Sec. 15-134. Water skiing. Jumps and courses for skiers and vessels. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 15-134. Water skiing. Jumps and courses for skiers and vessels. (a) No person shall operate a motorboat towing a water skier unless there is present in such motorboat, in addition to the operator, a responsible person at least twelve years of age assisting the operator and observing the progress of such water skier.

      (b) No person shall engage in water skiing and no person shall operate a motorboat towing a person so engaged on any water area on which water skiing is prohibited.

      (c) No person shall engage in water skiing from one-half hour after sunset until sunrise or when weather conditions restrict normal visibility to less than one hundred yards.

      (d) No person shall engage in water skiing in such manner as to strike or threaten to strike any person or vessel and no person shall operate a motorboat or manipulate a tow line or other towing device in such manner as to cause a water skier to strike or threaten to strike another person or vessel.

      (e) The commissioner may modify or suspend the provisions of this section in respect to any person performing or competing in a bona fide race, regatta, water carnival or similar public event.

      (f) (1) No individual, municipality, association or corporation shall place or cause to be placed on the waters of this state any marked course or jump ramp for use by any water skier or vessel without written authorization of the commissioner except on lakes or ponds owned by, and whose access is entirely under the control of, private landowners or lessees who all agree to the establishment of such course or ramp. On and after October 1, 1993, no new authorization shall be granted on any body of water with a surface area less than one hundred acres. Application for authorization shall be made on forms provided by the commissioner and shall be accompanied by: (A) A detailed map showing the proposed location of such marked course or jump ramp, (B) a detailed diagram of the proposed course markers or jump ramp, and (C) a detailed statement addressing the safety and environmental impact of such proposal.

      (2) The commissioner shall hold an informational meeting in the town or one of the towns in which authorization is sought, giving all towns involved and all interested persons an opportunity to present their views regarding the proposed marked course or jump ramp. Any such informational meeting shall not be deemed to be a hearing under the provisions of chapter 54. Prior to issuing or denying such authorization the commissioner shall consider: (A) The completeness, accuracy and detail of the application, (B) public safety, (C) any environmental impacts directly related to the proposed marked course or jump ramp, and (D) the possible conflicts with other water uses.

      (3) Any authorization issued by the commissioner pursuant to this subsection may contain such conditions as the commissioner deems necessary to safeguard public safety, welfare or the environment.

      (1961, P.A. 520, S. 14; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 379; P.A. 73-257, S. 5, 27; P.A. 76-381, S. 24; P.A. 83-285, S. 3; P.A. 93-238, S. 1; P.A. 03-244, S. 15; P.A. 04-109, S. 2.)

      History: 1971 act replaced "commission", i.e. boating commission, with "commissioner", i.e. commissioner of environmental protection; P.A. 73-257 deleted reference to operation of boat towing skier in Subsec. (c) and changed prohibition from one hour to one-half hour after sunset and included in prohibition skiing when visibility less than one hundred yards; P.A. 76-381 inserted new Subsec. (e) making violation an infraction and relettered former Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (f); P.A. 83-285 repealed Subsec. (e) which had made violation of Subsecs. (a), (b) and (d) an infraction, relettering former Subsec. (f) accordingly; P.A. 93-238 added Subsec. (f) re jumps and courses for skiers and vessels; P.A. 03-244 amended Subsec. (f) to add "municipality" in Subdiv. (1), change requirement of a public hearing to an informational meeting in Subdiv. (2) and add Subdiv. (3) re conditions contained in commissioner's authorization; P.A. 04-109 amended Subsec. (f)(2) to make a technical change, effective May 21, 2004.