Hi guys and gals, I'd like your help please.

While I'm an old hand with boats, and jet boats I'm new to the "Jetboating World."
Let me explain some then I'll get to the question. I've boated primarily on the southern end of the Klamath River on the Yurok reservation, Humboldt bay, and Crescent City harbor. On the Klamath it's still the wild west - no enforcement except for tribal salmon rights, most boats aren't even registered as nobody ever checks. I'm the oddball in my neighborhood having both current registration, insurance, and Coast Guard required safety equipment. My boat meets the standards in effect in 1973.

I'd like to venture out into the jetboating world here in California and maybe Arizona - maybe participate in a couple of poker runs etc.

What I need to know is just like the title says, what in your area is a no-no with the po-po I might not be aware of?
For instance: Firearms? Below deck or displayed in a locked rack? Noise? Equipment or standards beyond basic Coast Guard regs? Proof of insurance needs to be carried? Registration paperwork? And I'm sure I don't even know what I don't know, LOL.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated, Thanks!

Oh and I forgot to ask - If you are subject to scrutiny from the long arm of the law, what branch of law enforcement do you encounter?

Its curtains if you get caught with a rear facing scoop.

That was a joke, but, my scoop is rear facing why is that bad o.o

there are lakes around socal that have noise restrictions on them, but i dont beleve that the river does. If you have through transm pipes you are good anywhere and if you have dry or wet headers some places require you to have a baffle

just depends on where you go

gun rack on a jet boat.


ive heard it all now...

Laugh all you want but I'm here today only because of that gun. I've had boarding attempts by 2 bears, snakes, and banditos - on the shore we've encountered bears, and once a mountain lion was chasing my Lab - luckily Eko loves to swim and the big cat didn't, but it was still in camp.

Laugh all you want but I'm here today only because of that gun. I've had boarding attempts by 2 bears, snakes, and banditos - on the shore we've encountered bears, and once a mountain lion was chasing my Lab - luckily Eko loves to swim and the big cat didn't, but it was still in camp.

if you boat on the colorado river the only animals you'll have to fend off are drunken bros and scantily clad hookers.  both of which you can just throw a beer in the opposite direction and make a run for it.

at any rate it would depend on the state.  CA sees a boat as a "vehicle" and the same laws apply as a car.  Locked case unloaded, away from ammo, etc. 

AZ is open carry, concealed carry for that matter, But not (loaded) in National Recreation Areas. (Lake Mohave and Lake Mead)
The Colorado river DOES have noise laws, Basically baffles and water through over transom headers and you'll be ok.
The BHC strip has AZ Game and Fish, Nevada Dept. of Wildlife, Bullhead City PD (FD too), Mohave County Sheriff, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Further down river there is San Bernardino County Sheriff, and B.L.M
On Mohave and Mead, there is the Park Rangers too

Thanks, The drunken boaters scare me more than bears, but alas you can't shoot them. 

Coast Guard I got no problem I'm sure, same with game and fish - those others probably have another agenda all together.
I don't drink, and I'm not apt to be showing my ass - just don't want to accidentally have an encounter over something simple I was unaware of.

Thru hull passes noise laws Ok? She's a little loud, but probably not at idle.

You should hear a pair of blown mercs at 70+ with thru hull headers, and no snails 
We have that pesky quagga/zebra mussels here, don't bring them home with ya. take out some lake lice while your here 

Dan'l

There are noise laws on the river believe it or not. I recently got a ticket between laughlin and the Avi for not having baffles in. It was a $112 fine from the Nevada Department of Wildlife. I was running water through the headers, but they were not satisfied with that.

Also, there are MANY jurisdictions on the water, especially if that waterway is dividing states like the colorado river.. I think Havasu has the most....you have the LHC city police, the Mohave County Sheriff , the San Bernadino County Sheriff, and the National Coast Guard....and i think they AZ and CA fish and game hang out too.

though the coast guard no longer patrols lake havasu, they still have jurisdiction.

Nevada is the toughest, from what I've heard...

just drain and dry your bilge area before you move to another body of water.