Boating

Home / Boating

Looking for a boater safety card?

Here are three options for Boating Education:

Free In Person Boating Safety Class. View the current listing of classes and contact the instructor as directed.
Home Study Guide. Review materials (in the guide) and take a test (in the same guide), all in the comfort of your own home at your own pace (no cost). To request the study materials, call 208-514-2426 or complete the online order form. Once you've completed the guide, submit your Home Study test below.

3. Online Education. The following vendors are approved for the state of Idaho (fees may apply).

Boat-Ed (fee applies)
Boater Exam (fee applies)
Boat U.S. Foundation (free)
Boat Smart (fee applies)
Interactive Boating Class (fee applies)

Click here to download the Boat Idaho Handbook (Laws & Responsibilities)

Invasive Species Sticker Assistance: 1-888-922-6743 (M-F 8am to 7pm MST)

Boat Study Guides Order Form

LinkedIn
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Your Full Name*
First Last
Shipping Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Study Guide Quantity*
Phone Number*
(999) 999-9999" aria-required="true" aria-invalid="false" data-mask="(999) 999-9999">
Email Address*

Why should your kids wear a life jacket?

It’s the law! Kids 14 years of age and under on boats 19 feet or less are required to wear a Coast Guard approved and properly fitting life jacket when underway. It is recommended that all passengers on boats wear life jackets – it can be the difference between life and death in an emergency (especially in cold water).

Life Jacket Save Lives

PFD’s (personal flotation devices) must be Coast Guard approved, properly sized, and in good condition (no broken buckles, torn straps, rips, tears, etc). They must also be within easy reach.
Children 14 and under must wear an approved life jacket when they are aboard a boat 19 feet in length or less whenever the boat is underway or under power. This applies to manually propelled boats such as canoes and rafts in addition to powerboats, sailboats, personal watercraft (jet skis) and fishing float tubes.
Regardless of age, you must wear a personal flotation device (PFD) aboard a personal watercraft (jet ski) and when being pulled behind a vessel (I.e. – waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing, etc.)
The size of the boat determines the specific design types and quantities of PFDs required:
Boats less than 16 feet long, as well as canoes and kayaks of any length, must have at least one (1) Type I, Type II, or Type III PFD for each person on board. A Type IV cushion or ring buoy will not meet this requirement.
Boats 16 feet and longer (except canoes and kayaks of any length) must also carry a Type IV PFD (ring or cushion buoy).
A Type V is a special purpose PFD that may be used in place of a Type I, II, or III if listed on the label as approved for the type of boating the boater is doing, such as whitewater rafting.
Exemptions: Seaplanes, sailboards, and certain racing boats are exempt from these PFD requirements. Fly fishing float tubes do not require a PFD on lakes less than 200 surface acres. Fly fishing pontoons do require PFDs on all Idaho waters.

Click here for more information on how to choose a life jacket.

Cold Water Kills!

Click here to watch a video depicting cold water safety training and techniques.

In the past ten years nearly 67% of the fatal boating accidents in Idaho were the result of victims involuntarily entering the water from small boats. The average water temperature of Idaho’s water is 52 degrees, even during the summer! Wearing a life jacket can greatly increase your risk of surviving a cold water immersion situation.

4 Dangerous Categories of Cold Water Immersion

Cold Shock – Initial entry – 5 minutes:

Involuntary gasping, hyperventilation, & vertigo

Swim Failure – 5 – 30 minutes:

Even the best swimmers cannot function in cold water
Muscles, nerves, arms & legs cool quickly
Manual dexterity, grip strength & movement speed drop 60-80%

Hypothermia – 30 minutes or more:

Depends on water temperature, clothing, body type & behavior
Heat loss is 25 times faster in the water

Post Immersion Collapse:

Heart problems can develop as cold blood is released into the body core from the extremities

To increase your chances of surviving cold water immersion, always wear your life jacket.

Learn more @ coldwatersafety.org

Life Jacket Loaner Stations

Find a Life Jacket Loaner Station near you!

Invasive Species Program

Invasive Species Sticker Assistance: 1-888-922-6743 (M-F 8am to 7pm MST)

Idaho’s Invasive Species Law

Idaho law states that any motorized or non-motorized boat operating in Idaho is required to display an Invasive Species Fund (ISF) sticker. When you purchase and display an ISF sticker, you contribute to a fund that provides vessel inspections, washing stations and informational materials that will assist Idaho with preventing the introduction of aquatic invasive species like quagga mussels.

WHAT VESSELS NEED TO HAVE THE STICKER?

Any watercraft coming in from out of state that is not registered in the state of Idaho.
Any watercraft including, but not limited to; boats, canoes, kayaks, stand up paddleboards, rafts, etc.
Registered watercraft in the state of Idaho have the invasive species sticker included in the registration. The invasive species sticker must be visible on watercraft.

WHAT VESSELS ARE EXEMPT FROM PURCHASING THE STICKER?

To be exempt, watercraft need to meet ALL of the following criteria:

Less than 10ft in length.
Non-motorized.
Inflatable.

For Frequently Asked Questions and other information about the Invasive Species Program, please visit the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.

Purchase Invasive Species Fund Stickers

Boaters can purchase ISF stickers online, at any Idaho State Park or at specific vendors.

Invasive species are harmful, non-native plants, animals, and pathogens that damage our economy and environments. Invasive species can move into and dominate both natural and managed systems by disrupting the ability of those systems to function sustainably. They are highly competitive, persistent, and can create monocultures that will eliminate Idaho’s diverse biological landscape—a landscape that nurtures Idahoan interests from our recreational pursuits to our ability to help feed the nation.