§ 19-74. Equipment; water safety.
(a)
Equipment.
(1)
Lights.
a.
All vessels shall display from sunset to sunrise the following lights when underway, and during such time no other lights which may be mistaken for those prescribed shall be exhibited;
1.
A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon.
2.
A combined light in the forepart of the vessel and lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two (2) points (22½ degrees) abaft the beam on the respective sides.
b.
All vessels, between the hours of sunset and sunrise, that are not underway, moored at permanent dockage or attached to an immovable object on shore so that they do not extend more than fifty (50) feet from the shore, shall display one (1) three hundred sixty (360) degree white light visible three hundred sixty (360) degrees around the horizon.
(2)
Flotation devices.
a.
Every vessel shall have on board at least one (1) wearable personal flotation device of type I, II or III for each person on board. Every such vessel shall also have on board at least one (1) type IV throwable personal flotation device.
b.
All motorboats shall have on board at least one (1) type I, II, III or IV personal flotation device for each person on board and each person being towed who is not wearing one.
c.
All lifesaving devices required by subsections (a)(2)a and b of this section shall be United States Coast Guard approved, in serviceable condition and so placed as to be readily accessible.
d.
Each person under the age of seven (7) who is on board any watercraft which is on the waters of Missouri shall wear a personal flotation device which is approved by the United States Coast Guard. Any person who allows a person under the age of seven (7) to be on board any watercraft which is on the waters of Missouri without wearing a personal flotation device shall be deemed guilty of a class C misdemeanor. This section does not apply when the person under the age of seven (7) is in a part of a watercraft which is fully enclosed, where such enclosure will prevent such person from falling out of or being thrown from the watercraft.
(3)
Ventilation system. Every vessel which is carrying or using inflammable or toxic fluid in any enclosure for any purpose, and which is not an entirely open vessel, shall have an efficient natural or mechanical ventilation system which must be capable of removing resulting gases prior to and during the time the vessel is occupied by any person.
(4)
Fire extinguishers. Motorboats shall carry on board at least the following United States Coast Guard approved fire extinguishers; every motorboat with an enclosed gasoline storage tank, a gasoline tank with a capacity of at least twelve (12) gallons or a permanently installed gasoline tank, one (1) B1 type fire extinguisher.
(5)
Sounding device. All motorboats shall have a sounding device.
(6)
Operation without required equipment prohibited. No person shall operate any watercraft which is not equipped as required by this section or as otherwise required by state statute.
(b)
Water safety regulations.
(1)
Any vessel towing water skiers or surfboarders must have an observer in the vessel in addition to the driver or must be equipped with an approved ski mirror.
(2)
No waterskiing or surfboarding shall be permitted after sunset or before sunrise.
(3)
Sailboats shall have the right-of-way over all other craft. However, no craft shall be operated in such a manner as to endanger or inconvenience smaller or less maneuverable craft.
(4)
U. S. [United States] Coast Guard approved life jackets, life preservers, or ski vests must be worn by all skiers and surfboarders.
(5)
Launching, docking, mooring, and landing shall be accomplished only in such places and by such means that are approved by the city.
(6)
The operator of a motorboat shall not allow any person to ride or sit on the gunwales, decking over the bow, railing, top of seat back or decking over the back of the motorboat while under way, unless such person is inboard of adequate guards or railing provided on the motorboat to prevent a passenger from being lost overboard. As used in this section, the term "adequate guards or railing" means guards or railings having a height parameter of at least six (6) inches but not more than eighteen (18) inches. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean that passengers or other persons aboard a motorboat cannot occupy the decking over the bow of the boat to moor it to a mooring buoy or to cast off from such a buoy, or for any other necessary purpose. The provisions of this section shall not apply to vessels propelled by sail.
(7)
Whenever any person leaves any watercraft, other than a personal watercraft, on the waters of Missouri and enters the water between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and sunset, the operator of such watercraft shall display on the watercraft a red or orange flag measuring not less than twelve inches by twelve inches. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to watercraft that is moored or anchored. The flag required by this subsection shall be visible for three hundred sixty degrees around the horizon when displayed and shall be displayed only when an occupant of the watercraft has left the confines of the watercraft and entered the water. The flag required by this subsection shall not be displayed when the watercraft is engaged in towing any person, but shall be displayed when such person has ceased being towed and has reentered the water.
(8)
No operator shall knowingly operate any watercraft within fifty (50) yards of a flag required by subsection (7) of this section at a speed in excess of slow-no wake speed.
(c)
Enforcement.
(1)
A city peace officer or his designee may direct the operator of any watercraft being operated without sufficient personal flotation devices, firefighting devices or in an overload or otherwise unsafe condition or manner to take whatever immediate and reasonable steps are necessary for the safety of those aboard when, in the judgement of the officer, such operation creates a hazardous condition. The officer may direct the operator to return the watercraft to the nearest safe mooring and to remain there until the situation creating the hazardous condition is corrected.
(2)
A city peace officer or his designee may remove any unmanned or unattended watercraft from the water.
(Ord. No. 11295, § 13, 6-2-97; Ord. No. 11377, § 1, 3-15-99)