Boating season will begin for many people this weekend, and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Boating Safety Unit wants to be sure all boaters know the rules. All boat operators between 16 and 40 years old need to have a California Boater’s Education Card in their possession. Kids between the ages of 12 and 15 cannot operate a boat with a motor of more than 15 horsepower unless an attentive and sober adult is with them. Boats need a fire extinguisher, a sounding device and a throwable flotation device, as well as a life jacket for each person aboard. Children under 13-years-old always need to wear a life jacket unless the boat is anchored or moored. That doesn’t apply if the child is inside a cabin. Lots of boating safety information is available at the Sheriff’s Office on Park Marina Circle in Redding or Bridge Bay at Lake Shasta, or online at dbw.ca.gov.