A person shall not operate a personal watercraft:
A.
On the waters of this state between sunset and sunrise,
or during any time of restricted visibility as determined by an agent or officer
of the Marine Law Enforcement Bureau, Division of State Police;
B.
As otherwise provided in N.J.S.A. 12:7-63;
D.
In such a manner as to make the vessel completely leave
the water or otherwise become airborne, while crossing within 100 feet of
the wake of another vessel.
A person operating a personal watercraft shall at all times:
A.
Wear the safety switch lanyard while the personal watercraft
is underway, provided that the personal watercraft is equipped with such a
lanyard cutoff device; and
B.
Proceed at a safe speed that shall allow the person operating
the personal watercraft to take proper and effective action to avoid collision
and to stop the personal watercraft within a safe distance, as may be appropriate
under prevailing circumstances and conditions.
A person operating a personal watercraft or any passenger on a personal
watercraft shall, at all times when the personal watercraft is underway, wear
a United States Coast Guard Approved Type I, II, III, or Type V Hybrid personal
flotation device.
The operator of a personal watercraft designed to accommodate three
or more persons shall be permitted to tow a water-skier, provided
that the personal watercraft has the capacity to allow one of the persons
to face the stern of the personal watercraft for the purpose of tending to
a ski rider; and that the person tending to the ski rider shall be present
during the towing of the ski rider.
A.
“Water-skiing” is defined as anything with
a rider being towed by a power vessel by means of a tow rope, tow line, or
training boom, except another vessel being towed.
B.
All power vessels conducting water-skiing operations
shall, while underway, keep at least 200 feet distant from any wharf, marina,
dock, pier, bridge structure, abutment, or persons in the water, and 100 feet
from other vessels, any shore, approved aid to navigation or mooring except
specifically provided otherwise in this chapter.
C.
All power vessels conducting water-skiing operations
shall have a crew of at least two persons, one of whom shall be a competent
observer, and shall have adequate space on the vessel for the water-skiing
participant.
D.
Tow lines shall be not less than 25 feet nor more than
75 feet in length, except as specifically provided otherwise in this chapter.
E.
Water-skiing is permitted only between sunrise and sunset,
except as specifically provided otherwise in these regulations.
F.
Water-skiers shall wear a United States Coast Guard approved
Type I, II, III, or Type V Hybrid personal flotation device, except that a
barefoot wetsuit may be worn during sanctioned competitions or shows and while
training for such events, as long as there is a United States Coast Guard
approved wearable personal flotation device on board the vessel for each skier.
G.
H.
The Commission shall, upon application, waive any one
or more of the above requirements for events of public entertainment on any
wholly owned private lake, provided that it finds the event to be consistent
with the interests of boating safety.
