Revised Code of Washington - RCW Title 79A Public Recreational Lands - Chapter 79A.60 Regulation Of Recreational Vessels

79A.60.010 Definitions
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter. (1) "Accredited course" means a mandatory course of instruction on ...
79A.60.020 Violations of chapter punishable as misdemeanor -- Circumstances -- Violations designated as civil infractions
(1) A violation of this chapter designated as an infraction is a misdemeanor, punishable under RCW 9.92.030, if the current violation is the person's third ...
79A.60.030 Operation of vessel in a negligent manner -- Penalty
A person shall not operate a vessel in a negligent manner. For the purposes of this section, to "operate in a negligent manner" means operating ...
79A.60.040 Operation of vessel in a reckless manner -- Operation of a vessel under the influence of intoxicating liquor -- Penalty
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a vessel in a reckless manner. (2) It shall be a violation for a person ...
79A.60.050 Homicide by watercraft -- Penalty
(1) When the death of any person ensues within three years as a proximate result of injury proximately caused by the operating of any vessel ...
79A.60.060 Assault by watercraft -- Penalty
(1) "Serious bodily injury" means bodily injury which involves a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function ...
79A.60.070 Conviction under RCW 79A.60.050 or 79A.60.060 -- Community supervision or community placement -- Conditions
A person convicted under RCW 79A.60.050 or 79A.60.060 shall, as a condition of community custody imposed under RCW 9.94A.545 or community placement imposed under RCW ...
79A.60.080 Failure to stop for law enforcement officer
Any operator of a vessel who willfully fails to stop when requested or signaled to do so by a person reasonably identifiable as a law ...
79A.60.090 Eluding a law enforcement vessel
Any operator of a vessel who willfully fails or refuses to immediately bring the vessel to a stop and who operates the vessel in a ...
79A.60.100 Enforcement -- Chapter to supplement federal law
(1) Every law enforcement officer of this state and its political subdivisions has the authority to enforce this chapter. Law enforcement officers may enforce recreational ...
79A.60.110 Equipment standards -- Rules -- Penalty
In addition to the equipment standards prescribed under this chapter, the commission shall adopt rules specifying equipment standards for vessels. Except where the violation is ...
79A.60.120 Tampering with vessel lights or signals -- Exhibiting false lights or signals -- Penalty
An operator or owner who endangers a vessel, or the persons on board the vessel, by showing, masking, extinguishing, altering, or removing any light or ...
79A.60.130 Muffler or underwater exhaust system required -- Exemptions -- Enforcement -- Penalty
(1) All motor-propelled vessels shall be equipped and maintained with an effective muffler that is in good working order and in constant use. For the ...
79A.60.140 Personal flotation devices -- Inspection and approval -- Rules
(1) The commission shall adopt rules providing for its inspection and approval of the personal flotation devices that may be used to satisfy the requirements ...
79A.60.150 Failure of vessel to contain required equipment -- Liability of operator or owner -- Penalty
If an infraction is issued under this chapter because a vessel does not contain the required equipment and if the operator is not the owner ...
79A.60.160 Personal flotation devices required -- Penalty
(1) No person may operate or permit the operation of a vessel on the waters of the state without a personal flotation device on board ...
79A.60.170 Water skiing safety -- Requirements
(1) The purpose of this section is to promote safety in water skiing on the waters of Washington state, provide a means of ensuring safe ...
79A.60.180 Loading or powering vessel beyond safe operating ability -- Penalties
(1) A person shall not load or permit to be loaded a vessel with passengers or cargo beyond its safe carrying ability or carry passengers ...
79A.60.190 Operation of personal watercraft -- Prohibited activities -- Penalties
(1) A person shall not operate a personal watercraft unless each person aboard the personal watercraft is wearing a personal flotation device approved by the ...
79A.60.200 Duty of operator involved in collision, accident, or other casualty -- Immunity from liability of persons rendering assistance -- Penalties
(1) The operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident, or other casualty, to the extent the operator can do so without serious danger ...
79A.60.210 Casualty and accident reports -- Confidentiality -- Use as evidence
(1) All reports made to the commission pursuant to RCW 79A.60.200 and 79A.05.310 shall be without prejudice to the person who makes the report and ...
79A.60.220 Boating accident reports by local government agencies -- Investigation -- Report of coroner
Law enforcement authorities, fire departments, or search and rescue units of any city or county government shall provide to the commission a report, prepared by ...
79A.60.230 Vessels adrift -- Owner to be notified
Any person taking up any vessel found adrift, and out of the custody of the owner, in waters of this state, shall forthwith notify the ...
79A.60.240 Notice -- Contents -- Service
Such notice as is required by RCW 79A.60.230 shall be given personally, or in writing; if in writing, it shall be served upon the owner, ...
79A.60.250 Posting of notice
(1) In all cases where the notice required by RCW 79A.60.230 is not given personally, it shall be the duty of the taker-up to post ...
79A.60.260 Compensation -- Liability on failure to give notice
Every person taking up any vessel so found adrift, and giving the notice herein required, shall be entitled to receive from the owner claiming the ...
79A.60.270 Disputed claims -- Trial -- Bond
In case the parties cannot agree on the amount to be paid the taker-up, or the ownership, and the sum claimed is less than one ...
79A.60.280 Liability for excessive or negligent use
In case the taker-up shall use the vessel, more than is necessary to put it into a place of safety, he or she shall be ...
79A.60.290 Unclaimed vessel -- Procedure
In case such vessel is of less value than one hundred dollars, and is not claimed within three months, the taker-up may apply to a ...
79A.60.300 Vessels secured pursuant to chapter 79A.65 RCW
The provisions of RCW 79A.60.230 through 79A.60.290 do not apply to vessels secured pursuant to chapter 79A.65 RCW.[2000 c 11 § 103; 1994 c 51 ...
79A.60.400 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Purpose
The purpose of RCW 79A.60.440 through 79A.60.480 is to further the public interest, welfare, and safety by providing for the protection and promotion of safety ...
79A.60.410 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Whitewater river outfitter's license required
(1) No person shall act in the capacity of a paid whitewater river outfitter, or advertise in any newspaper or magazine or any other trade ...
79A.60.420 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Conduct constituting misdemeanor
Except as provided in RCW 79A.60.480, the commission of a prohibited act or the omission of a required act under RCW 79A.60.430 through 79A.60.480 constitutes ...
79A.60.430 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Safety requirements
(1) While carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers in this state, the licensed whitewater river outfitter shall comply with the following requirements at the ...
79A.60.440 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Operation of vessel -- Exemptions
(1) No person may operate any vessel carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers in a manner that interferes with other vessels or with the ...
79A.60.450 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Use of alcohol prohibited -- Vessel to be accompanied by vessel with licensed outfitter
(1) Whitewater river outfitters and guides on any trip carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers of the state shall not allow the use of ...
79A.60.460 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Rights-of-way
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, vessels on whitewater rivers proceeding downstream have the right-of-way over vessels proceeding upstream. (2) In ...
79A.60.470 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Designation of whitewater river sections
Whitewater river sections include but are not limited to: (1) Green river above Flaming Geyser state park; (2) Klickitat river above the confluence with Summit ...
79A.60.480 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Whitewater river outfitter's license -- Application -- Fees -- Insurance -- Penalties -- State immune from civil actions arising from licensure
(1) The department of licensing may issue a whitewater river outfitter's license to an applicant who submits a completed application, pays the required fee, and ...
79A.60.485 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- Rules to implement RCW 79A.60.480 -- Fees
The department of licensing may adopt and enforce such rules, including the setting of fees, as may be consistent with and necessary to implement RCW ...
79A.60.490 Vessels carrying passengers for hire on whitewater rivers -- License sanction for certain convictions
Within five days after conviction for any of the provisions of RCW 79A.60.430 through 79A.60.480, the court shall forward a copy of the judgment to ...
79A.60.495 Designation as whitewater river -- Rules -- Schedule of fines
The commission shall adopt rules that designate as whitewater rivers all sections of rivers with at least one class III rapid or greater, as described ...
79A.60.498 Uniform regulation of business and professions act
The uniform regulation of business and professions act, chapter 18.235 RCW, governs unlicensed practice, the issuance and denial of licenses, and the discipline of licensees ...
79A.60.500 Uniform waterway marking system
The parks and recreation commission is hereby directed to develop and adopt rules establishing a uniform waterway marking system for waters of the state not ...
79A.60.510 Findings -- Sewage disposal initiative established -- Boater environmental education -- Waterway access facilities
The legislature finds that the waters of Washington state provide a unique and valuable recreational resource to large and growing numbers of boaters. Proper stewardship ...
79A.60.520 Identification and designation of polluted and environmentally sensitive areas
The commission, in consultation with the departments of ecology, fish and wildlife, natural resources, social and health services, and the Puget Sound partnership shall conduct ...
79A.60.530 Designation of marinas, boat launches, or boater destinations for installation of sewage pumpout or dump units
(1) A marina which meets one or more of the following criteria shall be designated by the commission as appropriate for installation of a sewage ...
79A.60.540 Contracts for financial assistance -- Ownership of sewage pumpout or dump unit -- Ongoing costs
(1) Marinas and boat launches designated as appropriate for installation of a sewage pumpout or dump unit under RCW 79A.60.530 shall be eligible for funding ...
79A.60.550 Development by department of ecology of design, installation, and operation of sewage pumpout and dump units -- Rules
The department of ecology, in consultation with the commission, shall, for initiation of the statewide program only, develop criteria for the design, installation, and operation ...
79A.60.560 Boater environmental education program
The commission shall undertake a statewide boater environmental education program concerning the effects of boat wastes. The boater environmental education program shall provide informational materials ...
79A.60.570 Grants for environmental education or boat waste management planning
The commission shall award grants to local government entities for boater environmental education or boat waste management planning. Grants shall be allocated according to criteria ...
79A.60.580 Review of programs by commission
The commission shall, in consultation with interested parties, review progress on installation of sewage pumpout and dump units, the boater environmental education program, and the ...
79A.60.590 Allocation of funds
The amounts allocated in accordance with *RCW 82.49.030(3) shall be expended upon appropriation in accordance with the following limitations: (1) Thirty percent of the funds ...
79A.60.595 Commission to adopt rules
The commission shall adopt rules as are necessary to carry out all sections of chapter 393, Laws of 1989 except for RCW 79A.60.550 and 82.49.030. ...
79A.60.600 Liquid petroleum gas leak warning devices -- Findings
(1) The legislature finds that: (a) Washington state has the greatest length of marine shoreline miles of the lower forty-eight states; (b) Such marine waters ...
79A.60.610 Recreational boating fire prevention education program
The commission shall undertake a statewide recreational boating fire prevention education program concerning the safe use of marine fuels and electrical systems. The boating fire ...
79A.60.620 Small spill prevention education program
(1) The Washington sea grant program, in consultation with the department of ecology, shall develop and conduct a voluntary spill prevention education program that targets ...
79A.60.630 Boating safety education--Commission's duties--Fee -- Report to the legislature
(1) The commission shall establish and implement by rule a program to provide required boating safety education. The boating safety education program shall include training ...
79A.60.640 Requirements to operate motor driven boats/vessels--Exemptions--Penalty
(1) No person shall operate or permit the operation of motor driven boats and vessels with a mechanical power of fifteen horsepower or greater unless ...
79A.60.650 Boating safety education certification account
The boating safety education certification account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from fees collected for the issuance of a ...
79A.60.660 Operating motor driven boat or vessel for teak surfing, platform dragging, bodysurfing -- Prohibition -- Exceptions -- Penalty
(1) No person may operate a motor driven boat or vessel or have the engine of a motor driven boat or vessel run idle while ...
79A.60.670 Boating activities program -- Boating activities advisory committee -- Adoption of rules
(1) The boating activities program is created in the *interagency committee for outdoor recreation. (2) The *interagency committee for outdoor recreation shall distribute moneys appropriated ...
79A.60.680 Study of boater needs -- Funding recommendations
(1) By December 1, 2007, the *interagency committee for outdoor recreation shall complete an initial study of boater needs and make recommendations to the appropriate ...
79A.60.690 Boating activities account
The boating activities account is created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may ...

Last modified: April 7, 2009