Anytime someone is on a body of water in a boat, there are certain safety requirements that the vessel needs to have.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Aron Arthur says anybody 12 and younger must always wear a lifejacket when on a boat. Individuals who are 13 and older are not required to wear a lifejacket, but there must be one on board.

“No matter what you have to have a wearable lifejacket for each person in the boat, appropriate size and in good condition. If the boat is over 16 feet you have to have what’s called a type four throwable, which is a device that you throw to somebody that’s fallen in the water. A lot of people use them as a seat cushion, but you have to have those in the boat.”   

Arthur points out that people should also obey the maximum capacity for a boat.

“Boats are designed with floatation and can hold a certain amount of weight and the stuff that you bring with, and you can’t exceed that. In my prior days working when I used to work  Saylorville (Lake), you get too many people in there and the boats will just sink and swamp. Not everybody is comfortable in the water and if you don’t have a lifejacket on and something like that happens, you could be in a world of trouble.”    

Arthur adds that for motorboats, there must be a fire extinguisher for engines over ten horsepower and a boat whistle for those over 16 feet in length. He reminds everyone to not consume alcohol and operate a boat, because the same law applies for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated if your blood alcohol level is over the state limit of 0.08.