Missouri § 306.142 - Personal watercraft, regulations — personal flotation devices — age restriction — reasonable and prudent operation — exceptions.

§ 306.142. Personal watercraft, regulations — personal flotation devices — age restriction — reasonable and prudent operation — exceptions.

1.  No person shall operate a personal watercraft unless each person aboard is wearing a type I, type II, type III or type V personal flotation device approved by the United States Coast Guard.

2.  A person operating a personal watercraft equipped by the manufacturer with a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch shall attach such lanyard to the person's body, clothing, or personal flotation device as appropriate for the specific vessel.

3.  No person under fourteen years of age shall operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this state, except that a person under fourteen years of age may operate a personal watercraft if a person at least sixteen years of age is aboard the personal watercraft.

4.  Every personal watercraft shall at all times be operated in a reasonable and prudent manner.  Maneuvers which unreasonably or unnecessarily endanger life, limb or property, including, but not limited to, weaving through congested vessel traffic, jumping the wake of another vessel when visibility around such vessel is obstructed, becoming airborne or completely leaving the water while crossing the wake of another vessel within one hundred feet of the vessel creating the wake, operating at a speed in excess of a slow-no wake speed within fifty feet of any vessel or any person in or on the water, and operating at such a speed and proximity to another vessel so as to require the operator to swerve to avoid collision, shall constitute unsafe or reckless operation of a personal watercraft.  No person shall operate a personal watercraft on any waters of this state for towing a person or persons on water skis, or a surfboard, or similar device unless there is a person on the personal watercraft, in addition to the operator, or an approved ski mirror attached to the personal watercraft, in a position to observe the progress of the person or persons being towed.

5.  No person who owns a personal watercraft or who has charge over or control of a personal watercraft shall authorize or knowingly permit the personal watercraft to be operated in violation of this section, nor shall a parent or guardian authorize or knowingly permit a child of such parent or guardian to operate a personal watercraft in violation of this section.

6.  The provisions of this section shall not apply to a person participating in a regatta, race, marine parade, tournament, or exhibition for which a permit has been issued by the water patrol division.

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(L. 1995 H.B. 217, A.L. 1997 H.B. 379)

Effective 6-24-97