(a) No person shall operate upon the waters of Lake Erie or the immediately connecting bays, harbors and anchorage areas a vessel:
(1) Sixteen or more feet in length or any vessel carrying six or fewer passengers for hire without carrying coast guard approved visual distress signals for both day and night use;
(2) Less than sixteen feet in length between sunset and sunrise without carrying coast guard approved distress signals for night use.
The distress signals required by this subsection shall be in good and serviceable condition, readily accessible and of the type and quantities required by the "Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971", 85 Stat. 213, 46 U.S.C.A. 1451 as amended.
(b) No person shall display any distress signal unless a watercraft or a person is in distress and in need of help.
(c) This section does not apply to:
(1) Vessel competing in an organized marine parade, race, regatta or similar event;
(2) Manually propelled vessel;
(3) Sailboats less than twenty-six feet in length with completely open construction and without propulsion machinery.
(ORC. 1547.251)