Laws and Safety Equipment

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Chapter Two:
West Virginia Laws and Safety Requirements

Practice safe and legal boating every time you are on the water. Boating is a highly regulated recreational activity, and there may be occasions when a law enforcement officer will inspect your boat for compliance with equipment and legal conformity. The boat operator has the responsibility of ensuring the safety of all passengers and this includes making certain all required safety equipment is onboard the boat and ready to use.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Section Capitol Complex, Bldg. 3 Charleston, WV 25305 304-558-2784

Every officer having the authority to enforce the provisions of chapter twenty and related regulations, may, within their respective jurisdiction, enforce the provisions of these regulations and shall have the same authority as a Conservation Officer to stop and board any vessel for the purpose of making inspections and examinations to carry out the provisions of these regulations.

Boaters should be aware that on the Jennings Randolph Lake, located in Mineral County, West Virginia, and Garrett County, Maryland, both states have Law Enforcement Jurisdiction.

Motoboats and Other Terms Defined

"Vessel" means every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water;

"Motorboat" means any vessel propelled by an electrical, steam, gas, diesel or other fuel propelled or driven motor, whether or not the motor is the principal source of propulsion, but does not include a vessel which has a valid marine document issued by the bureau of customs of the United States government or any federal agency successor thereto;

"Owner" means a person, other than a lienholder, having the property in or title to a motorboat. The term includes a person entitled to the use or possession of a motorboat subject to an interest in another person, reserved or created by agreement and securing payment or performance of an obligation, but the term excludes a lessee under a lease not intended as security;

“No-Wake Speed Zones” - means an area restricting motorboats from attaining a speed that would produce a wake which would noticeably disturb other motorboats or other vessels, docks, piers, or any other shoreline facility within the designated area.

"Commissioner" means the commissioner of the division of motor vehicles;

"Director" means the director of the division of natural resources; and

"Personalwatercraft" means a small vessel of less than sixteen feet in length which uses an inboard motor powering a water jet pump as its primary source of motive power and which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel, rather than the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel. For purposes of this article, the term "personal watercraft" also includes "specialty prop-crafts" which are vessels similar in appearance and operation to a personal watercraft but which are powered by an outboard motor or propeller driven motor.