Santa Barbara County Municipal Code § 26-206 Lake—Boat operations; obstructing navigable water

The community services director, deputy director, any park operations manager, any park ranger, any agent employed or contracted to provide lifeguard services, or any other person designated by the community services director, shall have the authority to stop and board any vessel subject to this chapter, where the officer has probable cause to believe that a violation of state law or regulations or local ordinance exists.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

The community services director, deputy director, any park operations manager, any park ranger, any agent employed or contracted to provide lifeguard services, or any person designated by the community services director, may order the operator of an unsafe vessel to remove such vessel to the shore or to a safe moorage or anchorage. An officer may order an unsafe vessel so removed where it is being operated with one or more of the following hazardous conditions, where such conditions cannot be corrected on the spot, and where, in the judgment of the officer, continued operation of the vessel would create an immediate danger to life, limb, or property.

(a) (1)

Boat being used without sufficient personal flotation devices which are readily accessible (operator is aware of location and device is easily accessed), as prescribed by Section 6565 of the Department of Boating and Waterways Enforcement Code;

(2) Boat being used without sufficient throwable flotation device, which is immediately available (within operators immediate reach) on board a vessel over sixteen feet in length as prescribed by Section 6565.5(c)(1) of Title 14 CA Regs.

(b) Boat being used without sufficient firefighting devices, as prescribed by Section 6569 of Title 14 CA Regs;

(c) Boat does not display required navigation lights between sunset and sunrise, as prescribed by Section 6600.1 of Title 14 CA Regs;

(d) Boat has fuel leakage from either the fuel system or engine, or both;

(e) Boat has accumulation of fuel in bilges or compartment other than a fuel tank;

(f) Boat does not have legal and serviceable ventilation system, as prescribed by Section 6575 of Title 14 CA Regs;

(g) Boat does not have proper backfire flame control system, as prescribed by Section 6574 of Title 14 CA Regs;

(h) Boat is overloaded to such an extent that there exists so little freeboard the danger of sinking or capsizing may be imminent.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

No person shall unlawfully obstruct the navigation of any navigable waters.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

Except for the urgent and immediate concern for the safety of those aboard a vessel, a person shall not abandon a vessel upon a public waterway or public or private property without the express or implied consent of the director.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

A person shall not maliciously throw, hurl, or project an object by manual, mechanical, or other means at a vessel or an occupant of a vessel on any waters.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

Any vessel approaching, overtaking, being approached, or being overtaken by a moving law enforcement vessel operating with a siren or an illuminated blue light, or any vessel approaching a stationary law enforcement vessel displaying an illuminated blue light, shall immediately slow to a speed sufficient to maintain steerage only, shall alter its course, within its ability, so as not to inhibit or interfere with the operation of the law enforcement vessel, and shall proceed, unless otherwise directed by the operator of the law enforcement vessel, at the reduced speed until beyond the area of operation of the law enforcement vessel.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

Every person sixteen years of age or older who takes any fish for any purpose shall first obtain a valid Department of Fish and Game fishing license for that purpose and shall have that license on his or her person or in his or her immediate possession or where otherwise specifically required by law or regulation to be kept when engaged in carrying out any activity authorized by the license.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

A person shall not drive a motor vehicle that is towing a trailer coach, camp trailer, or trailer carrying a vessel, containing a passenger, except when a trailer carrying or designed to carry a vessel is engaged in the immediate act of launching or recovery of the vessel.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), no person under sixteen years of age shall operate a vessel powered by a motor of greater than fifteen horsepower, except for a vessel that does not exceed twenty-five feet in length and is designed to use wind as its principal source of propulsion.

(b) Except as provided in subdivision (a), no person twelve, thirteen, fourteen or fifteen years of age shall operate a vessel powered by a motor of greater than fifteen horsepower, or a vessel that exceeds twenty-five feet in length and is designed to use wind as its principal source of propulsion, unless the person is accompanied in the vessel by a person who is at least eighteen years of age and who is attentive and supervising the operation of the vessel.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 655 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, the following described acts endanger life, limb, or property and constitute evidence of reckless or negligent operation:

(a) Riding on the bow, gunwale, or transom of a vessel propelled by machinery while underway when such position is not protected by railing or other reasonable deterrent to falling overboard, or riding in a position or manner which is obviously dangerous. These provisions shall not apply to a vessel's crewmen in the act of anchoring, mooring, or making fast to a dock or another vessel, or the necessary management of a sail.

(b) Navigating a vessel, or other devices between a towing vessel and it's tow or tows.

(c) No person shall use any vessel or a similar device in a reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person or organization.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

(a) The number issued to each undocumented vessel shall be displayed in the following manner:

(1) Be painted on or permanently attached to each side of the forward half of the vessel.

(2) Be in plain vertical block characters of not less than three inches in height.

(3) Contrast with the color of the background and be distinctly visible and legible.

(4) Have spaces or hyphens that are equal to the width of a letter other than "I" or a number other than "1" between the prefix and the number, and the number and the suffix. EXAMPLE: CF 1234 AB

(5) Letters and numbers to read from left to right.

(b) Vessels used by a manufacturer or by a dealer for testing or demonstrating shall have the number painted on or attached to removable plates that are temporarily but firmly attached to each side of the forward half of the vessel.

(c) On inflatable vessels or vessels so configured that a number on the hull or superstructure would not be clearly visible or properly adhere, the number shall be painted on or attached to a backing plate that is attached to the forward half of the vessel so that the number is visible from each side of the vessel.

(d) No numerals, letters or devices other than those used in connection with the state number issued shall be placed in the proximity of the state number, and no numerals, letters or devices which might interfere with the ready identification of the vessel by its state number shall be carried on any part of the vessel.

(e) Registration shall be on board vessel and available for inspection at all times the vessel is in operation.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

The registration stickers issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles under the authority of Vehicle Code Section 9853.4 to identify a vessel as currently registered shall be securely affixed on each side of the vessel three inches aft (toward the stern) of and directly in line with the registration numbers and shall be so maintained as to be clearly visible at all times.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)

The introduction, migration, stocking, or transfer of aquatic species, prohibited species, or any other nonnative or exotic species into county waters or waterways is prohibited.

(Ord. No. 4833, § 1, 4-10-2012; Ord. No. 4965, § 1, 5-10-2016)