[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Middle
8-1-1996 as Ord. No. 969-96. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Mutual Aid Agreement — See Ch. 29.
Personal watercraft are defined as Class "A" vessels by state law and
are subject to all regulations which apply to power vessels. The complete
regulations and statutes applicable to personal watercraft are contained within
Title 12 of the New Jersey Statutes and Title 1 of the New Jersey Administrative
Code as the same may be amended and supplemented.
Effective July 1, 1996, it shall be unlawful to:
A.
Operate personal watercraft between sunset and sunrise.
B.
To operate personal watercraft above the idle speed within
50 feet of any shoreline, bathing beach or person(s) in the water.
C.
To operate a personal watercraft in such a way as to
make the vessel completely leave the water or otherwise become airborne while
operating within 100 feet of another vessel.
Only personal watercraft with a rating capacity of three or more persons
shall be permitted to pull a waterskier and then only provided that the personal
watercraft is so designed to allow one person to face the rear of the vessel
and be capable of observing the waterskier and such person attending to and
observing the waterskier must be physically located on the personal watercraft
and actually observe the skier while the skier is being pulled. All vessels
engaged in waterskiing shall keep at least 200 feet away from any marina,
bridge, structures, and person(s) in the water and shall keep 100 feet away
from shore and other vessels.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a personal watercraft
unless such person is eligible to do so in accordance with the requirements
of state law as that law may, from time to time, be amended and supplemented.
In addition:
A.
Any person operating a personal watercraft shall at all
times wear a safety engine cutoff lanyard provided that the personal watercraft
is equipped with such a switch.
B.
Any person operating a personal watercraft shall proceed
at a safe speed at all times so that the vessel can be stopped within a safe
distance and effective action can be taken to avoid collision.
C.
Any person operating any vessel, including a personal
watercraft, shall be responsible for any damage or injury caused by the wake
of such vessel.
D.
The operator of all power vessels, including personal
watercraft, shall operate such vessel at a slow speed so as not to cause a
wake when passing through bridges.
Any person operating, as well as all passengers on a personal watercraft
shall be required to wear a United States Coast Guard approved Type I, II,
III or Type V Hybrid personal flotation device when said personal watercraft
is underway.
Any person convicted of a violation of this chapter shall be subject
to a fine in an amount not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 or imprisonment
for a term not to exceed 90 days and/or community service for a term not to
exceed 180 days.
