§ 46-27-2 Regulation of personalwatercraft. – (a) No person shall operate a personal watercraft at any time between the hoursfrom one-half (1/2) hour after sunset to one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise;provided, that police and fire department personnel on official duty mayoperate personal watercraft with proper equipment and lighting and are exemptedfrom the provisions of this subsection.
(b) A personal watercraft must at all times be operated in areasonable and prudent manner. Maneuvers which unreasonably or unnecessarilyendanger life, limb, or property, including, but not limited to, weavingthrough congested vessel traffic, circling a larger vessel unreasonably orjumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably, constitutes reckless operationof a vessel and are prohibited.
(c) No person under the age of sixteen (16) shall operate apersonal watercraft on the waters of the state unless an adult accompanies himor her or unless he or she has passed a department of environmental managementapproved or United States Coast Guard approved safety course.
(d) It is unlawful for the owner of any personal watercraftor any person having charge over or control of a personal watercraft toauthorize or knowingly permit the watercraft to be operated by a person undersixteen (16) years of age in violation of this section unless the provisions ofsubsection (c) are met.
(e) No person shall operate a personal watercraft within twohundred feet (200') of swimmers, divers, shore, or moored vessels, except atheadway speed.
(f) Personal watercraft, when launched from shore orreturning to shore, must proceed directly to the area where operation isallowed in a direction as near perpendicular as possible, not in excess ofheadway speed.
(g) No person shall operate a personal watercraft unless heor she and any passenger is wearing a personal flotation device which isapproved by the United States Coast Guard.
(h) No person shall operate any personal watercraft in areckless manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of another.
(i) No person shall operate any personal watercraft unless itis numbered in accordance with § 46-22-4.
(j) A person operating a personal watercraft equipped by themanufacturer with a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch must attach the lanyardto his or her person, clothing, or personal flotation device as appropriate forthe specific vessel.
(k) The towns of Charlestown and Westerly have jointjurisdiction over any waters that transcend both jurisdictions, may enter intoa binding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1, and are hereby authorizedto provide, by ordinance, regulations controlling the use of personalwatercraft within their jurisdictions. The ordinances may include a ban orlimitation on operation on:
(1) Waterbodies which are less than three hundred (300) acresin size, or four hundred (400) feet in width;
(2) Waterbodies upon which a tradition of swimming,shellfishing, fishing, paddle sports, or small craft rowing or sailing exist;
(3) Waterbodies which can be demonstrated to be ecologicallysensitive;
(4) Waterbodies or portions of them surrounded or bordered bysignificant concentrations of residential development;
(5) Waterbodies where a history of powerboat regulationalready exists; or
(6) Waterbodies where navigational considerations due tocongestion can be shown to exist.
(l) The department of environmental management shall reviewand grant final approval of municipal regulations adopted pursuant to thissubsection.
(m) The town of Coventry is hereby authorized to provide, byordinance, regulations controlling the use of personal watercraft on TiogueLake. The ordinances may include a ban or limitation on operation on TiogueLake.
(n) The towns of South Kingstown, Narragansett, Middletownand North Kingstown are hereby authorized to provide, by ordinance, regulationscontrolling the use of personal watercraft on any or all fresh or inland watersof this town. The ordinances may include a ban or limitation of personalwatercraft on any waters in this town. To the extent that any body of water maytranscend more than one of the towns set forth in this section, each town shallhave joint jurisdiction over the body or bodies of water and may enter into abinding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1 regarding each town's jointjurisdiction over the body or bodies of water.
(o) The town of Narragansett is hereby authorized to provide,by ordinance, regulations controlling the use of personal watercraft on any orall fresh or inland waters of this town. The ordinances may include a ban orlimitation of personal watercraft on any waters in this town. To the extentthat any body of water may transcend more than one of the towns set forth inthis section, each town shall have joint jurisdiction over the body or bodiesof water and may enter into a binding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1regarding each town's joint jurisdiction over the body or bodies of water.
(p) The town of South Kingstown is hereby authorized toprovide, by ordinance, regulations controlling the use of personal water crafton Narrow River and Green Hill Pond. To the extent that Narrow River transcendsthe towns of South Kingstown, North Kingstown, and Narragansett, each townshall have joint jurisdiction over such body of water and may enter into abinding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1 regarding each town's jointjurisdiction over such body of water.
§ 46-27-2 Regulation of personalwatercraft. – (a) No person shall operate a personal watercraft at any time between the hoursfrom one-half (1/2) hour after sunset to one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise;provided, that police and fire department personnel on official duty mayoperate personal watercraft with proper equipment and lighting and are exemptedfrom the provisions of this subsection.
(b) A personal watercraft must at all times be operated in areasonable and prudent manner. Maneuvers which unreasonably or unnecessarilyendanger life, limb, or property, including, but not limited to, weavingthrough congested vessel traffic, circling a larger vessel unreasonably orjumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably, constitutes reckless operationof a vessel and are prohibited.
(c) No person under the age of sixteen (16) shall operate apersonal watercraft on the waters of the state unless an adult accompanies himor her or unless he or she has passed a department of environmental managementapproved or United States Coast Guard approved safety course.
(d) It is unlawful for the owner of any personal watercraftor any person having charge over or control of a personal watercraft toauthorize or knowingly permit the watercraft to be operated by a person undersixteen (16) years of age in violation of this section unless the provisions ofsubsection (c) are met.
(e) No person shall operate a personal watercraft within twohundred feet (200') of swimmers, divers, shore, or moored vessels, except atheadway speed.
(f) Personal watercraft, when launched from shore orreturning to shore, must proceed directly to the area where operation isallowed in a direction as near perpendicular as possible, not in excess ofheadway speed.
(g) No person shall operate a personal watercraft unless heor she and any passenger is wearing a personal flotation device which isapproved by the United States Coast Guard.
(h) No person shall operate any personal watercraft in areckless manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of another.
(i) No person shall operate any personal watercraft unless itis numbered in accordance with § 46-22-4.
(j) A person operating a personal watercraft equipped by themanufacturer with a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch must attach the lanyardto his or her person, clothing, or personal flotation device as appropriate forthe specific vessel.
(k) The towns of Charlestown and Westerly have jointjurisdiction over any waters that transcend both jurisdictions, may enter intoa binding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1, and are hereby authorizedto provide, by ordinance, regulations controlling the use of personalwatercraft within their jurisdictions. The ordinances may include a ban orlimitation on operation on:
(1) Waterbodies which are less than three hundred (300) acresin size, or four hundred (400) feet in width;
(2) Waterbodies upon which a tradition of swimming,shellfishing, fishing, paddle sports, or small craft rowing or sailing exist;
(3) Waterbodies which can be demonstrated to be ecologicallysensitive;
(4) Waterbodies or portions of them surrounded or bordered bysignificant concentrations of residential development;
(5) Waterbodies where a history of powerboat regulationalready exists; or
(6) Waterbodies where navigational considerations due tocongestion can be shown to exist.
(l) The department of environmental management shall reviewand grant final approval of municipal regulations adopted pursuant to thissubsection.
(m) The town of Coventry is hereby authorized to provide, byordinance, regulations controlling the use of personal watercraft on TiogueLake. The ordinances may include a ban or limitation on operation on TiogueLake.
(n) The towns of South Kingstown, Narragansett, Middletownand North Kingstown are hereby authorized to provide, by ordinance, regulationscontrolling the use of personal watercraft on any or all fresh or inland watersof this town. The ordinances may include a ban or limitation of personalwatercraft on any waters in this town. To the extent that any body of water maytranscend more than one of the towns set forth in this section, each town shallhave joint jurisdiction over the body or bodies of water and may enter into abinding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1 regarding each town's jointjurisdiction over the body or bodies of water.
(o) The town of Narragansett is hereby authorized to provide,by ordinance, regulations controlling the use of personal watercraft on any orall fresh or inland waters of this town. The ordinances may include a ban orlimitation of personal watercraft on any waters in this town. To the extentthat any body of water may transcend more than one of the towns set forth inthis section, each town shall have joint jurisdiction over the body or bodiesof water and may enter into a binding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1regarding each town's joint jurisdiction over the body or bodies of water.
(p) The town of South Kingstown is hereby authorized toprovide, by ordinance, regulations controlling the use of personal water crafton Narrow River and Green Hill Pond. To the extent that Narrow River transcendsthe towns of South Kingstown, North Kingstown, and Narragansett, each townshall have joint jurisdiction over such body of water and may enter into abinding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1 regarding each town's jointjurisdiction over such body of water.
§ 46-27-2 Regulation of personalwatercraft. – (a) No person shall operate a personal watercraft at any time between the hoursfrom one-half (1/2) hour after sunset to one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise;provided, that police and fire department personnel on official duty mayoperate personal watercraft with proper equipment and lighting and are exemptedfrom the provisions of this subsection.
(b) A personal watercraft must at all times be operated in areasonable and prudent manner. Maneuvers which unreasonably or unnecessarilyendanger life, limb, or property, including, but not limited to, weavingthrough congested vessel traffic, circling a larger vessel unreasonably orjumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably, constitutes reckless operationof a vessel and are prohibited.
(c) No person under the age of sixteen (16) shall operate apersonal watercraft on the waters of the state unless an adult accompanies himor her or unless he or she has passed a department of environmental managementapproved or United States Coast Guard approved safety course.
(d) It is unlawful for the owner of any personal watercraftor any person having charge over or control of a personal watercraft toauthorize or knowingly permit the watercraft to be operated by a person undersixteen (16) years of age in violation of this section unless the provisions ofsubsection (c) are met.
(e) No person shall operate a personal watercraft within twohundred feet (200') of swimmers, divers, shore, or moored vessels, except atheadway speed.
(f) Personal watercraft, when launched from shore orreturning to shore, must proceed directly to the area where operation isallowed in a direction as near perpendicular as possible, not in excess ofheadway speed.
(g) No person shall operate a personal watercraft unless heor she and any passenger is wearing a personal flotation device which isapproved by the United States Coast Guard.
(h) No person shall operate any personal watercraft in areckless manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of another.
(i) No person shall operate any personal watercraft unless itis numbered in accordance with § 46-22-4.
(j) A person operating a personal watercraft equipped by themanufacturer with a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch must attach the lanyardto his or her person, clothing, or personal flotation device as appropriate forthe specific vessel.
(k) The towns of Charlestown and Westerly have jointjurisdiction over any waters that transcend both jurisdictions, may enter intoa binding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1, and are hereby authorizedto provide, by ordinance, regulations controlling the use of personalwatercraft within their jurisdictions. The ordinances may include a ban orlimitation on operation on:
(1) Waterbodies which are less than three hundred (300) acresin size, or four hundred (400) feet in width;
(2) Waterbodies upon which a tradition of swimming,shellfishing, fishing, paddle sports, or small craft rowing or sailing exist;
(3) Waterbodies which can be demonstrated to be ecologicallysensitive;
(4) Waterbodies or portions of them surrounded or bordered bysignificant concentrations of residential development;
(5) Waterbodies where a history of powerboat regulationalready exists; or
(6) Waterbodies where navigational considerations due tocongestion can be shown to exist.
(l) The department of environmental management shall reviewand grant final approval of municipal regulations adopted pursuant to thissubsection.
(m) The town of Coventry is hereby authorized to provide, byordinance, regulations controlling the use of personal watercraft on TiogueLake. The ordinances may include a ban or limitation on operation on TiogueLake.
(n) The towns of South Kingstown, Narragansett, Middletownand North Kingstown are hereby authorized to provide, by ordinance, regulationscontrolling the use of personal watercraft on any or all fresh or inland watersof this town. The ordinances may include a ban or limitation of personalwatercraft on any waters in this town. To the extent that any body of water maytranscend more than one of the towns set forth in this section, each town shallhave joint jurisdiction over the body or bodies of water and may enter into abinding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1 regarding each town's jointjurisdiction over the body or bodies of water.
(o) The town of Narragansett is hereby authorized to provide,by ordinance, regulations controlling the use of personal watercraft on any orall fresh or inland waters of this town. The ordinances may include a ban orlimitation of personal watercraft on any waters in this town. To the extentthat any body of water may transcend more than one of the towns set forth inthis section, each town shall have joint jurisdiction over the body or bodiesof water and may enter into a binding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1regarding each town's joint jurisdiction over the body or bodies of water.
(p) The town of South Kingstown is hereby authorized toprovide, by ordinance, regulations controlling the use of personal water crafton Narrow River and Green Hill Pond. To the extent that Narrow River transcendsthe towns of South Kingstown, North Kingstown, and Narragansett, each townshall have joint jurisdiction over such body of water and may enter into abinding memorandum pursuant to § 46-23-15.1 regarding each town's jointjurisdiction over such body of water.
