Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 268 - Boating
Section 15-141. - Definitions.

As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires: “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection; “vessel” means every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, exclusive of any such watercraft used primarily for purposes of transporting commercial cargo; “motorboat” means any watercraft fitted with propulsion machinery, whether or not such machinery is the principal source of propulsion; “horsepower” means the rated brake horsepower of an engine at maximum operating revolutions per minute; “operate” means to navigate or otherwise use a vessel; “person” means any individual, partnership, firm, association, limited liability company, corporation or other entity; “owner” means a person, other than a lien holder, having property in or title to a vessel. The term includes a person entitled to use or possession of a vessel subject to an interest in another person reserved or created by agreement and securing payment or performance of an obligation, but the term excludes a lessee under a lease not intended as security; “marine dealer” means a person engaged in the business of manufacturing, selling or repairing new or used vessels; “marine engine manufacturer” means a person engaged in the business of manufacturing, selling or repairing marine engines; “marine engine” means an engine manufactured for use or used in vessels; “marine surveyor” means a person who is certified by the National Association of Marine Surveyors or accredited by the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors and who is engaged in the business of inspection, survey or examination of vessels or associated equipment to assess, monitor and report on the condition of the vessel or associated equipment; “yacht broker” means a marine dealer, as defined in this section, who, for compensation or an expectation of compensation, sells or negotiates to sell or offers to sell, buys or offers to buy, solicits or obtains listings of or negotiates the purchase, sale or exchange of vessels, but who is not an owner of such vessels; “federal Boat Safety Act of 1971” means an Act of Congress approved August 10, 1971, Public Law 92-75; and “boat livery” means a business that is engaged in the commercial rental of vessels, including, but not limited to, personal watercraft.

(1961, P.A. 506, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 384; P.A. 73-257, S. 7, 27; P.A. 74-302, S. 1, 3; P.A. 81-423, S. 2, 25; P.A. 82-472, S. 47, 183; P.A. 94-188, S. 27; P.A. 95-79, S. 46, 189; P.A. 08-26, S. 7; P.A. 09-105, S. 1; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)
History: 1971 act replaced definition of “commission” with definition of “commissioner”; P.A. 73-257 defined “Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971”; P.A. 74-302 redefined “marine dealer” to include repairers of boats; P.A. 81-423 added definition of “vessel” and substituted “vessel” for “motorboat” wherever appropriate; P.A. 82-472 made technical corrections; P.A. 94-188 added definitions of “marine engine manufacturer” and “marine engine”; P.A. 95-79 redefined “person” to include a limited liability company, effective May 31, 1995; P.A. 08-26 added definition of “boat livery”; P.A. 09-105 redefined “marine dealer” and “marine engine manufacturer” and defined “yacht broker”, effective July 1, 2009; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection”, effective July 1, 2011.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes

Connecticut General Statutes

Title 15 - Navigation and Aeronautics

Chapter 268 - Boating

Section 15-121. - Administrative procedure.

Section 15-122 and 15-123. - Appointment and organization of commission. Director; employees.

Section 15-124. - Investigations. Hearings.

Section 15-125. - Appeal from action of Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection or Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.

Section 15-126. - Determination of validity of regulations.

Section 15-127. - Definitions.

Section 15-128. - Lights.

Section 15-129. - Safety and equipment requirements for vessels. Regulation of motorboat noise.

Section 15-129a. - Required and authorized lights.

Section 15-130. - Modification or suspension of requirements.

Section 15-130a. - Powers of officers re vessel in unsafe condition.

Section 15-131. - Rules for preventing collisions.

Section 15-132. - Procedure in case of collision or accident.

Section 15-132a. - Manslaughter in the second degree with a vessel.

Section 15-133. - Rules for safe operation. Operation of vessel while under the influence of liquor or drugs. Penalties. Records of conviction.

Section 15-133a. - Safety controls on the Housatonic River.

Section 15-133b. - Boating safety certificate for certain minors. Owners prohibited from permitting operation without certificate, when.

Section 15-133c. - When boating safety certificate required upon violation of safety rules.

Section 15-134. - Water skiing. Jumps and courses for skiers and vessels.

Section 15-135. - Position of scuba divers to be marked. Safe operating distance for vessels.

Section 15-136. - Ordinances and regulations.

Section 15-136a. - Compliance with certain engine size requirements.

Section 15-137. - Enforcement.

Section 15-138. - Publication of laws, regulations and ordinances.

Section 15-139. - Penalties.

Section 15-140. - Special acts and ordinances superseded.

Section 15-140a. - Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection as attorney for service of process on nonresident.

Section 15-140b. - Marine parades, regattas, races, tournaments or exhibitions. Warning devices. Penalty.

Section 15-140c. - Abandonment of vessel. Parties with standing. Abandoned vessel procedures. Online process. Hazardous waste designation. Violation; fine; exception.

Section 15-140d. - Obstruction to navigation or public use of waters prohibited. Remedies.

Section 15-140e. - Safe boating certificate. Safe water skiing endorsement.

Section 15-140f. - Courses in safe boating operation. Safe water skiing instruction. Regulations. Reciprocity.

Section 15-140g. - Safe boating certificate to be carried on board vessel. Penalty.

Section 15-140h. - Operation of vessel by person less than twelve years of age. Operation of vessel engaged in water skiing by person less than sixteen years of age.

Section 15-140i. - Suspension of certificate of boating operation. Regulations.

Section 15-140j. - Certificate of personal watercraft operation. Operation of personal watercraft with passengers. Operation of jetted articulated vessels. Regulations.

Section 15-140k. - Reckless operation of a vessel in the first degree.

Section 15-140l. - Reckless operation of a vessel in the first degree while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs.

Section 15-140m. - Reckless operation of a vessel in the second degree.

Section 15-140n. - Reckless operation of a vessel in the second degree while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs.

Section 15-140o. - Seizure of vessel.

Section 15-140p. - Fines deposited in Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.

Section 15-140q. - *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Consent for chemical analysis. Suspension of safe boating certificate. Procedures. Hearing on suspension. Penalties for conviction. Elevated blood alcohol content define...

Section 15-140r. - *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Evidence of alcohol or drugs in blood or urine.

Section 15-140s. - Seizure and admissibility of chemical analysis of blood or urine sample of injured operator.

Section 15-140t. - Immunity of person taking sample.

Section 15-140u. - Blood sample of body of deceased person.

Section 15-140v. - Reinstatement of safe boating certificate, right to operate vessel or certificate of personal watercraft operation. Regulations.

Section 15-141. - Definitions.

Section 15-142. - Vessel numbering requirements. Certain vessels required to display registration decals.

Section 15-143. - Exceptions to numbering and registration requirements.

Section 15-144. - Vessel registration number or registration decal. Schedule of fees payable to Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Regulations. Penalty.

Section 15-144a. - Provision of information re registrants to tax assessors.

Section 15-145. - Marine dealer's, marine engine manufacturer's and marine surveyor's registration numbers. Regulations. Fees. Availability and renewal of certificates. Use of vessels. Restrictions.

Section 15-145a. - Marine dealer's registration numbers for boat trailers.

Section 15-145b. - Operation of a vessel registered with a marine dealer registration number by holder of passenger-for-hire license and party or charter fishing vessel registration.

Section 15-146. - Notice of change of address.

Section 15-147. - Termination of certificate of number upon transfer, destruction or abandonment of vessel.

Section 15-148. - Duplicate certificate.

Section 15-149. - Accident reports.

Section 15-149a. - Reporting of accidents. Responsibilities of towboat operators.

Section 15-149b. - Reporting of accidents involving death, injury or disappearance. Report of interviews.

Section 15-150. - Rental of vessels. Boat livery requirements.

Section 15-150a. - Any facility mooring or storing vessels required to maintain record of vessels not registered in Connecticut.

Section 15-151. - Records of Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Remission and report of fees.

Section 15-152. - False statement, penalty.

Section 15-153. - Alteration or defacing of certificate of number or registration or alteration, removal or obliteration of number displayed on vessel.

Section 15-154. - Enforcement. Refusal to stop vessel or take vessel to designated area. Rules for avoiding interference with operation of law enforcement vessel or fire rescue vessel. Penalties.

Section 15-154a. - Town marine officers and auxiliaries.

Section 15-154b. - Violation on waters between towns.

Section 15-154c. - Attachment of property of town marine officer prohibited.

Section 15-155. - Distribution of revenue received in fees for numbering and registration of vessels. Boating account.

Section 15-155a and 15-155b. - Annual report of receipts from vessel registration fees and payments therefrom. State distribution of revenue from fees for vessel registration.

Section 15-155c. - Registration fees collected in 1982 exceeding amounts distributed to Boating Fund and towns to be allowed as credits against fees payable in 1983.

Section 15-155d and 15-155e. - Annual report re boating account. State distribution of revenue from fees for vessel registration.

Section 15-156. - Penalties. Operation of vessel while safe boating certificate or certificate of personal watercraft operation refused, suspended or revoked. Jurisdiction. Return of certificate to commissioner.

Section 15-157. - Special acts and ordinances superseded.

Section 15-170. - Discharge of sewage from vessels: Definitions.

Section 15-171. - Discharge within no discharge zone prohibited.

Section 15-172. - Provision of pump-out facilities.

Section 15-173. - Docking facility in violation of requirement or order deemed public nuisance. Civil and criminal penalties for violations.

Section 15-174. - Regulations.

Section 15-175. - Penalty for misuse of or failure to equip vessel with marine sanitation device.

Section 15-176. - Reasonable time for compliance with requirement or order.

Section 15-180. - Transporting vessel or trailer without inspecting for and properly removing and disposing of vegetation and aquatic invasive species. Penalty.