Official coast guard list

[jmvotto]

any one know where I can get official coastguard list of items necessary not to get a ticket in New York State or elsewhere.

Thx.

[zegm]

JM,

Here in Florida the local BoatersWorlds and West Marine sell kits that contain everything you need to pass State and Federal laws. Now I was in Long Island last week and to my surprise I saw a Boaters World!!!!!!

[cptmoomba]

here is a pretty complete site. I grew up on a lake in the Adirondacks of NY and didn't even realize how constricting some of their laws are.

http://www.boatingbasicsonline.com/course/boating/10_0.php

just click on the state in the drop down menu you are interested in and they tell you everything you'll need to know.

Hope this helps.

[cptmoomba]

Wow, now that you got me to look into this more, the more I read about some of these laws, the more surprised i get... for instance...

"On the waters of Lake George as well as the interior waters of Chautauqua Lake, waterskiers must wear a USCG approved PFD or a ski belt. Everywhere else in New York State, if a PFD is not worn by the skier, then one must be carried on board the towing vessel. It is strongly recommended that all skiers wear an approved PFD at all times."

This thread is making me waste a bunch of time just in my curiosity of how different states address boat laws.

Thanks. JM

[ian ashton]

I got pulled over the other night on the water (didn't have my registration numbers on yet) and teh officer asked to see my fire extingusher, horn, throwable flotation device, and life jacket. He also informed me of a local law restricting 'High Speed Boating' after 9pm. No tickets were issued :)

[zabooda]

Here in Washington State each county has their own set of requirements besides the CG requirements. One side of the river requires flares and the other side in a different county does not. Go figure. That's why I never get a voluntary inspection because I'd flunk without the flares. On the water, they don't enforce it.

[ian ashton]

I thought that I needed flares (and spent $50 on them!) and alas I didn't. Oh well, at least I've got 'em if I need 'em!

[zegm]

Boaters world and West Marine sell cool little kits, with cheap flare guns, mirrors, whistle and all the things that one needs in a neat little round plastic screw together waterproof container. I think I spent 25 to 30 bucks for it!

We also had to purchase whistles to put on our kayak paddling vests! You must have some sort of audio signal device!!!!

And I believe in GA ski belts are against the law. If you fall and get the wind knocked out of you and the belt moves up across your chest you might not be able to breath again. I haven't seen one in GA or FL in years and years.

[jmvotto]

Cptmoomba, thanks for the info, strange NYS states life vest need not be on the skier but must be in the boat for the skier. I will check more local laws as well.

I used to have a ski belt ias a kid n the 70's, every time i fell off the dick Pope Jr.'s i dove head first. ski's went one way, belt floated up another way and i was 15 yds away.

[kaneboats]

If anybody wants to warn us FL guys about different rules in GA before the reunion next week I'm all ears. Or, does anyone know if they pull over on Lanier? I imagine if it's like everywhere else this weekend will be busy with enforcement and it will tail off by the following one.

[jmvotto]

Here's a good one from the state of GA.

Creating a dangerous wake - remember that you are responsible for any damage or injury caused by your wake .

??????? guess wake surfing out , trolling for bass in. LOL.

[zegm]

Kane,

If you are good in Florida you will be fine in GA. We never had a horn on our boat in Georgia and that was the only thing that they gave us a warning for the very first day we put our boat in Florida waters. And it does seem that they always liked to pull us over or any boat over that had kids on it to check if they are wearing their life jackets. They actually passed out t-shirts to the kids that said "I got caught by the DNR wearing my lifejacket!" on the backside and the front had a small badge and below it that it said something like Junior DNR Officer. So after this we would kind of go near them for more t-shirts.
Here in PC the Florida DNR guys like to hang around the pass from the bay to the Gulf. There are always 2 or 3 of them and they always have people pulled over. I believe they are always checking for alchohol and illegal catches.

[kaneboats]

Funny- I used to say I've never been pulled over. One look at my boat loaded with kids all in vests and they usually can see we're not the problem. Then again, the county cops down in Vero Beach stopped me in my old boat last year on Memorial Day weekend. I think they wanted to see what the heck my homemade wakeboard pole was all about.