I had to do some paperwork at La wildlife and Fisheries last week, and they gave me an updated rules and regulations flyer for boater safety. It says all boats 16 feet and less, and all boats with tiller handle motors, everyone in the boat must wear an approved lifejacket. Anyone hear about if they are enforcing this? And has anyone been ticketed?

Partially correct............

New Boating Regulations
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Law Enforcement Division (LDWF/LED) is advising boaters to be aware of new boating regulations.

PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES
Every person 16 years or younger on board a Class A(less than 16 feet) or Class 1(16 to less than 26 feet) motorboat or vessel shall wear a coast guard approved life jacket or life preserver while such outboard motorboat or vessel is underway.The regulation becomes effective August 15, 2009. This law previously stated that children 12 and under were required to wear PFD's.

BOATING SAFETY EDUCATION REQUIRED
No person born after January 1, 1984, shall operate a motorboat powered by a motor in excess of ten horsepower unless he has successfully completed a boating safety class approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). A person who has completed an approved boating safety class shall be in possession of evidence of such completion when operating such a boat.
This law is effective July 1, 2010

PENALTIES FOR DWI
Penalties for DWI's now include the suspension or revocation of boating privileges when a person loses driving privileges due to suspension or revocation of their license due to a D.W.I. or D.W.I. refusal whether the offense took place in a vehicle or a watercraft.

All persons onboard a Class A motorboat (less than 16') which is being propelled by a hand tiller outboard motor shall be required to wear a USCG approved Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device while the motorboat is underway. A handtiller outboard is described as an outboard motor that has a tiller or steering arm attached to the outboard motor to facilitate steering and does not have any mechanical assist device which is rigidly attached to the boat and used in steering the vessel, including but not limited to mechanical, hydraulic, or electronic control systems. Hand tiller outboard motor shall not mean any type of electronic trolling motor.

No person shall operate a Class A or Class One motorboat with a hand tiller outboard motor in excess of ten horsepower designed to have or having an engine cut-off switch, while the engine is running and the motorboat is underway, unless:
a. The engine cut-off switch is fully functional and in operable condition; and

b. The engine cut-off switch link is attached to the operator, the operator's clothing, or if worn, the operator's personal flotation device.
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to licensed commercial fishermen operating a motorboat while engaged in commercial fishing activities. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to sailboats Engine cut-off switch - an operable emergency cut-off engine stop switch installed on a motorboat and that attaches to the motorboat operator by an engine cut-off switch link. Engine cut-off switch link the lanyard and/or cut-off device used to attach the motorboat operator to the engine cut-off switch installed on the motorboat.

My boat is fourteen feet, you think theyll give me any trouble?

My boat is 17ft with a tiller, am I required to wear one ?

only 16 feet or less, im just curious to know how stringent they are on this law

if i wanted a smartass reply, i would have asked wildlife and fisheries

Both times I have been checked I was asked how long my boat was. I was wearing my LV & kill switch. they never asked for my registration. I think if you get stopped and are wearing a life vest, kill switch and are ready to show your registration, the less likely they are to hound you about anything else. IMO. They are not dumb so take the chance if you the money to burn.

The law is not 16' or less it is under 16' so if your boat is registered as a 16' boat your good with no jacket as far as the law is concerned.

I boated down the sabine river from the texas side to the LA side and got pulled over to do a safety check, my boat it 18 feet and i asked Mr. Greenjeans himself and he said if it is 16ft and under all persons has to wear a lifejacket no matter what horsepower is on the back of the boat. I was running my 35hp GTR and asked about the tiller handle and he mentioned again about the length of the boat not the tiller handle issue

So with all this talk of LVs, which kind do you all wear? Inflatable or non-inflatable? What brand do you like the best. Is the inflatables worth the money?

I wear the non inflatable with the mesh shoulder straps so I can still move around easily.

Go try a bunch on. Academy has a pretty good selection also West Marine if you have one around.

I wear a regular jacket on the mudboat. Too many times it ends up in the bottom wet and covered with mud. Inflatables are nice but you can't treat them like that.

Also, check the current laws, but it used to be an inflatable was not counted as one of your required lifejackets (1 per person) unless you were wearing it.

Guys, I don't understand the obstinance with this issue. It is a life preserver. Everybody seems to think they won't need it. Do you chance not insuring your house or car? You don't want to have to exercise those policies, but they are there if you need it.

If you navigate in the dark, in stump or log infested waters, or cold weather then you need a life jacket. If you can foresee all other obstacles above and below the water including total jackass retards such as in LA that naviagate all over the place in LA with no nav lights or headlights ; then go ahead. Its a free country and the world will turn if you don't wear your kill switch or life preserver.

Two weeks ago I was headed back from a hunt and the warden was stopped in the canal checking boats. The boat in front of me was a 15ft with a longtail. The warden issued the driver a written warning because he was not wearing the kill switch or life preserver in his 15ft boat.

he checked me next and couldn't pick on me because we had preservers on and I had my kill switch. Instead he didn't like my boat ID numbers because they weren't contrasting enough. I went home and did a 15 minute repaint and stecil job changing my numbers, because I figured if I saw him again in the same place, which could happen, he would write me up.

Wildlife and Fisheries are focusing on this issue because the statistics prove that most deaths occur in boat related accidents less than 16 ft.



Dont be a statistic.

i have a 15ft and last friday i was comin from ma duck blind an when i was about 200 yards away from da launch ramp i got stopped. first thing he asked was how long ma boat was then fer ma registration. he ended up givin me a ticket (only 50 bucks but better in ma pocket then theirs). needless to say ive put on da lv ever since.

Any boat under 16 feet with a tiler have to wear it no matter the age. if its 18 wit a tiler still have to wear it.