Skier-Down Flag Violations

Missouri law designates these dangerous operating practices as illegal.

Violating the Skier-Down Flag Requirement is defined as failure to properly display the skier-down flag or failure to keep a proper distance from a displayed skier-down flag. Specifically:

• An operator of a motorboat (other than a PWC) on the waters of the Mississippi River, Missouri River, and Missouri lakes from 11:00 a.m. to sunset must clearly display a red or orange flag, at least 12 inches x 12 inches in size, whenever a person enters the water before or after being towed on water skis or other similar devices. Once the skier is up and being towed, the flag must be lowered. The flag must be raised again when the skier falls or stops skiing and enters the water in order to return to the motorboat.
• Operators of vessels must not knowingly operate within 50 yards of a displayed skier-down flag unless operating at idle speed or no wake speed.