New Mexico State PFD requirements
All vessels must carry a USCG approved wearable personal flotation device (PFD) of proper size for each person on board or being towed as a skier, plus one USCG-approved throwable device, cushion or ring buoy. PFDs and throwable devices must be in serviceable condition, readily accessible for use and must bear evidence of USCG approval.
Specific PFD Requirements
Skiers and those being pulled on any floatation object shall wear a USCG-approved Type I, II, III PFD while being pulled by a vessel.
Vessels, which carry passengers for hire, shall provide a USCG-approved type I life preserver for each person on board, an additional number of approved type I life preservers of children size equal to at least 10 percent of the total number of persons carried must be provided, unless the service is such that children are never carried. USCG type II, III or IV devices will not suffice for this regulation.
Effective January 1, 2007 - The operator of a vessel being used for recreational purposes shall require a child age twelve or under who is aboard the vessel to wear a personal flotation device approved by the United States coast guard while the vessel is underway, unless the child is below deck or in an enclosed cabin.
