| Watercraft
Regulations of Skamania County |
 |
| The information below contains summaries of
selected watercraft regulations for Skamania County. The complete
text of these regulations can be found at
Chapter 8.8 of the Skamania County Code, RCW 79A.60 and WAC
352-60. |
| Vessel Registration |
| All vessels, including personal
watercraft, are required to carry the registration certificate on
board. The vessel registration expiration date is June 30 of every
year. Numbers must be displayed on the forward half of the vessel in
three-inch block numbers and be clearly visible from another vessel. |
| |
|
| Legal Age of
Operation |
|
| Unless under the direct supervision of their parent or
legal guardian who is on board the vessel, a person under the age of
16 cannot operate any vessel with greater than 10 horsepower. |
| |
| All persons operating a PWC in Skamania County must be
at least 16 years old unless they are under the direct supervision
of a parent or legal guardian who is also on board, in which case
the minimum age is 14 years old. |
| |
Back to top |
| Prohibited
Operations |
|
| It is illegal to operate a vessel while under the
influence of, or when affected by, an intoxicating liquor or
narcotic; it is illegal for the owner or person in charge of a
vessel to authorize or knowingly permit the vessel to be operated if
the operator is under the legal age of operation. |
| |
|
Reckless Operation of Vessels
It will be considered reckless operation of a vessel when the vessel
is operated in such manner as to endanger or be likely to endanger
any persons or property. This includes, but is not limited to:
operating within 100 feet of shore or a public swimming area;
overloading; operating while under the influence of alcohol or
drugs; excessive speed in violation of stated speed restrictions;
operating in clearly dangerous waters; operating without proper
lights at night; bow, seat back, gunwale or transom riding when
going over 5 mph unless the vessel is specifically designed for that
purpose; continued use or refusal to terminate use of boat after
being ordered to correct an especially hazardous condition by a law
enforcement officer. |
| |
Back to top |
Required Vessel Safety
The following equipment is required depending on the length,
horsepower and vessel design.
A number of regulations may apply to your vessel.
Personal Flotation Device
All vessels shall carry at least one wearable U.S.C.G.-approved type
I, II or III PFD for every person on board, regardless of the vessel
size. Every child 12 years old or under shall wear an approved PFD
while on board any vessel, except while in a cabin. The PFD must be
in good and serviceable condition and sized properly for the
intended wearer and stored so that it is immediately available. In
addition, vessels 16 ft. and over must have a minimum of one
U.S.C.G.-approved type IV throw able PFD. Type V and V-hybrid
devices may be used but must be worn to be legal.
Sound Producing Device
Every vessel, including PWCs, must have on board a sound producing
device; i.e., a horn, whistle or bell.
Fire Extinguisher
Fire extinguishers must be readily accessible. Motorized vessels
less than 26 feet must carry at least one B-1 type U.S.C.G.-approved
fire extinguisher. A vessel 26 ft. but less than 40 ft., two
extinguishers; 40 ft. and over, three extinguishers. One B-II type
can be substituted for two B-I extinguishers. These are not required
on vessels with outboard motors if the gas tank is not permanently
installed and if there are no areas where vapors could be entrapped.
If a portable tank is held down in any fashion, it is considered a
permanent tank.
Visual Distress Signals
It is highly recommended that all vessels carry visual distress
signals.
|
| Back to top |
Speed Related Laws
Five (5) mph or less when within 200 feet of shore, docks, bridges
or public swimming areas, within 100 feet of swimmers or boats, or
within 300 feet of a public boat launch.
Eight (8) mph or less when between legal sunset and legal sunrise
and not in a 5 mph area, except Puget Sound. No operation allowed
when within 300 feet behind a skier, within 200 feet in front of a
vessel pulling skiers, within 100 feet when alongside a skier or
within.
100 feet of public or private bathing or swimming areas when the
area is marked by buoys or some other device.
Damaging Wake
Operators are responsible for any damage or injuries caused by the
wake of their vessel.
|
| Back to top |
Direction of Travel
All vessels on fresh water shall keep the closest shore to the
operator's starboard or right-hand side for a counter-clockwise
direction of travel. |
| |
|
Taking Off and Landing Laws for All Vessels,
Including PWC
Taking off and landing shall be done perpendicular or as near to
perpendicular as possible, and at no time less than a forty five
(45) degree angle to any shore, dock or other launching facility. |
| |
|
Water Skier Related Laws
1. The vessel must have a competent operator who must be attentive
to the duties of operating a vessel.
2. The vessel must be manned by a competent skier observer who must
be facing the skier at all times.
3. At all times when a skier is down in the water, a flag, red or
international orange in color, 1ft. by 1ft., and attached to a
two-foot pole, must be displayed.
4. No skiing is permitted between sunset and sunrise.
5. All skiers shall wear a U.S.C.G. approved personal flotation
device.
6. No water skiing, including taking off and landing, shall be
permitted within 300 feet of any public boat launching area or
fueling dock designated swimming area at a public park or a private
designated swimming area. At no time will a vessel pulling a skier
have any special privileges over any other vessel.
SCUBA Divers
Vessels must stay at least 300 feet away from any diver's flag
raised from a vessel float.
Personal Watercraft (PWC) Laws
All persons operating a PWC in Skamania County must be at least 16
years old unless they are under the direct supervision of a parent
or legal guardian who is also on board, in which case the minimum
age is 14 years old.
Anyone riding a PWC must wear a PFD at all times.
If the PWC is equipped with a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch, the
operator shall attach the lanyard to his/her person, clothing or
PFD. It is illegal for any person to remove or disable a cutoff
switch that was installed by the manufacturer.
A person shall not operate a PWC between the hours of sunset and
sunrise.
PWC shall not be operated in a reckless manner, nor jump the wake of
another vessel within 100 yds. In addition, when operating on
saltwater, non-destination-bound repetitive maneuvers including, but
not limited to, erratic speed and course changes, tight turns, and
race course ovals and figure eights can only be done when in an area
that is at least 500 yards from any shoreline. |
| |
Back to top |
Accident Reports
The operator of any vessel that is involved in any accident that
causes an injury or death to any person, or damages any property,
shall stop and give full identification of both the operator and
vessel and render any assistance necessary. The owner or operator of
any vessel involved in an accident where death, personal injury
requiring medical treatment, or with property damage in excess of
five hundred dollars ($500.00) shall file a written boating accident
report within forty-eight (48) hours with the Sheriff's Department. |
| |
|
Unsafe Vessels
Law enforcement officers can order an unsafe vessel back to shore.
Unsafe conditions are, but not limited to: insufficient lifesaving
(PFD) devices, insufficient fire fighting devices, overloading
conditions, improper navigation light display, fuel leakage, fuel in
the bilge, improper ventilation, improper backfire flame control. |
| |
|
| Back to top |
|
