Laws and Safety Equipment

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Chapter Two: Georgia 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

• State Marine Patrol Officers (game warden, DNR officer, etc.) –Responsible for enforcement within the geographical boundaries of a particular state.
• County or City marine officers (may be fire or police departments)– responsible for enforcement within the geographical boundaries of a particular County or City.
• USCG – Responsible for federal boating regulation and enforcement on all federal navigable waters.

If stopped by a law enforcement or marine patrol officer, slow down and bring your boat to a stop if it is safe to do so. Once stopped, wait for further directions from the officer. Generally, the officer will maneuver the patrol boat to you.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Mission Statement
To sustain, enhance, protect, and conserve Georgia's natural, historic, and cultural resources for present and future generations, while promoting the development of commerce and industry that use sound environmental practices.

It is the policy of this state to promote safety for persons and property in and connected with the use, operation, and equipment of vessels and to promote the uniformity of laws relating thereto.

Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section 2070 US Highway 278 SE Social Circle, GA  30025

EDUCATION Phone:  770.784.3068 Fax:  770.784.3061

TITLING & REGISTRATION Building 10 Suite 108 2189 Northlake Parkway Tucker, GA  30084 Phone:  770.414.3337 Fax: 770.414.3344

Definitions

'Blind point' means a natural or man-made obstruction which prevents the operator of a vessel from seeing vessels approaching from the opposite side of the obstruction, thus creating a safety hazard which could result in a boating accident.

'Hazardous area' means any area which the commissioner has designated as such because of conditions which create a threat to the safety and welfare of boaters who may operate in such area.

'Idle speed' means a slow speed maintained by the operator of a mechanically propelled vessel reached by engaging the engine of the vessel into said speed by reducing the throttle to a minimum.

'Mechanically propelled vessel' means, for the purpose of determining fire extinguisher requirements, those vessels propelled by machinery using a volatile liquid for fuel.

'Nonmotorized vessel' means any vessel other than a sailboat which has no motor attached in a manner to make it readily available for operation.

'No wake' means that the wake or wash created by the movement of the vessel through the water is minimal.

'Operate' means to navigate or otherwise use a vessel which is not at anchor or moored, including vessels which are being paddled, are drifting, or are being powered by machinery.

'Operator' means the person who operates or has charge of the navigation or use of a vessel.

'Power boat' means any boat, vessel, or water-going craft which is propelled by mechanical rather than manual means whether or not such propulsion device forms an integral part of the structure thereof.

Protected fresh waters' means the waters of Lake Allatoona, Lake Blackshear, Clarks Hill Lake, Hartwell Lake, Lake Sidney Lanier, Lake Oconee, Lake Seminole, Lake Sinclair, Russell Lake, Walter F. George Reservoir, and West Point Lake.

'Sailboard' means any sailboat whose unsupported mast is connected by a swivel or a flexible universal joint to a hull similar to the hull of a surfboard.

'Vessel' means every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water or a sailboard, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water and specifically includes, but is not limited to, inflatable rafts; provided, however, relating to rules of the road for boat traffic, shall be applicable to sailboards.

'Waters of this state' means any waters within the territorial limits of this state and the marginal sea adjacent to this state and the high seas when navigated as a part of a journey or ride to or from the shore of this state. This definition shall not include privately owned ponds or lakes not open to the public.

GEORGIA LAW ENFORCEMENT

Law enforcement officers of the Georgia DNR shall have the authority to stop and board any vessel subject to the Georgia boating laws or any such regulation for the purpose of inspection or determining compliance with this article and is empowered to issue a summons for appearance in court or before a magistrate for all violations of this article or of the rules and regulations prescribed hereunder. Vessels of law enforcement personnel shall be marked to identify them as designated enforcement vessels.

An officer empowered to enforce this article shall have the power:

• To arrest on view for any violation relating to boating and all rules and regulations prescribed by the board under this article;
• To execute all warrants and search warrants for violations of the boat laws and regulations;
• To serve subpoenas issued for the examination, investigation, and trial of all offenses against the laws and regulations relating to boats;
• To board vessels in use, for purposes of examining any documents and safety equipment, and to search without warrant any vessel which is not at its regular mooring or berth when he believes that any law of this state or any rule or regulation of the Board of Natural Resources relating to boating has been violated;
• To board vessels in use or floating, whether moored or not, for purposes of examining any marine toilets, holding tanks, and documents related to them, including records of pump-out and certificates of compliance, and to search without warrant any such vessel to determine compliance with the provisions of this article related to marine toilets when the officer believes that any of said provisions of this article relating to marine toilets have been violated;
• To detain the vessel and arrest the operator of a suspected stolen vessel;
• To enter upon any land or water in the performance of his duty;
• To demand and secure proper assistance in case of emergency;
• To exercise the powers and duties of peace officers; and
• To investigate any boating accident which occurs on the waters of this state.

Every vessel subject to this article if underway and upon being hailed by a designated law enforcement officer shall stop immediately and lay to or shall maneuver in such a way as to permit the officer to come aboard.

Any person employed or elected by this state or a political subdivision thereof, whose duty it is to preserve the peace or to make arrests or to enforce the law, including, but not limited to, members of the sheriffs´ departments, state patrolmen, and conservation rangers, are empowered to enforce this article. The Department of Natural Resources shall be primarily responsible for enforcement.

It shall be unlawful for any person to resist or interfere by force, menace, threat, or in any other manner with any arrest for violation of this article. It shall also be unlawful for any person to refuse to go with any law enforcement officer of this state after an arrest has been made or to interfere with the officer in the performance of his duty.