A Digest of the Texas Water Safety Act: A Summary of Boating Laws 2009 Page: 4
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All children under 13 years of age in all vessels under 26 feet in length must
wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD while underway. Underway means not
at anchor, made fast to the shore, or aground.
All vessels, including canoes and kayaks, must be equipped with one Type 1, 11,
Ill or V wearable PFD for each person on board. A Type V PFD is acceptable only
if used in accordance with the specific instructions on the label of the device.
Vessels 16 feet and longer, excluding canoes and kayaks, are required to be
equipped with one Type IV throwable PFD in addition to the Type I, II, Ill, or V
PFD required for each person on board.
Inflatable PFDs are authorized only when used in accordance with requirements
as presented on U.S. Coast Guard approval labels. Inflatable PFDs are not
approved for use on personal watercraft, water skiing, or other high speed activity.
SOUND PRODUCING DEVICES
Any vessel less than 12 meters in length (39.4 ft.) is required to carry a whistle
or horn, or some other means to make an efficient sound to signal intentions
and position in periods of reduced visibility. Vessels 12 meters (39.4 ft.) or more
in length are required to carry on board a whistle or horn, and a bell.
MIRRORS REQUIRED
Every motorboat towing a person must have an observer, other than the
operator, 13 years of age or older OR be equipped with a rearview mirror of a
size no less than four inches (4") in measurement from bottom to top and
across from one side to the other.
LIGHTS REQUIRED
All vessels including motorboats, canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, rubber
rafts, or other vessels when not at dock must have and exhibit at least one
bright light, lantern or flashlight visible all around the horizon from sunset to
sunrise in all weather and during restricted visibility.
Navigation Lights
Power Driven Vessels Underway: Power driven vessels of less than
20 meters (65.6 ft.) but more than 12 meters (39.4 ft.) shall exhibit navigation
lights as shown in Figure 1. Vessels of less than 12 meters in length, shall show
the lights in either Figure 1 or Figure 2.
Manually Driven Vessels: Manually driven vessels when paddled, poled,
oared, or windblown;
A sailing vessel of less than 20 meters (65.6 ft.), while underway shall
exhibit sidelights and a sternlight which may be combined in one lantern
carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen.
A sailing vessel of less than 7 meters (23 ft.) shall, if practicable, exhibit the
sidelights and a sternlight, or shall exhibit at least one bright light, lantern or
flashlight from sunset to sunrise when not at dock.
All other manually driven vessels may exhibit sidelights and a sternlight, or
shall exhibit at least one bright light, lantern, or flashlight from sunset to
sunrise when not at dock.
In vessels of less than 12 meters (39.4 feet), white lights shall be visible at a
distance of at least two (2) miles. Colored lights shall be visible at a distance of
at least one (1) mile. "Visible" when applied to lights, means visible on dark
nights with clear atmosphere.
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Texas. Parks and Wildlife Department. A Digest of the Texas Water Safety Act: A Summary of Boating Laws 2009, pamphlet, July 2009; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1544574/m1/4/: accessed July 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.