Connecticut Administrative Code › Title 15 - Navigation and Aeronautics › 121 - Boating Safety › Section 15-121-A9 - Requirements when water skiing

Current through July 10, 2024
(a) Any person
			 required to obtain a safe water skiing endorsement by section
			 15-140e
			 of the Connecticut General Statutes shall be required to carry on board the
			 vessel engaged in water skiing a physical copy or electronic proof of such
			 endorsement.
(b) No person shall
			 operate a vessel engaged in water skiing at such a speed or maneuver a vessel
			 engaged in water skiing in such a manner as to impede the navigation of another
			 vessel or endanger the life, limb or property of another person. No person
			 shall water ski in such a manner as to impede the navigation of any vessel or
			 endanger the life, limb or property of another person. No person shall engage
			 in water skiing in such a manner as to strike or threaten to strike any person,
			 vessel or object other than an object designed to be used in a water skiing
			 course and no person shall operate a motorboat or manipulate a tow line or
			 other towing device in such a manner as to cause a water skier to strike or
			 threaten to strike another person, vessel or object other than an object
			 designed to be used in a water skiing course.
(c) No person shall operate a vessel towing a
			 water skier without an observer present on the vessel who shall assist the
			 operator and monitor the progress of the water skier. The observer shall be
			 designated by the operator of the vessel and shall be at least twelve years of
			 age.
(d) The number of persons on
			 board the vessel towing a water skier added together with the number of water
			 skiers being towed shall not exceed the carrying capacity of the towing vessel,
			 as indicated on the capacity label permanently affixed to the towing vessel by
			 its manufacturer, except that the commissioner may grant a marine event permit,
			 or seasonal marine event permit, to authorize the number of persons on board a
			 towing vessel added together with the number of water skiers being towed to
			 exceed the carrying capacity of such towing vessel as indicated on the capacity
			 label permanently affixed to such towing vessel by its manufacturer. The
			 commissioner may require appropriate safeguards or protections, as the
			 commissioner deems necessary, when authorizing such marine event permit or
			 seasonal marine event permit.
(e)
			 No person shall stand or sit either on the bow or gunwales of a vessel which is
			 towing a water skier except in an emergency.
(f) Each water skier shall wear a personal
			 flotation device approved by the U.S. Coast Guard and used in accordance with
			 any requirements stated on the approval label and with any requirements in its
			 owner's manual, if the approval label makes reference to such manual, and no
			 vessel operator shall tow a water skier who is not wearing such a device.
			 Notwithstanding the foregoing, no person shall use an inflatable personal
			 flotation device to meet the PFD requirements of this section.
(1) This subsection shall not apply to skiers
			 engaged in barefoot water skiing who wear a barefoot wetsuit designed
			 specifically for such activity.
(2)
			 This subsection shall not apply to skiers engaged in trick water skiing whose
			 movements would be restricted or impeded by the bulk of a personal flotation
			 device. For purposes of this subsection, a trick water skier means a water
			 skier whose equipment and activities have all of the following characteristics:
(A) Type of skis: for standard double trick
			 skis, length of no more than 46 inches and width of at least 8 inches, with no
			 keels on bottom; for single trick ski boards, length of no more than 56 inches
			 and width of at least 22 inches, with no keel on bottom;
(B) speed of tow no more than 20 miles per
			 hour; and
(C) tow rope no longer
			 than 50 feet.
(3) The
			 operator of a vessel towing a trick water skier or barefoot water skier shall
			 make a U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device readily available
			 aboard the tow vessel for each such skier who elects not to wear such a device
			 while skiing.