[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Plymouth 4-16-1974 ATM by Art. 58; amended in its entirety 4-11-1978 ATM by Art. 61 (Ch. 134 of the 1999 Code). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
No person shall operate any motorboat on the waters of the commonwealth towing a person or persons on water skis, a surfboard or other similar device unless there is in such motorboat a competent person, in addition to the operator, in a position to observe the person or persons towed and unless such motorboat is equipped with a ladder, steps or similar means by which any person being towed can be taken from the water.
All motorboats must be operated at a safe distance to prevent their wash from being thrown into or causing excessive rocking to other boats, rafts, floats or bathing beaches. For purposes of enforcement, a safe distance is considered 150 feet. This regulation shall apply to boats, barges, water skiers or other devices being towed by power, and the operator of a towing boat shall be responsible for compliance therewith.
[Amended 11-3-1994 STM by Art. 14; 6-11-2007 ATM by Art. 33; 10-18-2025 ATM by Art. 10]
Between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. weekends and holidays, and between the hours of 7:30 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. weekdays, all motorboats may proceed at maximum of headway speed, with the exception of Great Herring and Billington Sea Ponds. On these Great Ponds, motorboats are restricted to headway speed between the hours of sunset or 7:30 p.m., whichever comes first, and 9:00 a.m. seven days a week. "Headway speed" shall mean the slowest speed at which a vessel may be operated and still maintain steering.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 134-4 of the 1999 Code, Airplanes, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 4-7-2018 ATM by Art. 28.
All hydroplanes, which shall be defined as having a planing hull of an essentially flat-bottomed design and primarily designed for competitive racing and having one seat, are hereby prohibited from use upon all freshwater ponds within the Town of Plymouth.
[Amended 4-1-1989 STM by Art. 7; 4-12-1995 ATM by Art. 39; 4-5-2005 ATM by Art. 16]
A. 
The use of internal combustion engines is prohibited on any pond in Plymouth of 30 acres in area or smaller. The use of internal combustion engines is also prohibited on Little Pond, Boot Pond, Bloody Pond and Long Island Pond off Beaver Dam Road between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Internal combustion engines of more than 50 horsepower are hereby prohibited from use on Long Pond and on Great Island Pond.
B. 
No internal combustion engines shall be allowed on ponds with a mean average depth of five feet or less.
Overnight camping in tents or trailers is prohibited on all public access to ponds.
[Amended 10-18-2025 ATM by Art. 10]
This chapter may be enforced by any available means in law or equity, including but not limited to enforcement by noncriminal disposition pursuant to MGL c. 40, § 21D, and §§ 1-4 and 1-5 of the Town Code.