(1) 
A vessel shall be operated in a careful and prudent manner and at a speed no greater than is reasonable and proper under the conditions at the time and place of operation, taking into account the amount and character of traffic, size of the waters, freedom from obstruction to view ahead, and so as not to unreasonably endanger person or property or other rights of any person entitled to the use of such waters.
(2) 
The operator of any vessel shall be responsible for his wake and any damage or injuries caused by a wake from his or her boat.
(Ord. 1115 § 11, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
It shall be unlawful to operate a vessel at a rate of speed greater than will permit the operator in the exercise of reasonable care to bring the vessel to a stop within the assured clear distance ahead; provided, however, it shall be unlawful to operate vessel in excess of eight mph or at a speed which produces a damaging wake, within 200 feet of any shore, dock, or public swimming area, or within 100 feet of any other vessel or swimmers; provided, further that it shall be unlawful to operate vessels in excess of eight mph one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise.
(Ord. 1115 § 12, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
For vessels engaged in taking off and landing water skiers, the following shall apply in place of LCC § 10.20.060:
(1) 
Taking off shall be done perpendicular or as near to perpendicular to shore, dock, or other launching facilities, whichever shall permit the vessel and skier, if any, safe passage to open water; provided that at no time shall the taking-off angle be less than a 45-degree angle to shore, dock, or launching facility.
(2) 
Landing of vessels and skiers shall be done at not less than a 45-degree angle to the shore, dock, or other landing facilities.
(3) 
At no time shall taking off or landing of a water skier give the towing vessel special privileges over any other vessel, under the rules of the road, and at no time shall such acts of skiing cause undue risk to persons or property.
(Ord. 1115 § 13, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
It shall be unlawful to operate any vessel in a reckless manner upon any waters within Lewis County. For the purpose of this article, "to operate in a reckless manner" means the operation of a vessel upon waters within Lewis County in such a manner as to endanger or be likely to endanger any persons or properties. Actions that constitute prima facie evidence of reckless operation are:
(a) 
Operating within 100 feet of shore unless taking off or landing as provided for in LCC § 10.20.070;
(b) 
Loading vessel beyond safe operating ability;
(c) 
Excessive speeds in violation of LCC § 10.20.050 or § 10.20.060;
(d) 
Unsafe water skiing practices;
(e) 
Operating in clearly dangerous areas;
(f) 
Operating without proper navigation lights at night;
(g) 
Bow, seat back, gunwale or transom riding when operating in excess of eight miles an hour unless seating is specifically designed for that location;
(h) 
Continued use or refusal to terminate use of boat after being ordered to correct an especially hazardous condition by a law enforcement officer.
(Ord. 1115 § 14, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
If a law enforcement officer observes any unsafe condition and determines that an "especially hazardous condition" exists, he may direct the operator to take immediate steps to correct the condition, including returning and mooring.
(2) 
Unsafe conditions or hazardous conditions shall include but not be limited to the following:
(a) 
Insufficient lifesaving devices (PFD);
(b) 
Insufficient firefighting devices;
(c) 
Loading vessel beyond safe operating ability;
(d) 
Improper navigation light display;
(e) 
Fuel leakage;
(f) 
Fuel in bilges;
(g) 
Improper ventilation;
(h) 
Improper backfire flame control.
(Ord. 1115 § 15, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
It shall be unlawful to operate a vessel within 100 feet of any shoreline or public or private bathing or swimming area, which is marked by buoys or some other distinguishing device.
(Ord. 1115 § 16, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
It shall be unlawful to operate a vessel towing a person on water skis, aqua plane or surfboard, inner tube or other similar device unless the following conditions are strictly followed:
(1) 
Said vessel shall be manned by a competent operator (meeting the qualifications contained in LCC § 10.20.150) who must be attentive to the duties of operating a vessel;
(2) 
Said vessel shall be manned by competent skier/observer who must be facing the skier at all times. The observer must be at least 10 years of age. The observer and operator shall not be the same person. The observer shall continuously observe the person or persons being towed and shall display a flag immediately after the towed person or persons fall into the water, and during the time preparatory to skiing while the person or persons are still in the water. Such flag shall be a bright red or brilliant orange in color, measuring 12 inches on each side, mounted on a handle not less than 24 inches long and displayed as to be visible from every direction;
(3) 
Except for continuous display of a flag, as described above, the provisions of subsection (2) above shall not apply in the case of a vessel that is so constructed as to be unable to carry the operator or any other person in or on the same and is actually operated by the person or persons being towed and is equipped with an automatic engine shut-off device which will cause the engine to stop instantly when the skier is disengaged from the control handles of said vessel;
(4) 
It shall be unlawful to water ski from one hour after sunset to one hour prior to sunrise;
(5) 
No person shall engage or attempt to engage in water skiing without wearing an adequate and effective personal flotation device. The personal flotation device must be in good and serviceable condition and of an appropriate size or a wet suit specifically designed by a manufacturer for that purpose and capable of floating the water skier;
(6) 
No vessel shall follow behind a vessel towing a person on water skis closer than 300 feet or cross to the bow of a towing boat closer than 200 feet or pass alongside a towing boat closer than 100 feet. A vessel towing a skier is not a privileged boat and must conform to the rules of the road. It shall be unlawful to engage in the act of water skiing within 200 feet in front of any dock used for fueling any vessel or within 200 feet of any dock or designated swimming area at a public park or private designated swimming area. This chapter shall apply to the taking off and landing of a water skier in any of the above designated areas.
(Ord. 1115 § 18, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
A helmet and a racing flotation jacket must be worn by the driver, and by the mechanic if the craft is designed to carry a mechanic. Testing may be done on specific waters at specific times only.
(2) 
Vessels testing under the provisions specified herein shall maintain a distance of 400 feet from the shore or another vessel while speed is in excess of eight mph. A vessel testing for a race must follow the rules of the road and general rules herein.
(3) 
No unauthorized person shall operate a vessel or swim, or skin dive, within a testing course during permitted testing operations while an authorized vessel is in the testing course.
(Ord. 1115 § 21, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
For other than personal watercraft, which requires an operator of 14 or more years of age, it shall be unlawful for any person 13 or less years of age to operate any vessel powered by a motor or motors, except that a person 13 or less years of age can operate a any vessel powered by a motor or motors generating a total 10 or less horsepower when that person can demonstrate the ability to safely operate such any vessel and is under the supervision of a responsible adult.
(2) 
It shall be unlawful for any person 15 or less years of age to operate a any vessel powered by a motor or motors generating a total horsepower in excess of 10 horsepower.
(Ord. 1115 § 22, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
When any sunken or drifting and unattended vessels or objects obstruct, or create a hazard to the operation of vessels on the waters of Lewis County, the Lewis County sheriff shall order the owner or person in charge thereof to remove or restrain the said vessel or object.
(2) 
Upon failure of such person to do so, or inability of the sheriff to determine the ownership of the vessel or object, the sheriff may take custody of the vessel or object and may take such reasonable steps as are needed to clear the waters of the obstruction or hazard. Expenses reasonably incurred by the sheriff in removing and relocating a vessel or other object shall be recovered from the owner thereof as a condition precedent to restoring the vessel or object to the owner.
(Ord. 1115 § 23, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any vessel or any person having such, in charge or in control, to authorize or knowingly permit the same to be operated by a person who, by reason of physical or mental disability is incapable of operating such vessel or watercraft under the prevailing circumstances.
(Ord. 1115 § 24, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
The operator of any vessel involved in any injury or death to any person, or in damage to property, shall immediately stop such vessel at the scene of such accident and shall render all practical and necessary assistance to persons affected by the collision, accident, or casualty to save them from danger caused by the incident, and shall otherwise fully comply with the accident reporting provisions of RCW 88.12.155 thru -.175, and Ch. 352-70 WAC.
(Ord. 1115 § 25, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
Recreational skin diving shall be prohibited within 300 feet of an active public boat ramp, or that area generally used and recognized as the entry or exit to any regularly established marina, yacht club, or boat house; provided that in the event skin or scuba divers are engaged in an aquatic event, then said restriction shall not apply for the duration of said aquatic event; provided further, skin diving shall be prohibited unless the diver shall be accompanied by a vessel displaying a diver's flag, or the area in which he is diving shall be marked by an adequately displayed diver's flag.
(2) 
It shall be illegal for the vessel to approach closer than 300 feet of any diver's flag raised from a vessel or float without reducing their speed to five miles per hour.
(Ord. 1115 § 28, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
The director of the Lewis County parks and recreation department shall cause to be posted at all public boat accesses within county parks a copy or reproduction of any special rules enacted by this chapter for a specific lake or section of river.
(2) 
Owner or proprietors of designated boat access points to waters of Lewis County shall cause to be posted within 25 feet of the ramp a copy or reproduction of any special rules enacted by this chapter for a specific lake or section of river.
(Ord. 1115 § 29, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
Swimming shall be confined to:
(a) 
Restricted swimming areas;
(b) 
Within a distance of 100 feet from shore unless the swimmer is accompanied by a vessel.
(2) 
All bathers and swimmers shall confine air mattresses, inner tubes, and other similar devices to within 100 feet of shore unless accompanied by a vessel.
(3) 
All vessel accompanying swimmers beyond 100 feet from shore shall have a personal flotation device on board for each swimmer in addition to each person on board.
(Ord. 1115 § 30, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
Whenever any pier or gangway devoted to passenger traffic shall be damaged or appears to the sheriff to become unsafe, such pier or gangway shall be ordered barricaded with proper fencing until such time as necessary repairs shall be made, and if the owner, agent, or lessee of such pier shall fail to comply with such order, the sheriff shall prohibit the use of unsafe portion of such pier or gangway and may erect the necessary repairs, and the expenses thereof shall be paid and recoverable from the owner, agent, or lessee to the county and it shall be unlawful for any person to allow such pier or gangway to be used or open to use.
(Ord. 1115 § 31, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)