Unwritten Rules For Boating On North Dakota’s Missouri River

We all know there are actual rules and laws, which we should absolutely follow when we are pontooning and boating on the river, but there are also some unspoken, unwritten rules we live by.

It's about boating etiquette. After consulting some friends who have spent a lot of time on the water over the years, I've put together a list of North Dakota's biggest gripes.

1. Chill on the Music

Your Spotify playlist isn't that good. Don't blast the music on the sandbars to where other people can play their music at a reasonable level and/or hear themselves think.

The sandbar isn't your own personal Coachella music festival.

(Also Read: 5 Easy Way You Can Get Ticketed On The Missouri River)

2. Wave

I don't know why this is a thing in North Dakota, but it's definitely an unofficial rule. Every time you pass another boat, at least one person has to wave from your boat to the other.

3. The Community Cooler

Some believe once the cooler is on the boat, it's community property. This feels fair. On the river, we all share.

4. The Ramp is Not a Parking Spot

Launch your boat and move. Drop people off and go. It's not a place to block while everyone messes around on their phones.

There you have it. It's mostly about etiquette. Are you guilty of doing any of these things? Maybe you have some of your own unwritten rules to share. Tell me in the app.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's look at some scenic spots of the river you can visit in Bismarck-Mandan this summer.