Boating Information

Speed and Distance - The speed and distance restrictions control how fast and how close motorboats may be to another boat.  Boats cannot exceed five MPH within one 100 feet of another boat going five MPH or less. Boats must maintain a distance of 50 feet from each other when both boats are traveling at speeds greater than five MPH.  Boaters cannot exceed 10 mph within 300 ft of shore.

Nighttime Speed Limit - A nighttime speed limit of 25 MPH is in effect- except for emergency vessels - from one-half hour after sunset to sunrise on all Dickinson County lakes.

Congested Area – Smith’s Bay, west of the Highway #71 bridge to Pillsbury and Ft Dodge Point on West Lake Okoboji - and the area east of Highway #71 on East Lake Okoboji are heavily congested boating areas. It is recommended that skiers, tubers, and boat fisherman avoid these areas and other areas of heavy boating traffic.

Wake Courtesy – Boat wakes can be dangerous to canoes, kayaks, and small boats with a short freeboard. Sailboats can be stopped dead in their tracks with excessive boat wakes. Boat wakes can cause shoreline erosion. At medium speed a boat can create a larger wake than it would at a slower or faster speed. Boaters are responsible for the damage caused by their wakes.

Water Skiing & Tubing – A responsible observer along with the driver of the boat is required to watch the person being towed behind the boat. Persons being towed must wear an approved life jacket. While Iowa law permits skiing and tubing from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise boaters should be aware of the reduced visibility in the evening and early morning.

Safety Equipment – It is recommended that all powerboats have an approved fire extinguisher along with a sound-producing device when in operation. In addition, there should not be more persons in a boat than the boat’s rated safety capacity. 

Personal Flotation Devices – Iowa Navigation Regulations require that all boats have one approved wearable PFD on board for each person.  The PFD must be Coast Guard approved, of the proper size to fit the user, in good working order, and readily accessible to the user.  All boats 16 feet or longer are required to have an approved type IV throwable device on board.  All persons on a Personal Water Craft MUST WEAR an approved wearable PFD. The WSC supports the US Coast Guard’s National Initiative and recommends that all persons on the boat wear their PFD.

Lights – All boats while being operated or anchored on Iowa waters from sunset to sunrise must display the proper navigational lighting for that type of boat.  Please refer to the Iowa Boating Regulations for the proper lighting for your boat.

Iowa Mandatory Boater Education Requirement – PWC and boat operators (operating a boat with more than 10 HP) from age 12 through 17 must successfully complete an approved boat safety course before being certified to be a boat operator. Persons under 18 years of age can operate a boat or PWC, without certification, if they are accompanied on the same vessel with a responsible person of at least 18 years of age who is experienced in motorboat operation.

Personal Water Craft – All persons on a PWC must be wearing a Personal Flotation Device. The number of persons onboard a PWC must not exceed its rated person capacity, including any person being towed.. A PWC can not be operated after sunset or before sunrise. The operator of a PWC must comply with the Iowa Mandatory Boater Education Requirement above. PWC's must follow the same water safety laws that apply to boaters.

Careless Operation – Shooting water guns at moving boats and passengers can distract the driver causing an accident or cause injury to passengers. This is particularly true in the congested areas in the Iowa Great Lakes. A person riding the bow of a moving boat may be tossed overboard by a large wave and run over before the driver has an opportunity to act.

Hypothermia – Even on hot summer days in mid summer our lakes waters rarely get above 80 degrees, which can cause someone in the water for an extended period to loose body core heat (Hypothermia). Watch for the warning signs of Hypothermia: purple lips, shivering, and the loss of the use of body extremities. For more information on Hypothermia see the WSC website.

Boating While Intoxicated - A person cannot operate a motorboat or sailboat while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or other drug or a combination of such substances or while having a blood alcohol concentration of .10 or more or while any amount of a controlled substance is present in the person.  Please be safe - alcohol and boats do not mix.

Weather – The safe boater should be alert to changing weather conditions. Most of the summer severe weather comes from the West. Weather information for the Iowa Great Lakes is available on Cable TV channel 21 and 23, KUOO 103.9 FM, KICD 1240 AM, or NOAA continuous weather broadcast on 162.55 MHz.

Aquatic Invasive Species – The Iowa Great Lakes are currently free of aquatic invasive species such as Eurasian Watermilfoil and the zebra muscles. Please help by always cleaning your trailer and boat before placing them in the waters of the Iowa Great Lakes.

Boat Noise – All motorboats are required to have adequate muffling devices on their boat while operating on the waters in the State of Iowa. The use of a “Captains Call” switch, which diverts the exhaust engine noise above the water line, could result in a violation of meeting the motorboat noise restrictions.

Law Enforcement – State Conservation Officers employed by the Department of Natural Resources are charged with the enforcement of Iowa boating laws.  Law Enforcement boats are typically marked with "Law Enforcement" on their side and will display an emergency blue flashing light.

Accident Reporting: Whenever any boat is involved in a collision, accident or casualty, except one, which results only in property damage not exceeding $2,000 dollars, must file a report with the DNR Lake Patrol.

Communications – Emergency telephone contact for the Lake Patrol and water rescue is 911. The Lake Patrol also monitors Marine Radio channel 16 for emergency communications. Non-emergency information can be relayed to the Lake Patrol by calling the Spirit Lake Communications Center 712/ 336-2525. DNR information on docks, buoys, rafts, shoreline, fishing licenses, etc. can be obtained by calling the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery – phone 712/ 336-1840. For Lake Patrol issues contact Conservation Officer Gary Owen by cell phone (712) 260-1018

If you observe careless boat operation, a telephone call can be made to the Spirit Lake Communications Center – NON emergency telephone 712/ 336-2525.

1)      Advise them of the type of careless or illegal operation.

2)      Provide a description of the boat,

3)      Its present location and, if possible, its direction of travel.

The SL Communications Center can radio this information to the Lake Patrol boats. If the situation is more serious - rising to the nature of an emergency - a call to 911 will bring a faster response. Keep in mind the Lake Patrol will not always have a patrol boat in the area that can observe the careless operation and stop the offender.

 Contact – The Water Safety Council is open to suggestions for ways to improve water safety.  The WSC can be contacted at email watersafety@longlines.com or by mail at PO Box 232, Spirit Lake, IA 51360. 

The Legal Requirements of Boating      -  Who May Operate a Vessel Persons under 12 years of age may operate a vessel propelled by a motor of more than 10 horsepower, including a personal watercraft, only if he or she is accompanied on board by a responsible person at least 18 years old and experienced operating the vessel. Persons 12 years of age or older but younger than 18 years of age may operate a vessel propelled by a motor of more than 10 horsepower, including a personal watercraft, only if he or she: Has successfully completed a boater education course approved by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources or... Is accompanied on board by a responsible person at least 18 years old and experienced operating the vessel Persons required to have successfully completed a boating safety course must carry their boater education certificate on board and make it available upon request of an enforcement officer. Boater Education Certificate Operators required to have a Boater Education Certificate must carry it on board.

In order to meet this requirement, any NASBLA (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators) approved boating course with the NASBLA logo will be accepted. A person in need of a water safety certificate may obtain one in the following ways:

1. Home Study Iowa DNR Boating Course which covers both PWC operation and boating in general. This course can be obtained at the Iowa Welcome Center in the Amusement Park, local marinas (Mau Marine, Oak Hill Marina, & Parks Marina), or at the DNR Spirit Lake (Fish Hatchery) office in Orleans. Local Conservation Officers and Water Patrol Officers have the capability to score the exam and issue the Boater Education Certificate. Lake Patrol 712/ 337-3377.  The cost is $5.00.

The home study course can also be ordered by calling the Iowa DNR Customer Service Center at 515/ 281-5918 or contact the DNR Web Master at webmaster@dnr.state.ia.us to have a home study boating manual sent to you. All information and the test will be included in the packet. You will send your test back in to be checked or have it checked by a certified boating safety instructor who is certified to issue certificates. You must send $5.00 in with the test for your certificate. Your certificate will be mailed back to you.

2. On-line Iowa DNR Boating Course which is a fun and interactive way of taking the course quickly and receiving a temporary card, so that you can hit the water. This course covers the same material found in the home study manual. A permanent card will be sent to the student following the completion of the course. This course can be found at www.boat-ed.com/ia. This option is offered as a quicker more convenient way of obtaining the required certificate. The cost of this option is $15.00 for the course and $5.00 for the certificate which can be paid by credit card on-line.

Click on the logo below for the Internet course:

3. Classroom Iowa Boating Course which may be offered at different times of the year by organizations such as the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Power Squadron and other boating groups. These courses can be found on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Web Site at  www.iowadnr.comlaw/lawdb/viewcourse.html

    

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   Vessel Safety Check

   Many areas with heavy marine activity have vessel safety checks provided by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary or the US Power Squadron. There is no organization providing vessel safety checks in the Iowa Great Lakes area, but that does not prevent you from checking your own boat.

   Are your fire extinguishers operative and mounted?

   Do you have a PFD for each passenger?

   Is the backfire flame arrestor on your engine working properly?

   Are you sure?

   Even if you pay careful attention to safety -- dangerous mechanical problems can crop up on the best-maintained boat.  That's why the U.S. Coast Guard recommends that all recreational boaters (including personal watercraft users) perform a vessel safety check each year. They are by far your best way of learning about problems that might put you in violation of state laws or, worse, create danger for you or your passengers on the water. A typical vessel safety check takes only about twenty minutes.

   Vessel examiners have found potential life-threatening safety problems even on boats owned by safe, responsible boaters, including:

   ·        Inoperative bilge pumps, leading to potential danger of sinking.

   ·        Lack of proper backfire flame control devices, leading to potential danger of explosion.

   ·        Inoperable fire extinguishers.

   ·        Corroded fuel tanks and fuel lines.

   ·        Automobile parts used on boat engines.

   ·        Missing visual distress signals, or inoperable navigation lights.

   ·        Life jackets not properly sized for children and adults.

   For more information about boating safety, visit  www.safetyseal.net  or call the Coast Guard Information line at 800-368-5647.

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   Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning

   Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced when any carbon-based fuel is burned. As a result of CO concentrations in the air, early symptoms include drowsiness, headaches, nausea, dizziness, irritated eyes and weakness. These early symptoms are often confused with sea sickness, but with extremely high concentrations or prolonged durations of exposure the result can be death.

   See website:   www.uscgboating.org/command/co.htm

   On a boat there are numerous sources of CO, such as a gasoline engine, gasoline generator, propane, and charcoal. These are fuels that we depend on to get us to and from our destination, keep us cool, provide electricity, and heat or cool our food.

   CO becomes dangerous when it collects within and around a boat. CO can enter a cabin of a boat from different sources including: hot water heaters, galley stoves, improper ventilation while in motion (the “station wagon effect”), and exhaust leaks in your boat as well as from moored boats nearby. CO can collect in areas around a boat such as: near the swim platform, which is generally found close to the engine exhaust, and areas where boat overhangs can create pockets of air

   Teak Surfing or Dragging is a new activity where a swimmer holds on to the swim platform while the boat drags them through the water. This activity puts a person in direct proximity to extremely high concentrations of CO as well as a moving propeller.

   Some Simple Precautions can be taken to avoid exposure to CO:

   ·         Avoid known locations where the gas can be present.

   ·         Have regular maintenance done on your engine and exhaust system by a trained technician.

   ·         Install a CO detector in the cabin of a boat.

   ·         Be aware that CO can accumulate when a boat is running its engine or generator while at a dock or seawall.

   ·         Open hatches and keep fresh air circulating throughout the boat to avoid exhaust fumes from reentering the aft part of the boat – the station wagon effect.

   ·         Turn off the engine or generator when people swim near the boat. Take your passengers water skiing instead of teak surfing.

   ·         Be aware that if a passenger has the symptoms of seasickness it could be CO poisoning and they should immediately be moved to fresh air.

   ·         Get a vessel safety check.

    

            This section provides a short summary of safe boating information.

   
   Please refer to Iowa boating laws and the Administrative Code of Iowa for more specific information.