All watercraft, with the exception of sailboards, must be registered and titled, except a watercraft that is non-powered, owned and operated on water completely impounded on land belonging to the watercraft owner. This does not apply to water controlled by a club or association.

Visit The Illinois Department of Natural Resources for full details regarding Watercraft Registration and Boating Regulations. Be sure to visit the official Web site of the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety. Check with these organizations for upcoming boating and safety classes.

Class A - All Canoes and Kayaks
$13 for New and Transfer Renewal
$6 Renewal

Class 1 - Watercraft less than 16 feet
$22 for New and Transfer Renewal
$15 Renewal

Class 2 - Watercraft 16 feet to no less than 26 feet
$52 for New and Transfer Renewal
$45 Renewal

Class 3 - Watercraft 26 feet to no less than 40 feet
$82 for New and Transfer Renewal
$75 Renewal

Class 4 - Watercraft 40 feet and over
$107 for New and Transfer Renewal
$100 Renewal

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources now offers Online Registration Renewal. Receive your new registration card back to you computer screen within about a minute. They accept either VISA or MasterCard.

If you have changed your address or any other particulars, you can also revise your watercraft registration online.

Or renew your registration by phone, Dial 1-800-TO-RELICENSE (1-800-867-3542), 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Before calling, watercrafters are reminded that they need their registration card, a Master Card or Visa Card, a pen or pencil and a piece of paper in front of them. The pen or pencil will be needed to record the confirmation number assigned at the end of the call.

Contact The Illinois Department of Natural Resources via snail mail at:

Buoy Identification

There are several type of buoy's that you could encounter during your adventure on the Chain-O-Lakes.

In 1998, the State of Illinois adopted the U.S. Coast Guard's Aids to Navigation System (USATONS). This system allowed the use of safe water mark buoy which is a red and white vertical striped buoy and uses a quick flashing white light on top. This buoy means safe water all around and is used to mark the mid channel of a waterway, and is commonly called a centerline buoy on the Fox Chain-O-Lakes. This buoy is currently being used on two lakes - Grass and Pistakee.

The use of this buoy has been a success in this system by giving boaters a wider channel to use, instead of funneling the traffic into marked fairway (reds and greens), which often created unsafe conditions due to the heavy congestion of boaters trying to fit in the marked channels. When approaching centerline boaters should pass to the right of the buoy - the easiest way to explain this to boaters is that the centerline buoy is similar to the yellow line on a highway.

The USATON system is a five-year phase in process in order to alleviate a heavy financial burden on those agencies responsible for maintaining navigational aids.

The Fox Chain-0-Lakes uses the lateral system, not the cardinal system. The lateral system is used to mark the sides of channels and the common rules of red right return to port applies.

Information Courtesy of:
Rob Rinkenberger
Superintendent of Navigation and Safety Programs
Code Enforcement Officer
Fox Waterway Agency

RED AND WHITE VERTICAL
STRIPPED BUOY
This buoy is a safe watermark used to mark the mid-channel, commonly called the centerline buoy. When approaching this buoy the vessel must pass to the right of the buoy, leaving the buoy on her port side. When lit, this buoy flashes a quick flashing or Morse Code A white light.

RED BUOY
When "returning from the sea" or heading upstream, red buoys must be on your starboard side. When leaving port or traveling downstream the red buoy must be on your port side. The red buoy when lit flashes a red light.

GREEN BUOY
When "returning from sea" or heading upstream the green buoy must be on your port side. When leaving port or heading down stream the green buoy must be on your starboard side. The green buoy when lit flashes a green light.

WHITE BUOY WITH ORANGE CIRCLE
Is a controlled area buoy, i.e. marks no-wake areas.

WHITE BUOY WITH ORANGE SQUARE
Is an information buoy, i.e. marina entrance, rest room one mile.

WHITE BUOY WITH ORANGE DIAMOND
Is a hazard buoy, i.e. marks danger areas, shallows, and rocks.

WHITE BUOY WITH ORANGE DIAMOND
AND CROSS-THROUGH IT
Is a restricted area buoy, i.e. swim area, no boats.