(a) Restrictions on child operators; duty of supervisory adult.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, no person under sixteen years of age shall operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this Municipality. A person who is not less than twelve, nor more than fifteen years of age may operate a personal watercraft if a supervising person eighteen years of age or older is aboard the personal watercraft.
(2) No person under twelve years of age shall operate any vessel that is not a personal watercraft on the waters of this Municipality unless the person is under the direct visual and audible supervision, during the operation, of a person eighteen years of age or older. If the vessel is a powercraft powered by more than ten horsepower, the supervising person shall be aboard the powercraft.
(3) No supervising person eighteen years of age or older shall permit any person who is under the supervising person's supervision and who is operating a vessel on the waters of this Municipality to violate any section of Ohio R.C. Chapter 1547, or of this chapter or a rule adopted under them.
(ORC 1547.06)
(b) Operating in certain areas prohibited.
No person shall operate a vessel within or through a designated bathing area or within or through any area that has been buoyed off designating it as an area in which vessels are prohibited.
(ORC 1547.08)
(c) Prohibitions on mooring, anchoring, tying up.
No person shall moor or anchor any vessel in a designated speed zone or water ski zone. No person, unless in distress and no other vessel is endangered thereby, shall moor to, anchor to, or tie up to any marker, aid, buoy, light or other aid to navigation.
(ORC 1547.09)
(d) Engine warm-up required.
The pilot or engineer of any powercraft for hire to carry passengers shall not permit passengers to come aboard before the engine of such powercraft has been permitted to run for a minimum of two minutes.
(ORC 1547.23)
(e) Operation without personal flotation devices prohibited.
(1) No person shall operate or permit to be operated any vessel under eighteen feet in length while there is present in such vessel any person under ten years of age, not wearing a Coast Guard approved type one, two or three personal flotation device in good and serviceable condition of appropriate size securely attached to the person under ten years of age.
(ORC 1547.24)
(2) No person shall operate or permit to be operated any watercraft on the waters of this Municipality:
A. Sixteen feet or greater in length without carrying aboard one type one, two, or three personal flotation device for each person aboard and one type four personal flotation device;
B. Less than sixteen feet in length, including canoes and kayaks of any length, without carrying aboard one type one, two, or three personal flotation device for each person aboard.
(3) A type five personal flotation device may be carried in lieu of a type one, two or three personal flotation device required under subsection (e)(2) hereof.
(4) Each personal flotation device carried aboard a watercraft pursuant to this section shall be Coast Guard approved and in good and serviceable condition, of appropriate size for the wearer, and readily accessible to each person aboard the watercraft at all times.
(ORC 1547.25)
(f) Sitting, standing, walking on moving vessel restricted.
No occupant of any vessel under way in the harbor shall sit, stand or walk upon any portion of the vessel not specifically designed for such movement, except when immediately necessary for the safe and reasonable navigation or operation of such vessel. No operator of a vessel under way in the harbor shall allow any occupant of the vessel to sit, stand or walk on any portion of the vessel not specifically designated for that use except when immediately necessary for the safe and reasonable navigation or operation of the vessel.
(ORC 1547.22)
(g) Towboat required for non-propulsion equipped vessel.
Every vessel not equipped with propulsion machinery except sailboats, must have a towboat capable of towing such vessel within hail at all times and not separated from it by a bridge over the navigable channel.
(h) Duty upon approach of law enforcement vessel.
Upon the approach of a law enforcement vessel with at least one blue flashing, rotating, or oscillating light, the operator of any vessel shall stop if followed or give way in any crossing, head-on, or overtaking situation, and shall remain in such position until the law enforcement vessel has passed, except when otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer. If traffic conditions warrant, a siren or other sound producing device also may be operated as an additional signaling device. This section does not relieve the operator of any law enforcement vessel from the duty to operate with due regard for the safety of all persons and property on the waters of the harbor.
(i) Requirements for operating personal watercraft.
(1) No person shall operate or permit the operation of a personal watercraft (PWC) unless each person on the PWC is wearing a type one, two, three or five personal flotation device.
(2) A person operating a PWC that is equipped by the manufacturer with a lanyard type engine cutoff switch shall attach the lanyard to the person, clothing or personal flotation device as appropriate for the specific PWC.
(3) No person shall operate a PWC at any time between sunset and sunrise.
(4) No person who owns a PWC or who has charge over or control of a PWC shall authorize or knowingly permit the PWC to be operated in violation of this subsection.
This subsection does not apply to a person who is participating in a regatta, race, marine parade, tournament or exhibition that is operated in accordance with TMC 965.19, Ohio R.C. 1547.20, or that is Coast Guard approved.
(ORC 1547.41)
(j) Tampering with navigation aid or vessel prohibited.
No person shall knowingly:
(1) Damage, remove or tamper with any signal, buoy, or other aid to navigation;
(2) Sever the mooring lines of, set adrift, or tamper with any vessel that is moored or tied up on the waters of the harbor.
(ORC 1547.92; Ord. 579-97. Passed 9-16-97.)