Genesee County Sheriff Department
Boating Safety
Information
Welcome to the lakes of Genesee County. We hope you will have a safe and enjoyable experience on our County's waterways.
The Sheriff Department Marine Patrol shares the responsibility with the Department of Natural Resources to patrol the lakes and streams of the county. If an emergency should arise on any waterways boaters are urged to contact 911. Any other marine-related questions should be addressed to the Sheriff's Marine Patrol Office at 810-257-3176.
Sheriff Robert Pickell
Step I Safety Equipment for your boat.
Life-Preservers (Personal Flotation Devices). Small boats, less than 16 feet in length, need only a United States Coast Guard approved PFD on board for each passenger.
Larger boats, 16 feet or longer, must have a "wearable" (a Type I, Type II, or Type IIl PFD designed to be worn) for each person on board. The vessel must also be equipped with a Type IV "throwable. PFD (a device to be thrown to a person overboard). U. S. C. G. approved Type IV PFD's are of the "ring" or "seat cushion" varieties.
By law, PFD's must be "readily accessible" and "immediately available" (They are of little value if you cannot get to them !). Hand a PFD to each crew member as they board your vessel.
PFD's must be "serviceable". (If they do not work, they will not save your life.). Ensure that all straps, labels, seams and flotation pieces are in good working order. Look at the label and make sure that the PFD is sized for the intended wearer.
Fire Extinguishers If a vessel of any length is constructed as to trap gasoline vapors, it must be equipped with a U.S.C.G. approved fire extinguisher. Boats Less than 26 feet need only one B I fire extinguisher. Boats longer than 26 feet need more B I or B II fire extinguishers. Be safe, you can get a larger one for extra safety. Be sure that it is serviceable and accessible.
Most boat fires happen after refueling. Run the blower and do a sniff test before you re-start the engine. Keep the backfire flame arrester clean.
Registration Numbers Motorists are given a plate already made. We skippers must make our own, which can result in a vessel improperly numbered.
Any boat that has an electric or gas motor, or any other type of propulsion machinery, must be registered. Sailboats 12 feet or over in length must also be registered. Look closely at the diagram below.
MC 3"1 234 3" M 3" decal
The letter must be block letters at least 3 " high. The letters must read from left to right. The characters must be of a contrasting color. 3" spaces must separate prefixes, suffixes, numbers and the registration decal (at the far right). The characters must be on the forward half of the vessel as high out of the water line as practical. Think of the decal as the "period at the end of the sentence".
Lights and Horns Lights are required on motorboats between sunset & sunrise and during periods of low visibility. Anchored motorboats need only display a white aft light. Anchored rowboats need only display a white lantern to prevent a collision.
Horns are required on vessels 16 feet or longer and for all motorboats to use for the rules of the road. They are nice to sound to avoid collisions !
Step 2: Operating your vessel safely.
Skiing Towing anyone on skis or sleds, or any similar contrivance, is fun and requires a team effort. An observer must be on board the tow vessel. The observer is mis-named, for the observer is not really to observe, but to render aid in an emergency. In fact, the law requires the "observer" to be able to render aid in an emergency. In addition to the competent observer, the vessel must be equipped with a wide angle mirror to offer 170 degrees of view. It must be properly attached to see the person being towed. We expect mirrors on cars for safety, how about boats ? The vessel operator must be able to see the person being towed at all times without looking back. By law, do not allow yourself to be towed unless the mirror & observer are legal.
Capacity Plates are located in the vessel for your safety. Remember, each passenger weighs 150 pounds according to law. Do not exceed this number or pound value. Failure to do so might be viewed as "careless operation..
Slow No Wake Speed is a speed of a vessel which makes a wake or wash that is minimal. Go no faster than this when within 100 feet of any dock, raft, anchored vessel or any bathing beaches or any buoys. Some local laws require this speed in congested areas.
High Speed Boating is a speed where the boat reaches a "plaining" condition. Make sure you are in open wafer to avoid collision. For the fast boats, inland lakes have a 55 MPH speed limit. Violation of this law is reckless operation of a vessel. We have radar!
Believe it or not, according to the law .
SOME SAFETY STATS . . .
If a water or boating accident or emergency happens:
If a person is injured, or more than $200.00 in damages is suspected, the appropriate water accident report or a boating accident report must be completed. In Genesee County, the following agencies will be happy to assist you.
Personal Watercraft are relatively new in the waters and are a lot of fun. Some new laws have been recently enacted to make these boats a more safe experience.
Popular Lakes In Genesee County
Lakes with Local Ordinances In Genesee County