Iowa § 462A.26 Right-of-way rules — speed and distance rules — zoning water areas

Iowa Statutes

§ 462A.26 — Right-of-way rules — speed and distance rules — zoning water areas

Iowa § 462A.26

Title XINATURAL RESOURCES

Ch. 462AWATER NAVIGATION REGULATIONS

This text of Iowa § 462A.26 (Right-of-way rules — speed and distance rules — zoning water areas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Iowa Code § 462A.26 (2026).

Text

1.Vessel traffic shall be governed by the following rules:

a.Passing from rear — keep to the operator’s left.

b.Passing head on — keep to the operator’s right.

c.Passing at right angles — vessel at the right has the right-of-way.

d.Manually propelled vessels have the right-of-way over all other vessels.

e.Sailboats have the right-of-way over all motor driven vessels. Motorboats, when meeting or overtaking sailboats, shall always pass on the leeward side.

f.Any vessel backing from a landing has the right-of-way over incoming vessels.

g.When necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare due to the physical nature and characteristics of any waters under the jurisdiction of the commission, the commission may promulgate further rules governing vessel traffic on such waters

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1. Vessel traffic shall be governed by the following rules:
a. Passing from rear — keep to the operator’s left.
b. Passing head on — keep to the operator’s right.
c. Passing at right angles — vessel at the right has the right-of-way.
d. Manually propelled vessels have the right-of-way over all other vessels.
e. Sailboats have the right-of-way over all motor driven vessels. Motorboats, when
meeting or overtaking sailboats, shall always pass on the leeward side.
f. Any vessel backing from a landing has the right-of-way over incoming vessels.
g. When necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare due to the physical
nature and characteristics of any waters under the jurisdiction of the commission, the
commission may promulgate further rules governing vessel traffic on such waters.
2. The commission may adopt rules governing all activities on waters and ice of this
state under the jurisdiction of the commission, including impoundments constructed by
or in cooperation with the federal government, when necessary and desirable to permit
appropriate utilization of specific water areas, consistent with section 462A.3. The rules may
include rules relating to the following:
a. Zoning as to area, activity, vessel, or vehicle, speed, and time of day during which
specified activities are permitted.
b. Horsepower, size, and types of vessels and vehicles which may be operated.
27 WATER NAVIGATION REGULATIONS, §462A.27B
c. Safety precautions and practices required.
3. Exceptasprovidedinspecialrulespromulgatedunderthischapter, thefollowingspeed
and distance regulations apply:
a. On all waters under the jurisdiction of the commission:
(1) A motorboat shall not be operated at speeds greater than five miles per hour when
within one hundred feet of another craft traveling at five miles per hour or less.
(2) Motorboats shall maintain a minimum passing or meeting distance of fifty feet when
both boats are traveling at speeds greater than five miles per hour.
(3) A motorboat shall not be operated at a speed exceeding ten miles per hour unless
vision is unobstructed at least two hundred feet ahead.
b. Onallinlandlakesandfederalimpoundmentsunderthejurisdictionofthecommission,
a motorboat shall not be operated within three hundred feet of shore at a speed greater than
ten miles per hour.