Butte County Municipal Code Art. II Operating Regulations

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any boat which is not equipped with at least one (1) life preserver, life ring, life jacket, ring buoy or buoyant cushion of a standard design for each person in such boat. No inflatable life preserver shall be deemed to comply with this section.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motorboat which is not equipped with an approved fire extinguisher which shall at all times be kept in condition for immediate and effective use and shall be so placed as to be readily accessible; excepting any boat propelled by electric motors of ten (10) horsepower or less or any motorboat engaged in any race which has been previously arranged or announced, or while engaged in such navigation as is incidental to the tuning up of the motorboat and engines for the race.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any boat between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise or moor any boat, except in a designated mooring area or within fifty (50) feet of shore, unless such boat is equipped with and is showing prominently the following lights:

(a) The bright white light aft to show all around the horizon.

(b) A combined lantern in the fore port of the motorboat and lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead as to two (2) points abaft the beam on their respective sides.

(c) Every white light prescribed by this section shall be of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least two (2) miles. Every colored light prescribed by this section shall be of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least one (1) mile. The word "visible," when applied to lights, shall mean visible on a dark night with clear atmosphere.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any boat or aquaplane in a manner or at a rate of speed which endangers the life, limb or property of any person, taking in account weather conditions, light conditions, the ordinary use of waters navigated, the depth of the water, the proximity to shore, docks, swimmers, boats and other obstacles, the condition of the boat operated and any other factor which a reasonable and prudent man would consider in the safe operation of such boat. Operation of a boat or aquaplane under any of the following conditions shall constitute prima facie evidence that the same is being operated in violation of this section:

(a) At a speed greater than will permit it to be fully stopped by the exercise of reasonable care within the assured clear distance ahead.

(b) At a speed in excess of five (5) statute miles per hour in any of the following areas:

(1) Within any area designated as a "slow area."

(2) Within one hundred (100) feet of any person who is bathing or swimming.

(3) Within one hundred (100) feet of any watercraft sixteen (16) feet in length or smaller, which might be seriously endangered by the action caused by the wake created by the passing vessel.

(4) Within one hundred (100) feet of any swimming float, diving platform, life line or designated swimming area.

(5) Within one hundred (100) feet of any legal dock, wharf, dam, way or landing float to which boats are landed or made fast or which is used for the embarkation or discharge of passengers as approved by U.S. Army Engineers.

(6) Within two hundred (200) feet of any authorized boat, sheriffs boat or any other boat while such boat or boats are in the act of rescue operations, dragging for bodies or equipment; provided, such boats are marked; attempted to overhaul or board a vessel involved in any violation of this chapter, or any other law or any vessel used for or in the act of fire fighting.

(7) Within that area of the Thermalito Afterbay designated as a water-ski slalom course. This restriction shall not apply to a boat being operated by a permittee undertaking the permitted use.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3; Ord. No. 3340, § 1, 6-10-97; Ord. No. 3341, § 1, 6-24-97)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any boat or water ski in a reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the life, limb or property of any person. The failure to observe the traffic rules as prescribed by the U.S. Coast Guard regulations shall constitute prima facie evidence of the violation of this section. This will include any person operating or using a motorboat to knowingly permit any person to ride upon any portion thereof not designed or intended for the use of passengers or for any person to ride upon any portion of a boat not designed or intended for the use of passengers. The failure to observe the following traffic rules shall constitute prima facie evidence of the violation of this section:

(a) Passing. When two (2) boats are approaching each other "head on" or nearly so, it shall be the duty of each boat to bear to the right and allow the other boat to pass to the left.

(b) Crossing. When boats approach each other obliquely or at right angles the boat on the left shall yield the right of way to the boat on the right.

(c) Overtaking. One (1) boat may overtake another boat on either side but shall yield the right of way to the overtaken boat.

(d) Sailboats. When a sailboat and motorboat are operating so as to involve the risk of collision with each other, the motorboat shall yield the right of way to the sailboat in all cases.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any boat while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or narcotic drugs.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

* As to drunkenness generally, see §§ 15-9, 15-10 of this Code.

It shall be unlawful for any person to load or to operate any boat loaded with passengers or cargo in excess of its safe carrying capacity. For the purpose of this section, a violation of the following component shall constitute prima facie evidence of a violation of this section. The maximum safe carrying capacity, in pounds, of any rowboat or any boat propelled by an outboard motor, excepting racing models, shall equal the product of seven and one-half times the total length of the boat in feet, times the greatest width of the boat in feet, times the greatest depth of the boat in feet.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motorboat or sailboat or to ride, pull or tow any aquaplane or water skis within any designated swimming area or within twenty feet of the exterior boundaries of any designated swimming area.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any boat within three hundred feet of any dam owned or operated by any public agency or within any area designated by the regulatory agency of a body of public water and where signs have been erected giving notice of such restriction.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to anchor any boat for fishing, loading, discharging, servicing or other purpose upon any body of water in a position which obstructs a passageway ordinarily used by other boats, or any area designated as a passageway.

(Ord No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to moor or attach any boat to any buoy, beacon or marker placed in the water by any public agency, except mooring buoys or in case of an emergency.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a boat, vehicle or any other motive power which is pulling or towing any aquaplane or water skier or for any person to ride any aquaplane or water skis between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before, sunrise.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any boat or other vehicle which is pulling or towing an aquaplane or water skier unless there is in such boat or vehicle, in addition to any person steering or otherwise operating the boat or vehicle, another competent person who is attending to and observing the aquaplane or water skier at all times while they are being towed; or to tow or pull any water ski by means of a rope, chain, cable, wire or other flexible connection in excess of seventy-five feet in length.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person after unloading his boat to leave any boat trailer in the water, to leave any boat trailer within fifty feet of the waterline unattended or, when parking areas for trailers have been provided and marked, to leave any boat trailer in any place other than a designated trailer parking area.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful for any person except a duly authorized peace officer acting in the performance of his duties to use or sound a siren on any boat.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)

It shall be unlawful to operate any motorboat on any lake containing less than three hundred surface acres where signs have been erected at intervals of not over one-quarter mile around such lake giving notice of such prohibition.

(Ord. No. 643, § 3; Ord. No. 774, § 3)