[Amended 8-20-2013 by L.L. No. 12-2013]
A. 
Vessels shall not moor or anchor in any channel within 50 feet of any channel marker or so as to interfere with the full use of the channel, nor shall any vessel be moored or anchored within 50 feet of any dock, pier or other vessel docking or launching facilities.
B. 
No vessel shall restrict or obstruct the use on any public bulkhead, dock or landing owned or controlled by the Town of Riverhead.
C. 
Boats shall not moor or anchor so as to endanger the safety of or cause damage to any boat previously anchored or moored nor so as to interfere with the mooring of any boat previously laid down. Any boats so moored or anchored shall be removed by the owner or person in charge thereof on order of the Town Board or any duly authorized officer or agent thereof or member of the Town Police or Bay Constable of the Town. If said boat is not removed after orders to so remove it, it may be removed by or at the direction of the Town Board or any duly authorized officer or agent thereof or member of the Town Police or Bay Constable of the Town, at the expense of the owner or person in charge of said vessel, to be enforced by civil suit.
A. 
Sunken or derelict vessels. Any vessel or floating or submerged object which becomes a menace to navigation or unseaworthy, sinks, grounds or otherwise becomes incapable of navigation shall immediately be removed or restored to navigable condition by the owner or operator thereof at his own expense.
B. 
Removal by Bay Constable. In the event that a vessel described in Subsection A above is not immediately removed or restored to navigable condition, the Bay Constable shall notify the owner, either by certified mail or personally, of the condition of the vessel or floating object. The owner shall have 72 hours after receipt of notification to remove or restore the vessel or floating object unless the Bay Constable shall determine that the vessel or floating object is an immediate hazard, in which case he may either immediately remove it or specify a lesser time for the owner to comply. In the event that the owner shall fail to remove a vessel or floating object described in this section after notification or the Bay Constable shall be unable to locate the owner, then it shall be the duty of the Bay Constable to remove or restore the vessel or floating object. The removal or restoration by the Bay Constable of a vessel described in this section shall be at the sole expense of the owner, and the Bay Constable shall be entitled to recover all expenses under this section from the owner by any lawful means.
[Amended 5-7-2002 by L.L. No. 12-2002; 12-4-2007 by L.L. No. 41-2007; 9-5-2012 by L.L. No. 19-2012]
A. 
Every operator of a vessel shall at all times navigate the same in a careful and prudent manner and at such rate of speed as not to unreasonably interfere with the free and proper use of the navigable waters of the Town or unreasonably endanger any vessel or person.
B. 
No vessel other than the tending vessel shall be operated within 100 feet of a red flag with a diagonal white bar which, when displayed on the water or from a boat, indicates underwater diving or a designated course for racing shell, but no such flag shall be placed so as to deny access or use of any boathouse, wharf, harbor, bay, channel or navigable waterway.
C. 
No boat or vessel shall be operated in any harbor or any areas where there is a congestion of boats, either under way or at anchor, at a speed in excess of five statute miles per hour; provided, however, that the Town Board, by resolution, may, from time to time and for periods of time stated in such resolution, suspend the enforcement of this section with respect to any portion or portions of the Town waterways and designate speeds for such areas by the location of speed rafts or other suitable markings.
D. 
No person operating a vessel shall cause a dangerous wake when approaching or passing another person, vessel or other property.
E. 
No vessel shall be operated at a greater speed than five statute miles per hour within 1/4 of a statute mile from shore, except at inlets or where a channel approaches the shoreline closer than 1/4 of a statute mile.
F. 
No vessel other than hand-propelled shall cruise or be operated within 150 feet of any lifelines or bathing float, or if there is no lifeline or bathing float, then within 250 feet of any public or semipublic beach regularly used for bathing or swimming, nor shall such vessel cruise or be operated in excess of five miles per hour within 150 feet of any person bathing or swimming, except at inlets or where a channel approaches the shoreline closer than 1/4 of a statute mile, except where designated by local ordinance.
G. 
No person shall operate or drive any vessel at a speed in excess of 45 statute miles per hour within 1,500 feet of any shoreline within the Town.
H. 
The provisions of this section shall not apply to a vessel while actually competing in a regatta or boat race authorized under § 293-17 of this Part 2.
I. 
No person shall use a boat equipped or operated with any gasoline motor on the Peconic River, west of the dam in Grangebel Park.
[Amended 12-16-2014 by L.L. No. 23-2014]
J. 
No person shall use a boat equipped or operated with any electric motor in excess of 10 horsepower on the Peconic River, west of the dam in Grangebel Park.
[Amended 12-16-2014 by L.L. No. 23-2014]
K. 
No person shall operate (start/run) or permit to be operated a motorboat, other than an electric motor to propel a motorboat, on the Peconic River, including water areas in and/or on the waters designated as the Peconic Lake (formerly known as "Forge Pond") and extending to the Grangebel Dam (westerly side of Peconic Avenue). This restriction shall not apply to emergency personnel in the performance of emergency activities that are necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare and in furtherance of activities pursuant to a lawfully issued permit.
[Amended 12-16-2014 by L.L. No. 23-2014]
L. 
The area described in Subsections I, J and K above shall be marked with signs and/or buoys.
[Amended 12-16-2014 by L.L. No. 23-2014]
The Town Board may authorize the holding of regattas or boat races and other aquatic events in any navigable waters of the Town of Riverhead. Whenever a regatta, boat race or aquatic event is proposed to be held on such waters, the sponsoring person shall, at least two weeks prior to the event, file an application with the Town Clerk. The application shall set forth the nature of the event, the approximate number of participants, the time and the approximate location. Sailboat regattas or races sponsored by yacht clubs and sailing or racing associations located within the Town of Riverhead are exempt from the requirements of this section, provided that the United States Coast Guard requirements for such events are fully complied with.
A. 
No person under the age of 18 years shall operate a motorboat or mechanically propelled vessel on the navigable waters of the state or any tidewaters bordering on or lying within the boundaries of the Town of Riverhead, unless:
(1) 
The operator is 18 years of age or older; or
(2) 
The operator is ten years of age or older and is the holder of a boating safety certificate issued to him by the Commissioner of the United States Power Squadrons or the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.
B. 
No person shall operate a personal watercraft or specialty prop-craft upon the navigable waters of the state or any tidewaters bordering on or lying within the boundaries of the Town of Riverhead, unless:
(1) 
The operator is 14 years of age or older and the holder of, or is accompanied, being and intended to mean on the vessel, by a person over 18 years of age who is the holder of, a boating safety certificate issued to him by the Commissioner of the United States Power Squadrons or the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.
C. 
The failure of a person specified in Subsections A(2) and B(1) of this section to exhibit a boating safety certificate upon demand to any peace officer or other officer having authority to enforce the provisions of this Part 2 shall be presumptive evidence that such person is not the holder of such certificate.
D. 
No person who is the owner of a motor vessel shall knowingly authorize or permit the operation thereof on the navigable waters of the Town, unless:
(1) 
The operator is 18 years of age or older;
(2) 
The operator is accompanied therein by a person 18 years of age or older; or
(3) 
The operator is ten years of age or older and is the holder of a boating safety certificate issued to him by the Commissioner of the United States Power Squadrons or the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.
E. 
No person shall operate a vessel while in an intoxicated condition or while his ability to operate such a vessel is impaired by the consumption of alcohol or by the use of a drug pursuant to §§ 49-a and 49-b of the New York State Navigation Law.
F. 
The provisions of Subsections A, B, C and D of this section shall not apply while the operator is actually preparing for or competing in a regatta or boat race authorized under § 293-17 of this Part 2.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 101, General Provisions, Art. I).
A. 
No person shall operate a vessel on the navigable waters of the Town for towing a person on water skis, a surfboard or similar device unless there is in such vessel a person other than the operator, of at least 10 years of age, in a position to observe the person being towed.
B. 
No person shall be towed on water skis, a surfboard or similar device or use or operate a vessel to tow a person thereon on the navigable waters of the Town during the period from sunset to one hour after sunrise.
C. 
No person shall be towed on water skis, a surfboard or similar device or use or operate a vessel to tow a person thereon in any channel or within 150 feet of any public or semipublic dock or within 100 feet of any swimmer or bather, nor shall any such person engaged in such activities come within 500 feet of the shoreline, unless he approaches or departs perpendicular to the shoreline and solely for the purpose of commencing or ending a ride.
D. 
No person shall operate or manipulate any water skis or similar device without wearing a United States Coast Guard approved Type I, II or III personal flotation device.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 101, General Provisions, Art. I).
E. 
No person shall operate or manipulate any water skis, aquaplane or similar device in a reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the life, limb or property of any person.
A. 
All pleasure vessels and uninspected commercial vessels shall be equipped and lighted while under way or at anchor with any person aboard while on navigable waters of the Town of Riverhead, as required under the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971, as amended, and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto and contained in Title 46 of the Code of Federal Rules, Subchapter C, Parts 24, 25 and 26, and pursuant to the provisions of § 40 of the Navigation Law of the State of New York. Failure to comply with the equipment and lighting requirements as set forth above shall be deemed a violation of this Part 2.
B. 
The provisions of this section shall not apply to vessels competing in duly authorized regattas and trials preceding such regattas.
C. 
Mufflers. It shall be unlawful to use a boat propelled in whole or in part by gasoline or naphtha, diesel fuel or similar explosive medium unless the same is provided with an underwater exhaust or muffler so constructed and used as to muffle the noise of the explosion.
A. 
No skindiving shall be undertaken in any fairway or channel or in any waters where the same may interfere with reasonable and proper operation of boats or within 150 feet of any public or semipublic beach regularly used for bathing and swimming or within 50 feet of any person bathing or swimming.
B. 
No person shall engage in skindiving without displaying the international diving flag or authorized skindiving flag of suitable size consisting of a red flag with a diagonal white stripe, adequately displayed by float, buoy or boat at all times, and without a person of suitable age and discretion other than the skin diver in a position as lookout.
C. 
No person shall use, operate or discharge underwater any spear gun or similar apparatus within 500 feet of any public or semipublic beach regularly used for bathing or swimming or within 500 feet of any bather or swimmer.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 101, General Provisions, Art. I).
A. 
Searchlights. No person operating a boat shall use searchlights in such a manner as to annoy or disturb other persons or vessels.
B. 
Every motorboat operated on the navigable waters lying within or bordering the boundaries of the Town shall be registered and numbered, pursuant to the requirements of Article 48 of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law. No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of any motorboat on the navigable waters of the Town unless it is so registered and numbered pursuant to Article 48 and the identification displayed pursuant to Article 48 of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.