GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 486

Short Title:  Restrict Personal Watercraft.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Holt, Brawley; and Gardner.
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Referred to:  Transportation.
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March 24, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PLACE RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF PERSONAL WATERCRAFT SUCH AS JET SKIS AND WATER BIKES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Chapter 75A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 75A-13.2.  Personal watercraft.
	(a)	No person shall operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this State at any time between the hours from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise.  For purposes of this section, 'personal watercraft' means a small class A-1 or A-2 vessel which uses an outboard motor, or 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, or being towed behind the vessel, rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vehicle.
(b)	No person shall operate a personal watercraft unless each person riding on or being towed behind such vessel is wearing a personal flotation device approved by the United States Coast Guard.
	(c)	A personal watercraft must at all times be operated in a reasonable and prudent manner.  Manuevers that unreasonably or unnecessarily endanger life, limb, or property, including:
(1)	Weaving through congested vessel traffic;
(2)	Jumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably or unnecessarily close to such other vessel or when visibility around such other vessel is obstructed; and
(3)	Swerving at the last possible moment to avoid collision
shall constitute reckless operation of a vessel as provided in G.S. 75A-10.
(d)	The provisions of this section do not apply to a performer engaged in a professional exhibition or a person or persons engaged in an activity authorized under G.S. 75A-14."
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective December 1, 1993, and applies to acts committed on or after that date.