Subdivision 1. Safe operation. A person may not operate or allow the operation of a watercraft or use a device relating to the use of the watercraft:

(1) in a careless or heedless manner in disregard of the rights or safety of others;

(2) in a reckless or grossly negligent manner that causes personal injury to another or damage to the property of another;

(3) upon the waters of this state without the equipment required by this chapter and the rules adopted under this chapter; or

(4) that is loaded with passengers or cargo beyond the watercraft's safe carrying capacity or is equipped with a motor or other propulsion machinery beyond the watercraft's safe power capacity.

Subd. 2. Obstructing navigation. A person may not operate a watercraft in a manner that obstructs or tends to obstruct normal and ordinary navigation on the waters of this state.

Subd. 3. Unauthorized mooring. A person may not moor, attach, or hold in any manner a watercraft to a buoy or any other marking device or guide placed in the waters of this state pursuant to lawful authority. This subdivision does not apply to a mooring buoy.

Subd. 4. Swimming or bathing areas. A person may not operate a watercraft within a water area that has been marked off or set aside as a swimming or bathing area as prescribed by the commissioner's rules.

Subd. 5. Riding on gunwales or decking. A person may not ride or sit and a person may not operate a motorboat while a person is riding or sitting on (i) the starboard or port gunwales; (ii) the decking over the bow, sides, or stern; or (iii) the transom, of a motorboat while underway unless the motorboat is provided with adequate guards or railing to prevent passengers from falling overboard.

Subd. 6. Law enforcement watercraft displaying emergency lights. When approaching and passing a law enforcement watercraft with its emergency lights activated, the operator of a watercraft must safely move the watercraft away from the law enforcement watercraft and maintain a slow-no wake speed while within 150 feet of the law enforcement watercraft.

History: 1990 c 391 art 9 s 14; 2002 c 323 s 1; 2009 c 176 art 1 s 20