These boats include jetskis, SeaDoos and Waverunners. If you have an older boat model with a two-stroke carburetor engine, don`t bother taking it to Lake Mead or Lake Mohave after the 1st of the year. In addition, the Parks Service has already posted a list of frequently asked questions about the Boat Order online. This list can be found under www.nps.gov/lake/parkmgmt/twostroke.htm. You`ve seen them for sale on street corners and on vacant lots, in grocery store parking lots, and in neighbors` front yards, but don`t let the low price tag entice you to make a purchase you might regret. What appears to be a good deal on a personal watercraft could actually be the seller`s attempt to get rid of a boat that will soon be illegal on local waterways. No. Oil-injected two-stroke engines are always gasified and require a mixture of heating oil to enter the combustion chamber. The two direct injection times are not gasified, fuel and oil are not mixed. According to Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, personal watercraft affected by the ban are those that do not meet the 2006 emission standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency for the manufacture of two-stroke engines. The final rule prohibiting two-stroke PWC carburetor engines on Mead and Mohave Lakes was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, April 9, 2003 (Vol 68, No. 68). 36 CFR §7.48 (f)(3) – After December 31, 2012, no person may operate a personal watercraft that does not meet the 2006 emission standards established by the EPA for the manufacture of two-stroke engines.
A person who operates a personal watercraft that meets the 2006 EPA emission standards using two- or four-stroke direct-injection engines or equivalent volume is not subject to this prohibition and may be used as described in this section. Ultimately, personal watercraft equipped with two-stroke carburetor engines are depleted, while those that meet the “2006 EPA emission standards through the use of two-stroke or four-stroke direct-injection engines or the equivalent thereof” are in the recreation area and are allowed to continue operating. The following information was provided to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area by the personal watercraft manufacturers. If your vessel is not listed below and you are unsure whether your vessel meets the 2006 EPA emission standards for two-stroke engines, please contact the engine manufacturer or service mechanic. Parking attendants take into account the operator`s knowledge, the model of the vessel, the type of engine and whether it is gassed or not when determining compliance with the regulations. If you are unsure whether your vessel meets the 2006 EPA emission standards for two-stroke engines, please contact your manufacturer or engineer for this information. The regulations state that a person driving a personal watercraft must meet the 2006 EPA emission standards by using two- or four-stroke direct injection engines or an equivalent volume. The same rule applies to Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. All lakes in California and many in the Northwest already apply these standards. Two-stroke personal watercraft are allowed in areas such as the Colorado River south of davis Dam, Lake Havasu, and other recreational areas managed by other federal, state, and local agencies.
It`s best to check with federal, state, and local recreation managers for specific regulations before visiting a lake or river. Lake Mead provides drinking water to millions of people in Las Vegas. Two-stroke engines equipped with carburetors have been shown to release 25-30% of their fuel directly into seawater, resulting in high hydrocarbon emissions that can affect water quality, human health and aquatic organisms. Currently, the ban on two-stroke engines only applies to water engines (jet skis, SeaDoos, WaveRunners, etc.). KAWASAKI All Kawasaki models from 2006 and subsequent Kawasaki Personal Watercraft, with the exception of the SX-R (stand-up), have an emission level that complies with the 2006 EPA standards and are therefore approved on Lake Powell. Boats with similar engines are not included in the ban. If you own a personal watercraft that does not meet the EPA emission standards required for use on Lake Mead or Lake Mohave, you can still use this boat on the Colorado River downstream of the Davis Dam in Laughlin, Lake Havasu and other waters outside the national park system. Since the rules for the use of boats often vary from one waterway to another, it would be appropriate for boaters to check the rules before the trip and certainly before take-off. With some small dams, for example, boats are limited to a “wakeless” speed.
For others, only boats without engines are allowed. Some personal watercraft built before 2006 also meet the standards. The following list of compliant models was provided to the Mead Lake National Recreation Area by personal watercraft manufacturers.