nevada
a personal watercraft operator must be 12 years or older.
Pollution
No boat shall be so equipped as to permit discharge from or through
its marine toilet, or in any other manner, any sewage at any
time into these waters, nor shall any container of sewage be
placed, left, discharged or caused to be placed, left, or discharged
in or near any of these waters by any person at any time whether
or not they are the owner, operator, guest or occupant of a boat.
Pumping stations for emptying sewage from holding tanks are located
at all marinas.
It is prohibited
for any person to place or dump or allow to be placed or dumped
at any time into these waters any organic substance, wood byproduct,
garbage, or any substance deleterious to fish or wildlife.
Regulatory
Markers
Attaching a vessel to or interfering with any marker, navigational
buoy or other navigational aid is prohibited.
Fishing
Fishing is prohibited in any harbor or marina within the Lake
Mead National Recreation Area.
Hovercraft
and Airboats
Use of hovercraft and airboats is prohibited.
Wake Jumping
Operator must not operate a PWC within 60 feet or 5 boat lengths
of another vessel unless operating at a wakeless speed. Operators
must not head into the wake of another vessel.
Waterskiing
Operator
A person operating a vessel towing another person on water skis,
a surfboard, an inflatable device or any similar device must
be at least 14 years of age or at least 12 years of age if a
passenger in the vessel is 21 years of age or older and is in
a position to supervise the operator.
Observer
In addition to the operator of the vessel, there must be one
person observing the person being towed. In Nevada, the observer
must be at least 12 years old (10 years of age if a 21 year-old
is aboard the boat).
Ski Flag
The observer shall continuously observe the person being towed.
and shall immediately display so as to be visible from every
direction, an international orange flag of at least 12 inches
in height by 12 inches in width when the person being towed is
getting ready to be towed and has a rope or line extended to
him, or ceases to be towed and is in the water awaiting pickup
by the vessel.
Lifejackets
Water skiers shall wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved personal
flotation device.
Time and
Place
Skiing is permitted only between sunrise and sunset (daylight
hours). No person may operate a vessel towing a person or persons
on water skis, a surfboard or similar device in any areas so
posted or within 500 feet of harbor entrances, swimming beaches
and mooring areas, or within 100 feet of any person swimming,
fishing or diving.
Carrying
Capacity
A person shall not operate a vessel towing a person on water
skis, a surfboard, an inflatable device or any similar device,
unless the manufacturer's safe loading capacity for the vessel
is three or more persons; operator, observer and person being
towed.
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