legal boating

[dsqui]

does anyone happen to have or know where there is a checklist of everything you need to be legal on the lake with a boat over 16 foot,  i recently just purchased a 17.5 footer and i know after 16 you need a throwable but is there anything else

[greensider]

call the coast guard they put out a small booklet and the local states dec or dnr should also have them for the state you live in

[bigr]

Check with the visitor centers at any of the dnr properties. They normally have all that stuff in pamphlets. I know there is alot of little things required but not always enforced by the Co's on first offense. Labels on life jackets must be ledgeable, jackets must be  the right size for the people on board, battery terminal covers,whistle or flag, fire ext, location of battery,vin id tag on back of boat, and I'm sure many others.

[Greg2ha]

I recently looked into this as well. Checked ind dnr info as well as coast guard. I added throwable as well as fire extinguisher.

[1eyechaser]

If your speaking of Lake Mi. you also need flares, whistle and some type of mirror

[dsqui]

so i compiled a list of things you need to fish waters that are on the border of the state and share shore line with another
pfd's type I II III or V
throwable type IV pfd
fire extinguisher
whistle or air horn
visual distress signals

 i went with flares as they will work for day and night signal but you need 3 and they expire and they arent cheap.

the only thing icame across when at the local shop here is they claim you need a rope on your throwable but i couldnt find anything about this does anyone have knowledge of the throwable rope and what size or is it the dnr officers just dont realy know and thats how they interpret the law.

[tomturkey]

We had a marine office that kept telling me that I had to have a wearable on when in my 14 foot canoe. I finally picked up a Michigan fishing guide and high lighted that I DID NOT have to have one, only a throwable.

I waited until I caught him in the local coffee shop. I let him read the law and told him to quit making his own laws.

Just the other day we had a county deputy at our house on another matter. I told him I wish that they would bust the people running the roads without helmets on their quads. he thought they did not need them and was kind of irritated when I told him that they did. Motor cycle could ride with out with a special endorsement but quads require helmets.

We have one woman that rides with a kid less than a year old on her lap and another little kid on the back of her quad.

[izzy65]

In IN, you also need some type of paddle on lake michigan.