Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Requirements Specific to Personal Watercraft (PWCs)

In addition to adhering to all boating laws, personal watercraft (PWC) operators have requirements specific to their watercraft.

• Everyone on board a PWC while underway must wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved Type I, II, III or V personal flotation device (PFD).
• An operator of a PWC equipped with lanyard-type ignition safety switch must attach the lanyard to his or her person, clothing or PFD.
• You must be at least 14 years of age to operate a PWC, unless a supervising person at least 16 years of age is on board the personal watercraft.
• It is illegal to operate a personal watercraft while you are under the influence
  of alcohol or drugs.
• PWCs must operate in a careful and responsible manner. Specifically, it is
  illegal for PWC operators to:
  • Weave the PWC through congested waterway traffic.
  • Jump the wake of another motorboat when visibility is obstructed.
  • Become airborne while crossing the wake of another motorboat and within 100 feet of that motorboat.
  • Operate at greater than slow - no wake speed within 50 feet of any other vessel, PWC or person in the water.
  • Operate in a manner that requires swerving at the last possible moment to avoid collision.
• Also, it is strongly recommended that PWCs are operated only during daylight hours. If a PWC is operated at night, the PWC must display the required navigation lights.

Remember—As an owner of a PWC, you are responsible if you knowingly allow anyone else to operate your PWC in violation of Missouri law.

Be Part of the Action! Learn more about operating a PWC with this interactive animation. (Most students will already have Flash installed. If not, follow this link to install the Flash Player.)

Towing a Person Legally with a Vessel

Motorboat and PWC operators towing a person(s) on water-skis, surfboard, parasail or any other device must also obey these laws:

• Every motorboat or PWC towing a person(s) on water-skis, surfboard, or any device other than a parasail must have either:
  • A person on board, in addition to the vessel operator, observing the towed person(s) at all times (preferably the observer is at least 12 years old) or...
  • An approved ski mirror that is at least three inches in height and eight inches in length, gives 180 degrees of vision behind the operator and is designed as a ski mirror. The Missouri State Water Patrol does not recognize manufacturer mirrors on personal watercraft as sufficient for safety.
• Every motorboat or PWC towing a parasailer must have a person at least 12 years old on board, in addition to the operator, actively observing the parasailer.
• Persons may be towed behind a motorboat or PWC on water-skis, surfboard, parasail or any other device only during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset).
• A reasonable distance from other vessels, people and property must be maintained so as not to endanger life or property. It is illegal to cause the person being towed to collide with any object or person.
• An operator of a motorboat (other than a PWC) on the waters of the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, and on Missouri lakes between the hours of 11:00 AM and sunset must clearly display a “skier down” flag whenever the towed person(s) are in the water.
• In addition, it is strongly recommended that all persons being towed behind a motorboat or PWC on water-skis or any other device wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved PFD. Ski belts are not U.S. Coast Guard–approved.

Skier Down Flag A rectangular orange or red flag, at least 12 inches by 12 inches, must be displayed when the person is in the water before or after being towed. The flag should not be displayed while the motorboat is engaged in towing, but should be displayed again when the towed person enters the water. PWCs and moored or anchored motorboats are exempt from this requirement.