Code of Maine Rules › 09 - DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE › 137 - DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE - GENERAL › Chapter 13 - WATERCRAFT RULES › Section 137-13-06 - Water Sports

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
1. No person shall
				operate a watercraft on the internal waters of this State for the purpose of
				towing a person or persons on water skis, surfboards, aquaplanes, or similar
				devices in a water safety zone as defined in Title 12, Section 13001, paragraph
				29, nor shall any person manipulate any watercraft, tow rope or other device by
				which the direction or location of water skis, surfboards, aquaplanes or
				similar devices may be affected or controlled in such a way so as to cause
				these devices, or any person on them, to approach within the water safety
				zone.
2. Nothing herein shall
				prevent the necessary launching, or leaving the shoreline, mooring or landing
				of the watercraft and persons engaged in water-skiing, surfboarding, or using
				such similar devices, provided they enter or leave the shoreline in a
				reasonably direct manner and so as not to endanger any persons or property and
				provided they do not enter or leave directly into or from another adjoining
				water safety zone. The Division may, upon written application from the majority
				of the municipal officers of a municipality wherein said waters are located,
				waive these provisions along undeveloped shorelines, if after inspection of the
				site by the Division, it is determined that such waiver would provide a greater
				safety factor than would be achieved by compliance with these
				provisions.
3. No person shall
				operate any watercraft on any waters of this State while towing a person or
				persons on water skis, surfboard or other similar devices unless there is in
				such watercraft a person at least 12 years of age, in addition to the operator,
				who is in a position to continually observe the person or persons being towed
				unless the watercraft is equipped with a wide-angle rearview mirror and is
				operating in a regulation slalom course (as defined by the Bureau of State
				Parks and Public Lands of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and
				Forestry). This part shall not apply to those devices operated by the person
				being towed and so constructed as to be incapable of carrying an operator or
				passenger in or on the devices.
4.
				No person shall operate any watercraft for the purpose of towing a person or
				persons on water skis, surfboards, or similar devices nor shall any person
				water ski, surfboard, or use similar devices on any waters of this State
				between the hours of 1/2 hour after sunset and 1/2 hour before
				sunrise.
5. Persons engaged in
				watersports shall wear a USCG approved PFD. This PFD is not to be an inflatable
				PFD. No watercraft operator shall tow a watersports participant who is not
				wearing such a device.
Exceptions to the requirements of this subsection are
				  permitted under the following conditions:
A. A skier engaged in barefoot water-skiing
				who wears a barefoot wetsuit designed specifically for such activity.
B. A skier engaged in trick water-skiing
				whose movements would be restricted or impeded by the bulk of a PFD. For
				purposes of this subsection, a trick water-skier is a person whose equipment
				and activities have all of the following characteristics:
(a)
Type of Skis
: for standard
				double trick skis, a length of no more than 46 inches and width of at least 8
				inches, with no keels on the bottom; for single trick skis, a length of no more
				than 56 inches and width of at least 22 inches, with no keel on the
				bottom;
(b) Speed of tow no more
				than 25 miles per hour; and
(c) Tow
				rope no longer than 50 feet.
C. The operator of a watercraft towing a
				trick water-skier or barefoot water-skier shall have a PFD readily available
				aboard the tow watercraft for each such skier who elects not to wear such a
				device while skiing.