CHANGES IN CALIFORNIA

BOATING LAW

 

Effective January 1, 2003,

California Boating Law now

specifies that:

 

PERSONAL WATERCRAFT OPERATION

 

The prohibited hours of operating personal watercraft have been adjusted and now mirror the hours of prohibited water skiing. Personal watercraft operation and water skiing are prohibited between the hours from sunset to sunrise.

 

COURT‑ORDERED BOATING EDUCATION

 

Any person convicted of any moving violation in the Harbors and Navigation Code, the Federal Rules of the Road and regulations adopted by the Department of Boating and Waterways while operating a vessel, shall be ordered by the court to complete and pass a boating safety course approved by the Department. Proof of completion and passage of the course must be submitted to the court within seven months of the time of the conviction.

 

UNDERWATER MANEUVERING DEVICES

 

Persons using any underwater maneuvering device are exempt from wearing a life jacket. An underwater maneuvering device is any towed or self‑powered apparatus designed for underwater use that a person can pilot through diving, turning and surfacing maneuvers.

 

MARINE SANITATION DEVICES

 

A state or local peace officerwho reasonably suspects that a vessel is discharging sewage in an area where the discharge is prohibited may board that vessel, if the owner or operator is aboard, for the purpose of inspecting the marine sanitation device for proper operation and placing a dye tablet in the holding tank.

 

FALSE SEARCH AND RESCUE CALLS

 

Under existing law, any individual who reports to a state or local agency that an emergency exists knowing that the report is false is guilty of a misdemeanor. An emergency includes any condition which results in, or could result in, the response of a public official in an authorized emergency vehicle.

 

This law has been amended so that the emergency would include any condition which results in, or could result in, the response of a public official in an authorized emergency aircraft or vessel.

 

The law now further provides that it is a felony for any individual to report or cause any report to be made to any state or local government agency that an emergency exists, who knows or should know that the response to the report is likely to cause death or great bodily injury and such injury or death is sustained by any person as a result of the false report.

CHANGES IN CALIFORNIA

BOATING LAW

 

Effective January 1, 2003,

California Boating Law now

specifies that:

 

PERSONAL WATERCRAFT OPERATION

 

The prohibited hours of operating personal watercraft have been adjusted and now mirror the hours of prohibited water skiing. Personal watercraft operation and water skiing are prohibited between the hours from sunset to sunrise.

 

COURT‑ORDERED BOATING EDUCATION

 

Any person convicted of any moving violation in the Harbors and Navigation Code, the Federal Rules of the Road and regulations adopted by the Department of Boating and Waterways while operating a vessel, shall be ordered by the court to complete and pass a boating safety course approved by the Department. Proof of completion and passage of the course must be submitted to the court within seven months of the time of the conviction.

 

UNDERWATER MANEUVERING DEVICES

 

Persons using any underwater maneuvering device are exempt from wearing a life jacket. An underwater maneuvering device is any towed or self‑powered apparatus designed for underwater use that a person can pilot through diving, turning and surfacing maneuvers.

 

MARINE SANITATION DEVICES

 

A state or local peace officerwho reasonably suspects that a vessel is discharging sewage in an area where the discharge is prohibited may board that vessel, if the owner or operator is aboard, for the purpose of inspecting the marine sanitation device for proper operation and placing a dye tablet in the holding tank.

 

FALSE SEARCH AND RESCUE CALLS

 

Under existing law, any individual who reports to a state or local agency that an emergency exists knowing that the report is false is guilty of a misdemeanor. An emergency includes any condition which results in, or could result in, the response of a public official in an authorized emergency vehicle.

 

This law has been amended so that the emergency would include any condition which results in, or could result in, the response of a public official in an authorized emergency aircraft or vessel.

 

The law now further provides that it is a felony for any individual to report or cause any report to be made to any state or local government agency that an emergency exists, who knows or should know that the response to the report is likely to cause death or great bodily injury and such injury or death is sustained by any person as a result of the false report.

INLAND

Steering and Sailing Rules

 

RULE 9

Narrow Channels

 

(a) (i) A vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or fairway shall keep as near to the outer limit of the channel or fair­way which lies on her starboard side as is safe and practicable. (ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(i) and Rule 14(a), a power­driven vessel operating in narrow channels or fairways on the Great Lakes, Western Rivers, or waters specified by the Secretary, and proceeding downbound with a following current shall have the right‑of‑way over an upbound vessel, shall pro­pose the manner and place of passage, and shall initiate the maneuvering signals prescribed by Rule 34(a)(i), as appropriate. The vessel proceeding upbound against the current shall hold as necessary to permit safe passing.

(b) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel that can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway.

(c) A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any other vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway.

(d) A vessel shall not cross a narrow channel or fairway if such crossing impedes the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within that channel or fairway. The latter vessel shall use the danger signal prescribed in Rule 34(d) if in doubt as to the intention of the crossing vessel.

(e) (i) In a narrow channel or fairway when overtaking, the power­driven vessel intending to overtake another power‑driven vessel shall indicate her intention by sounding the appropriate signal prescribed in Rule 34(c) and take steps to permit safe passing. The power‑driven vessel being overtaken, if in agree­ment, shall sound the same signal and may, if specifically agreed to take steps to permit safe passing. If in doubt she shall sound the danger signal prescribed in Rule 34(d).

(ii) This Rule does not relieve the overtaking vessel of her oblig­ation under Rule 13.

(f) A vessel nearing a bend or an area of a narrow channel or fair­way where other vessels may be obscured by an intervening obstruc­tion shall navigate with particular alertness and caution and shall sound the appropriate signal prescribed in Rule 34(e).

(g) Every vessel shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, avoid anchoring in a narrow channel.

 

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INLAND

Steering and Sailing Rules

 

RULE 9

Narrow Channels

 

(a) (i) A vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or fairway shall keep as near to the outer limit of the channel or fair­way which lies on her starboard side as is safe and practicable. (ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(i) and Rule 14(a), a power­driven vessel operating in narrow channels or fairways on the Great Lakes, Western Rivers, or waters specified by the Secretary, and proceeding downbound with a following current shall have the right‑of‑way over an upbound vessel, shall pro­pose the manner and place of passage, and shall initiate the maneuvering signals prescribed by Rule 34(a)(i), as appropriate. The vessel proceeding upbound against the current shall hold as necessary to permit safe passing.

(b) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel that can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway.

(c) A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any other vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway.

(d) A vessel shall not cross a narrow channel or fairway if such crossing impedes the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within that channel or fairway. The latter vessel shall use the danger signal prescribed in Rule 34(d) if in doubt as to the intention of the crossing vessel.

(e) (i) In a narrow channel or fairway when overtaking, the power­driven vessel intending to overtake another power‑driven vessel shall indicate her intention by sounding the appropriate signal prescribed in Rule 34(c) and take steps to permit safe passing. The power‑driven vessel being overtaken, if in agree­ment, shall sound the same signal and may, if specifically agreed to take steps to permit safe passing. If in doubt she shall sound the danger signal prescribed in Rule 34(d).

(ii) This Rule does not relieve the overtaking vessel of her oblig­ation under Rule 13.

(f) A vessel nearing a bend or an area of a narrow channel or fair­way where other vessels may be obscured by an intervening obstruc­tion shall navigate with particular alertness and caution and shall sound the appropriate signal prescribed in Rule 34(e).

(g) Every vessel shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, avoid anchoring in a narrow channel.

 

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