Tuolumne County Municipal Code Ch. 8.24 Boating and Water Skiing

Sections:

• 8.24.010

• Applicability.

• 8.24.020

• Definitions.

• 8.24.030

• Speed zones and special use areas.

• 8.24.040

• Supervised boat races and water shows.

• 8.24.050

• Sanitation.

• 8.24.060

• Boat trailers.

• 8.24.065

• Boating.

• 8.24.066

• Riding on the bow, gunwale or transom of a vessel prohibited.

• 8.24.070

• Swimming.

• 8.24.075

• Sound amplification devices on boats.

• 8.24.080

• Shooting across waters.

• 8.24.090

• Enforcement.

applicable to and govern all public waters including lakes and rivers or portions thereof over which the county has police power jurisdiction, insofar as the provisions of this chapter do not conflict with applicable statutes or regulations of the United States or of the state. (Ord. 542 § 1, 1969; prior code § 7-8.1).

phrases when used in this chapter, and when used in resolutions adopted pursuant to Section 8.24.030, shall be construed to have the following meaning:

A. "Aquaplane" means any device including skis used for the transportation of one or more persons upon the surface of the water, and which is, pulled or towed by any boat, vehicle or other motive power by means of a rope, chain, cable, wire or other connection.

B. "Boat" means any vessel or device, except an aquaplane or water ski, in or upon which persons or property may be transported upon, under or over the surface of water including, but not confined to any boat, raft, barge, canoe, skiff, dinghy, rowboat, sailboat, sailing vessel, yacht, motorboat, motor vessel, houseboat, float, pontoon, commercial boat, launch and ship.

C. "Motorboat" means any boat propelled in whole or in part by a motor, engine, or mechanical device of any kind except oars or sails. The term also includes boats temporarily equipped with detachable outboard motors.

D. "Personal watercraft" means any motorized watercraft commonly known as Jet
Ski, West Bike, Wave Runner, Surf Jet or Motorized Ski or any similar device on top of which, rather than within, the operator rides.(Ord. 1742 § 1, 1990; Ord. 542 § 2, 1969; prior code § 7-8.0).

The board of supervisors, by resolution, may designate and cause to be appropriately marked, as the public welfare and safety may require, boat launching areas, areas designed exclusively for swimming, areas where swimming is prohibited, areas where water skiing is prohibited, areas where boats are prohibited, areas of restricted speed or "slow" areas and other areas wherein certain activities or uses are prohibited or permitted. Such areas shall be marked with appropriate signs or devices indicating such designation, and it is unlawful for any person to fail to comply with such designations. A person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction. (Ord. 3011 § 1, 2009; Ord. 542 § 3, 1969; prior code § 7-8.2).

shows. The provisions of this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 8.24.030 shall not be construed to prohibit or restrict the operation of any boat actually competing in a race or regatta over a marked racing course or the operation of any boat,

aquaplane or water skier actually participating in a water show, when such race, regatta or water show is previously authorized in writing and actively supervised by the public agency having jurisdiction over the waters on which the race, regatta or water show is conducted or its duly authorized agent for such purpose. (Ord. 542 § 4, 1969; prior code § 7-8.3).

person to dump or place in any public waters any human or other animal waste, garbage, trash, gasoline, oil, sawdust, debris or other foreign matter whether from a boat, the shore or any other place. (Ord. 542 § 5, 1969; prior code § 7-8.4).

person after unloading his/her boat to leave any boat trailer in public waters or to leave any boat trailer unattended within fifty (50) feet of the waterline. A person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction.
(Ord. 3011 § 2, 2009; Ord. 542 § 6, 1969; prior code § 7-8.5).

A. All boats shall be in full compliance with California Boating Law, in terms of operation and equipment.

B. It is unlawful to discharge or dump any waste of any kind into the reservoir.

C. It is unlawful to trailer launch a boat at other sites not designated and posted for launching, pursuant to rules adopted by the County.

D. It is unlawful to land, moor or dock a boat at sites designated, posted or restricted for other uses.

E. Operation of boat near dam or within non-motorized boat areas: It is unlawful to operate a boat within two hundred feet of a dam or within a buoy line designating the area as such. It is unlawful to operate a motorized boat in a non-motorized boat area.

F. Personal Floatation Device(s): The number of personal floatation devices on board must be equivalent to the number of passengers onboard the watercraft as specified by California Boating Law.

G. Capacity: At no point shall the number of passengers or cargo aboard a boat, motorboat, personal watercraft or vessel exceed the listed capacity of the boat, motorboat, personal watercraft or vessel as established by the boat, motorboat, personal watercraft or vessel manufacturer. A person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction. (Ord. 3011 § 3, 2009).

transom of a vessel prohibited. It is unlawful to ride on the bow, gunwale or transom of a vessel propelled by machinery 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. This section 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. A person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction. (Ord. 3181 § 1, 2011)

person, except in an emergency, to swim in any area designated as a "no swimming" area, or more than two hundred feet from the shore, or outside the boundaries of a marked swimming area, or to swim in a location, or in such a manner, as to create a hazardous or dangerous condition to the swimmer or any other person.
A person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction. (Ord. 3011 § 4, 2009; Ord. 542 § 7, 1969; prior code § 7-8.6).

No operator of a boat shall operate, or permit the operation of, any sound amplification system which can be heard outside the boat from one hundred (100) or more feet when the boat is being operated upon a waterway, unless that system is being operated to request assistance or warn of a hazardous situation.
This section shall not apply to authorized emergency boats. A person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction. (Ord. 3153 § 1, 2011)

for any person to shoot any firearms or guns operated by compressed gases or a spring from

any boat or across or over any portion of the waters of any lake or reservoir, provided, however, that nothing in this section shall prohibit the shooting of a shotgun from a boat or across a lake or reservoir waters during the lawful waterfowl hunting season for the purpose of killing waterfowl. (Ord. 542 § 8, 1969; prior code § 7-8.7).

deputies, public officers and employees shall enforce the provisions of this chapter and the provisions of any other statute, ordinance or regulation relating to boating safety or sanitation. (Ord. 1946 § 2, 1992).