(A) Vessel speed and wake.
(1) The operation of any vessel, including personal watercraft, within the town harbor management area shall proceed in a manner which protects all persons and property from any damage caused by a wake.
(2) In no event shall any vessel under power exceed a speed limit of six mph within:
(a) The federal navigation channel;
(b) Two hundred feet of shore in the Upper Niantic River north of the federal navigation channel;
(c) The Pattagansett River Estuary Restricted Speed Area as marked by state speed limit signs; and
(d) One hundred feet of shore or any dock, pier, float or anchored or moored vessel in any other part of the harbor management area.
(B) Obstruction of channels, fairways and berthing space. No vessel shall be moored or anchored so as to interfere with the free and unobstructed use of any channel, fairway or berthing space within the harbor management area.
(C) Swimming and underwater diving. Swimming and underwater diving are prohibited in all designated channels except in an emergency or for inspection purposes.
(D) Fishing. Fishing from vessels and shellfishing shall not occur in any designated channels, fairways and anchorages in a manner that poses a hazard to navigation. The placement of lobster pot floats and fixed fishing nets is prohibited in all channels marked by U.S. Coast Guard channel markers, within any fairway as designated in the harbor management plan and within any mooring area designated in the harbor management plan.
(E) Waterskiing. Waterskiing is prohibited in all designated channels, and in anchorages and mooring areas in the harbor management area when vessels are anchored or moored therein. Waterskiing is prohibited within 200 feet of shore in the Upper Niantic River north of the federal navigation channel, within the Pattagansett River Restricted Speed Area as marked by state speed limit signs and within 100 feet of shore or any dock, pier, float or anchored or moored vessel in any other part of the harbor management area.
(F) Personal watercraft. Use of personal watercraft shall be in accordance with all applicable statutes and regulations concerning the operation of vessels. Use of personal watercraft is prohibited in all designated channels except as necessary to reach personal watercraft activity areas, and within designated anchorages and mooring areas when vessels are anchored or moored therein.
(G) Board sailing and paddle boarding. Board sailing and paddle boarding are prohibited within designated channels, except as necessary to cross said channels in a manner that does not pose a hazard or inconvenience to navigation.
(H) Public docks and boat launch ramps. The use of any public dock and boat launch ramps shall be in accordance with rules and regulations established by the Harbor Management Commission. No vessel shall remain at a public dock or boat launch ramp for a period longer than the time limit posted at the dock. If a vessel is left unattended for a period of time in violation of the posted limit, then the vessel’s owner of record shall be held responsible.
(I) Use of vessels as abodes or floating homes. The use of any floating structure in the town harbor management area as an abode or floating home is prohibited. Living aboard vessels is allowed on a seasonal basis as a secondary use to the vessel’s principal water-dependent use.
(J) Identification of vessels. All vessels moored, or tied up to wharves, piers or docks in the harbor management area shall display a valid federal documentation name or state registry number legible without boarding the vessel in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes.
(K) Derelict or abandoned vessels and structures. No vessel, mooring tackle, mooring float or other object within the harbor management area shall be abandoned or sunk or placed where it may constitute a danger to navigation or to the safety of persons or property or where it may prevent optimum use of the area. Any vessel, mooring tackle or other object abandoned or sunk or so placed may be removed or relocated by direction of the Harbor Master, if corrective action is not taken by the owner, if known, within seven days after notification, or, if not known, after notice has been posted for that period on the vessel, mooring or object. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the Harbor Master or his designee from taking measures without notice, if, in his judgment, it is necessary in order to provide for the safety of persons or property. The expense of such removal or relocation and any liability arising from injury to person or property incurred thereby shall be the responsibility of the owner of record.
(Ord. passed 5-4-1994; Ord. passed 9-4-2019)
Editor’s note:
TM Volume 20, page 144