Learn how to prevent accidents, injuries, and fatalities while boating. Review safety tips, news, recalls, defects, and laws and regulations you should know.

Let's review some of the Laws: On the Water

Operating a boat or PWC in a manner that unnecessarily endangers a person or property of another person is considered dangerous. If you interfere with another person’s lawful use of public water or obstruct a legally permitted marine event, you also may be charged. Should you be ticketed by a law enforcement officer for one of the crimes listed below, you could have points assessed against your driver’s license.

Examples of illegal and reckless operation are:

• Operating a vessel at speeds that endanger human life, endanger human physical safety or property, or prevent stopping within an assured clear distance ahead. Be aware of and obey all regulatory markers, including those marked as “idle speed” or “slow, no wake speed.” (View the "idle speed" map of Simonton Lake.)
• Operating a vessel at speeds of more than 10 miles per hour between sunset and sunrise.
• Weaving your vessel through congested waterway traffic or swerving at the last possible moment in order to avoid collision.
• Jumping the wake of another vessel such that you endanger human life, human physical safety, or property.
• Loading the vessel beyond the recommended capacity shown on the capacity plate installed by the vessel manufacturer.
• Causing a hazardous wake or wash from your vessel.
• Boating in restricted areas without regard for other boaters or persons, posted speeds and wake restrictions, diver-down flags, etc.
• Operating in a circular course around another vessel engaged in fishing or around a person swimming.
• Operating within 150 feet of a diver-down flag unless assisting the diver.
• Allowing passengers to ride on the gunwale or, if the vessel is less than 21 feet in length, on the bow where they may fall overboard.

Lake and channel restrictions vary depending on the size of the body of water or the waterway. You may be restricted to speeds up to 10 miles per hour anywhere from 50 to 200 feet from the shoreline, depending on the size of the lake or the width of the channel (IC 14-15-3-7).

“Idle Speed” or “Slow, No Wake Speed” IC 14-8-2-129
These buoys or signs indicate a boating restricted area established to protect the safety of the public, ecological resources, and property. “Idle speed” means the slowest possible speed, not to exceed five miles per hour, so as to maintain steerage and produce minimal wake.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources
The Handbook of Indiana Boating Laws and Responsibilities

Taken directly from the Handbook of Indiana Boating Laws and Responsibilities at:
http://www.boat-ed.com/in/handbook/
PWC. IC 14-15-11. Below is the citation.

Effective January 1, 1996, all motorboat or PWC operators must have a valid driver’s license to operate on all Indiana public waters.

Motorboat operators who are 15 may operate a motorboat or PWC until they become a licensed driver ONLY if they complete a boat education course approved by the Department of Natural Resources and have on board an ID card issued by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). A person who has never been licensed by the BMV must successfully complete an approved boater education course and have on board an ID issued by the Indiana BMV to legally operate a motorboat. No one under 15 years of age may legally operate a motorboat greater than 10 horsepower or a PWC.

The good news is that you can now study at your own pace with free practice tests and take the course on line! If you don’t pass you don’t pay for the exam. The exam can be retaken.

See Boater Education & read about the boating safety course.

According to the “Handbook of Indiana Boating Laws and Responsibilities” Indiana Boaters have TWO ways to become certified in boating safety. By becoming certified they can have a safer enjoyable experience on the water and save money on boat insurance by taking a Boat Indiana course on responsible boating.

1. 1. Over the Internet….start here
   
2. In a classroom….the DNR can help you locate a classroom course in
   your area call 317-232-4010 for information or log on at www.dnr.in.gov

FREE Boater Education Course to be held on Simonton Lake

Offered by Indiana Department of Natural Resources, this safe boating course lets you get your Indiana boater safety course certificate so that you can comply with the Indiana boater education law.

Pre-Registration required:
Minimum age: 15 years old
Class size: Minimum 15, maximum 30

Sign Up: Email: zipi@choiceonemail.com or
Call: Bob Kelsey at (574) 340-7762

Enrollment limited so sign up today!