Do you need a license to drive a boat on the Mississippi River?
Do you need a Boating License in Mississippi? Mississippi law requires all motorized boat and PWC operators born after June 30, 1980, to pass a boater safety course and to carry a boater education card.
Can you take a boat on the Mississippi River?
Just like there’s more than one way to skin a cat, traveling the entire length Mississippi River can be done in a number of fashions. Every year, in fact, hundreds of people “thru-boat” Old Man River in everything from handmade rafts to luxury yachts.
What is required in a boat in Mississippi?
You must have a Mississippi Certificate Number and validation decals to legally operate your vessel on public waters in Mississippi if your boat is motorized or if your boat is a sailboat. The Certificate of Number must be onboard and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the vessel is operated.
What do the buoys mean on the Mississippi River?
Towboats and buoys provide endless fascination for Lower Mississippi River paddlers, but also present two of your gravest dangers. Red “nun” buoys mark the left side of the navigation channel (descending) while green “can” buoys the right side. To broadside a buoy would end in certain capsize.
How old do you have to be to not wear a lifejacket in Mississippi?
12 years
LIFE JACKET REQUIREMENTS IN MISSISSIPPI Remember Mississippi, a life jacket only works if you WEAR IT! All passengers 12 years of age or under must wear a Type I, II or III life jacket at all times while on board any boat, under 26 feet in length, while the boat is underway. WEAR IT!
Are flares required on a boat?
Boaters must have current dated US Coast Guard-approved day and night signals for all boats operating on coastal and open bodies of water. If operating at night, one electric distress light or three combination day/night red flares are required.
How do you boat the Mississippi River?
Boating on the Mississippi River
- Always wear a life jacket or Personal Flotation Device (PFD) when you are in or around water.
- Avoid commercial towboats!
- Respect others.
- Be sure you have clear sight.
- Honor restricted areas.
- Carry a set of navigation charts.
- Take a safe boating course!
What should you do when you see a red buoy?
Port Hand and Starboard Hand Buoys Red buoys must be kept on the right side of a craft when proceeding in the upstream direction. A simple rule is red to the right when returning, or the three “R’s”: red, right, return.
What side do you pass a red buoy?
right
Federal Lateral System The expression “red right returning” has long been used by seafarers as a reminder that the red buoys are kept to the starboard (right) side when proceeding from the open sea into port (upstream). Likewise, green buoys are kept to the port (left) side (see chart below).
Can you drink on a boat in Mississippi?
Possession of alcohol and responsible drinking is legal in Mississippi’s coastal counties. However, marine patrol is authorized to investigate whether the operator is under the influence and to search the vessel for marijuana or illegal drugs.
How much is a ticket for no boating license in Mississippi?
Mississippi Boat Registration A boat owner may face a misdemeanor charge and a fine ranging from $25 to $250 for not registering their watercraft.