Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Boating Center

You must be at least 12 to operate, without an adult aboard, an Arizona vessel powered by a motor greater than 8 horsepower. Under A.R.S. § 5-341(E), a child under 12 may operate that class of vessel in an emergency or when the child’s parent, legal guardian, or another person at least 18 is on board. Subsection F goes further: it is unlawful to allow anyone under 12 to operate any motor-powered watercraft at all, whatever its horsepower, except on those same terms. The statute speaks of watercraft generally and does not single out personal watercraft. Rental operators set their own minimum ages, so confirm the requirement when booking.

Source: Arizona Game and Fish Department (azleg.gov)

No. Arizona does not require recreational operators to hold a boating license or carry a mandatory boater education card, so there is no birth date cutoff and no special exemption for rental customers or temporary certificates. The Arizona Game and Fish Department administers voluntary boating safety education for boats and personal watercraft.

Arizona does restrict young operators: a person under age 12 may not operate a vessel with a motor greater than 8 horsepower, including a personal watercraft, unless an emergency exists or a parent, legal guardian, or another person age 18 or older is aboard.

Source: Arizona Game and Fish Department (azgfd.com)

From Mesa, you can boat Saguaro Lake, Apache Lake, Roosevelt Lake and the Lower Salt River. Launch at Saguaro del Norte for Saguaro’s general motorboating; Apache offers secluded coves and launching at Burnt Corral; Roosevelt provides the broadest open-water day, with ramps at Windy Hill, Grapevine and Schoolhouse. The Lower Salt is flowing water suited to kayaks and rafts.

The reservoirs line up downstream as Roosevelt, Apache, Canyon and Saguaro, with the Lower Salt below. These are working reservoirs on the Salt River, so a drawdown can close a lake to boats for months at a time; check the status of the lake you plan to use before setting out.

Source: Visit Mesa (visitmesa.com)

From Mesa, boaters head to Bagley Flat on Saguaro Lake, a boat access only camping stop with designated sites, grills and tables; Butcher Jones Beach, where the no wake water suits paddling, swimming and calm water fishing; and Coon Bluff on the Lower Salt River, which combines river access and picnic facilities with opportunities to watch wild horses along the banks. Together, they give lake boaters and paddlers distinct choices for camping, beach time and river scenery near Mesa.

Source: Salt River Project (srpnet.com)