Date: 04/28/10
Contact: Doug Nielsen
Phone: (702) 486-5127, ext. 3500

NEW LAWS FOR BOATERS PULLING WATER SKIERS

As the spring boating season gets underway, the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) wants water skiers to be aware of changes in the state’s boating laws. These changes, which became effective Jan. 1, increase the legal age requirement for both boat operators and observers.

The law now requires that a boat operator must be at least 16 years old to operate a vessel on Nevada waters while towing a person on water skis, a wakeboard, an inflatable device or any similar device or at least 14 years old if there is another person on board who is 18 years of age or older. Any time a boat operator is towing a water skier, regardless of the device on which the “skier” is riding, there also must be a person on the vessel who is tasked with observing those being towed. This observer is directly responsible for the safety of the skier so the boat operator can focus on operating the vessel in a safe manner. The observer must now be 14 years old unless there is an adult on board who is 18 years of age or older. In that case the observer must be at least 12 years old.

Whenever the skier is in the water, the observer must display an orange flag that measures 12 inches in height by 12 inches in width as a safety warning to other boaters. These changes reflect a two-year increase in age for boat operators and observers while the age requirement for supervising adults was reduced by three years.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.