The following terms, when used in this chapter, unless otherwise expressly
stated, or unless the context of the language or subject matters indicate
a different meaning or application was intended, shall be decreed to mean
and include:
AIDS TO NAVIGATION
Buoys, beacons or other fixed objects in the water which are used
to mark obstructions to navigation or to direct navigation through safe channels.
DOCK
A wharf, or a portion of a wharf, extending along the shore line
and generally connected with the uplands throughout its length.
FLOATING OBJECTS
Any anchored marker or platform floating on the surface of the water,
other than aids to navigation, and shall include but not be limited to bathing
beach markers, speed-zone markers, information markers, swimming or diving
rafts or floats, mooring buoys, fishing buoys and ski jumps.
MOTORBOAT
A mechanically propelled or motor-driven vessel having a source of
power other than steam. This definition includes sailboats with motors and
vessels temporarily or permanently equipped with detachable motors, including
motors operated by electric power.
NAVIGABLE WATERS OF THE STATE
All lakes, rivers, streams and waters within the boundaries of the
state and not privately owned, which are navigable in fact or upon which vessels
are operated, except all tidewaters bordering on and lying within the boundaries
of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
OPERATOR
A person who operates or navigates a pleasure vessel.
OWNER
A person actually holding title to a vessel.
PERSON
An individual, partnership, corporation or association.
PERSONAL WATERCRAFT (PWC)
A vessel which uses an inboard motor powering a water jet pump as
its primary source of motive power and which is designed to be operated by
a person sitting, standing or kneeling on or being towed behind the vessel,
rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel.
PIER
A wharf or portion of a wharf extending from the shoreline with water
on both sides.
SPECIALTY PROP-CRAFT (SPC)
A vessel which is powered by an outboard motor or a propeller-driven
motor and which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing or
kneeling on or being towed behind the vessel, rather than in the conventional
manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel.
TOWABLE AQUATIC DEVICES
Water skis, aquaplane boards, inflatable devices, including boats
and tubes, and any object which may be towed behind a motorboat, personal
watercraft or specialty prop-craft.
VESSEL
Pleasure vessel, as defined in the Navigation Law of the State of
New York, and shall include rafts, canoes, sailboats, foot-operated paddleboats
and inflatable aquatic devices, including boats, tubes and floats, but shall
not include any craft used for commercial purposes or any craft carrying passengers
or freight, or used for towing or any other use for which compensation is
received, nor shall it include any craft used as a residence.
WAKE
Moving waves, created by vessel motion or track or path that a boat
leaves behind it when moving across the water.
WHARF
Any structure built or maintained for the purpose of providing a
berthing place for vessels.
According to the Navigation Law of the State of New York, Article 4,
§ 49, no person under the age of 18 years shall operate a motorboat,
PWC or SPC on the navigable waters of the state, and no person who is the
owner of a motorboat, PWC or SPC shall knowingly authorize or permit the operation
thereof on said waters by an operator less than 18 years old, unless:
A. The operator is accompanied therein by a person who is
18 years of age or older; or
B. The operator is between 10 and 18 years of age and has
successfully completed a New York State Young Boaters Course and holds a boating
safety certificate issued by the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation.
Every motorboat, PWC or SPC on the lakes and waterways of the Town of
Putnam Valley shall be registered and numbered as provided in § 2251
of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
It shall be illegal and a reckless obstruction of and interference with
traffic and navigation for any person to be, swim or wade in the waters of
Lake Oscawana at a distance of 150 feet or more from the shore or floating
object, i.e., swimming raft or float, unless:
A. Such person is accompanied and attended by a boat operated
and controlled by another swimmer. Such boat, so operated and controlled,
shall be kept within 15 feet of such person at all times that the swimmer
is in the lake. The boat operator shall signal approaching or passing motorboats,
vessels, PWC or SPC of the presence of the swimmer in the water; or
B. Such person is towing an inflatable boat equipped with
a swimming flag that measures at least 300 square inches area.
Any motor boat, vessel, PWC or SPC operated by the Town of Putnam Valley
shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter while engaged in emergency
operation.
In addition to all the sections and provisions of this chapter, the
following subsections shall apply to the specific districts enumerated:
A. Lake Peekskill.
(1) It is prohibited to operate any gasoline- or oil-driven
vessel or vehicle on Lake Peekskill, whether the lake is frozen or not.
(2) Every person operating any form of vehicle or vessel
permitted on the surface of Lake Peekskill shall at all times operate the
same in a careful and prudent manner and at such rate of speed as shall not
endanger the property or life and limb of any person.
(3) Electric-powered vessels. Motorboats operated by electric
power derived from batteries not exceeding twenty-four-volt capacity shall
be permitted upon said lake.
(4) Registration numbers. Registration numbers are to be
issued and shall be affixed on both sides of bow (front) of manually operated
boats, vessels and electric-powered vessels, or painted upon all manually
operated boats, vessels and electric-powered vessels using the waters of the
Lake Peekskill District. Said registration numbers shall be issued by the
current enforcement authority or designee.
B. Roaring Brook Lake.
(1) Power-driven vessels or vehicles. It is prohibited to
operate any gasoline- or oil-driven vessel or vehicle on the waters of the
Roaring Brook Lake District, whether frozen or not.
[Amended 4-11-2007 by L.L. No. 4-2007]
(2) Electric-powered vessels. Motorboats operated by electric
power derived from batteries not exceeding twenty-four-volt capacity shall
be permitted upon said lake.
(3) Registration numbers. Registration numbers are to be
issued and shall be affixed on both sides of bow (front) of manually operated
boats, vessels or motorboats or painted upon any and all boats using the waters
of Roaring Brook Lake District. Said registration numbers shall be issued
by the current enforcement authority or its designee.
(4) Maximum length. No motorboats or vessels shall exceed
the length of 16 feet, except that there should be no limitation on the size
of canoes or sailboats.
C. Hilltop Estates.
(1) Motorboats and vessels. No owner, operator or occupant
of a manually operated boat, vessel, motorboat, PWC or SPC shall be permitted
to land on or leave his or her vessel on any of the beach property, or to
attach to any of the mooring buoys, except households of the Improvement District
or their lessees shall be permitted to moor, land or store their vessels on
beach property set aside for such purpose. Docking facilities are to be limited
to the mooring of one boat per each household.
(2) Beaching vessels. It is forbidden to leave boats on the
beach, out of the water, for overhauling, painting or any other purpose during
the period extending from June 20 to Labor Day. Hilltop Estates Improvement
District property owners or their lessees leaving their boats either on the
beach area at any time of the year or in the waters abutting thereon do so
at their own risk and responsibility.
(3) Vessel restriction. The bathing area and the beach section
from the steps to the bathing area shall be kept free of boats at all times.
D. Abele Park. No owner, operator or occupant of any motorboat,
vessel, PWC or SPC shall be permitted to launch from, land on or moor to any
of the beach property, or to anchor in any of the waters of the lake abutting
thereon, except that property owners of the park district or their lessees
shall be permitted to launch such vessel from, or moor to, land or store their
vessels on beach property set aside for such purpose.
E. Northview Estates.
(1) Vessel regulations. No owner, operator or occupant of
any motorboat, vessel, PWC or SPC shall be permitted to launch such vessel
from, land on or moor to any of the beach property, or to anchor in any of
the waters of the lake abutting thereon, except that property owners of the
park district and their immediate families, or their lessees, shall be permitted
to launch such vessel from, or moor, land or store their vessels on beach
property set aside for such purpose.
(2) No homeowner or property owner shall moor more than one
vessel in the designated mooring areas, except by consent of a simple numerical
majority of the homeowners and property owners of the park district.
(3) No overnight mooring of vessels on beach areas for visitors
of property owners shall be permitted.
F. Barger and Bryant Ponds.
(1) Operation of vessels. Every person operating any vessel
on the surface of Barger Pond or Bryant Pond shall at all times operate the
same in a careful and prudent manner and at reasonable rate of speed that
shall not endanger the property or threaten the life or limb of any person.
(2) Types of vessels. No gas- or oil-driven motorboat, whether
by inboard or outboard motor, shall be operated on Barger Pond or Bryant Pond.