New Federal regulation April 1

[woodyard]

Anybody seen anything on this?

Just read that April 1 a new regulation goes into effect. Boats operated on all federal waters will now be required for the operator to wear a link to the engine cut-off device on boats powered by 3hp or more and under 26 ft in length.

Saw this in the AR fishing report for this week. First I have heard of it. One more thing to try to remember and do. I have attached the kill switch tether a lot of times in the big boat , but not ever with the small outboards.

Gonna have to make me a checklist attached to the boat for places like the White River to make sure I am in compliance I guess. Kill switch tether, pull the plug at ramp, make sure the throwable is in the boat. Gonna have to get in the habit of it.

Got a written warning over there one time for not having a throwable life preserver in my boat. Of course I was not aware that I had to have one in my 14ft 6in jon boat. The federal law stated 16 ft. I guess the warden would have felt pretty funny if he had given me a ticket and I pulled the boat to the courthouse and let the judge measure it.

 

[WTM]

probably a good idea.

 

[Andy S.]

U.S. Coast Guard announces new law requiring use of engine cut-off switches

content.govdelivery.com

 

[Pilchard]

Are there federal waters that are not coastal? I'm ignorant in the topic but in Florida the definition of federal waters was greater than 9 miles from the nearest land.

 

[Andy S.]

FAQs from USCG. Read through them.

Engine/Propulsion Cut-Off Devices

uscgboating.org

 

[woodyard]

Are there federal waters that are not coastal? I'm ignorant in the topic but in Florida the definition of federal waters was greater than 9 miles from the nearest land.

Yes, Corp of Engineers controlled lakes and rivers. I would assume TVA controlled waters also. May be others under some federal control. Makes most of the major rivers and lakes that are part of them under feds.

 

[WTM]

Are there federal waters that are not coastal? I'm ignorant in the topic but in Florida the definition of federal waters was greater than 9 miles from the nearest land.

the USCG has authority on waters they deem navigable. they can and have written tickets on the TN river that i know of.

 

[woodyard]

probably a good idea.

Yes it is. I know a guy that had a steering cable break on his bass boat one time and got slung out, lucky no injury.

 

[TRIGGER]

My kill switch is connected to my life jacket all the time. Cant forget to put my life jacket on and can't forget to plug the kill switch in.

 

[woodyard]

FAQs from USCG. Read through them.

Engine/Propulsion Cut-Off Devices

uscgboating.org

Thanks for that link.
Only for boats built 2020 or after from the regs. I was wondering about all those old motors that don't have one.

 

[usanglure]

wow..

 

[Knothead]

Yes, Corp of Engineers controlled lakes and rivers. I would assume TVA controlled waters also. May be others under some federal control. Makes most of the major rivers and lakes that are part of them under feds.

Is Felsenthal considered Federal waters? I know Felsenthal wildlife refuge is Federal.

 

[RUGER]

Interesting.

I haven't heard about this one but I did hear "something" about them raising the age requirement for the boaters test to be legally allowed to operate a boat.

 

[holstonangler]

Looks like this law is for boats manufactured after January 2020 Q9. My boat doesn't have an Engine Cut-Off Switch, do I need to install one?

A9. No, unless the boat was built on or after 1 JAN 2020

 

[Urban_Hunter]

Looks like this law is for boats manufactured after January 2020 Q9. My boat doesn't have an Engine Cut-Off Switch, do I need to install one?

A9. No, unless the boat was built on or after 1 JAN 2020

Nice! I was just thinking of how I could rig one up on my 1959 35 horse Evinrude, or my 1972 25 horse merc, or my MUCH newer and modern 1982 evinrude 15 lol