Missouri Laws 306.126 – Motorboats, regulations as to passenger seating while under way — person in ..
1. The operator of a motorboat shall not allow any person to ride or sit on the gunwales, decking over the bow, railing, top of seat back or decking over the back of the motorboat while under way, unless such person is inboard of adequate guards or railing provided on the motorboat to prevent a passenger from being lost overboard. As used in this section, the term “adequate guards or railing” means guards or railings having a height parameter of at least six inches but not more than eighteen inches. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean that passengers or other persons aboard a motorboat cannot occupy the decking over the bow of the boat to moor it to a mooring buoy or to cast off from such a buoy, or for any other necessary purpose. The provisions of this section shall not apply to vessels propelled by sail or vessels propelled by jet motors or propellers operating on a stretch of waterway not created or widened by impoundment.
2. Whenever any person leaves any watercraft, other than a personal watercraft, on the waters of the Mississippi River, the waters of the Missouri River or the lakes of this state and enters the water between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and sunset, the operator of such watercraft shall display on the watercraft a red or orange flag measuring not less than twelve inches by twelve inches. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to watercraft that is moored or anchored. The flag required by this subsection shall be visible for three hundred sixty degrees around the horizon when displayed and shall be displayed only when an occupant of the watercraft has left the confines of the watercraft and entered the water. The flag required by this subsection shall not be displayed when the watercraft is engaged in towing any person, but shall be displayed when such person has ceased being towed and has reentered the water.
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 306.126
- Motorboat: any vessel propelled by machinery, whether or not such machinery is a principal source of propulsion. See Missouri Laws 306.010
- Operate: to navigate or otherwise use a motorboat or a vessel. See Missouri Laws 306.010
- Operator: the person who operates or has charge of the navigation or use of a vessel. See Missouri Laws 306.010
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Personal watercraft: a class of vessel, which is less than sixteen feet in length, propelled by machinery which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing or kneeling on the vessel, rather than being operated by a person sitting or standing inside the vessel. See Missouri Laws 306.010
- State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Watercraft: any boat or craft, including a vessel, used or capable of being used as a means of transport on waters. See Missouri Laws 306.010
3. No operator shall knowingly operate any watercraft within fifty yards of a flag required by subsection 2 of this section at a speed in excess of a slow-no wake speed.