§ 15-127 — Definitions.

As used in this part unless the context otherwise requires: “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection; “federal waters” means the navigable waters of the United States within the territorial limits of the state; “state waters” means all waters within the territorial limits of the state except federal waters; “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; “motorboat” means any vessel, not more than sixty-five feet in length and propelled by machinery, whether or not such machinery is the principal source of propulsion; “sailboat” means any vessel propelled by sail alone; “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; “water skiing” includes towing of any person behind a vessel under power, whether such person is connected by a towing line to such vessel or not, and similar forms of activity in which a passenger exits a vessel and uses the suction or wake of the underway vessel to engage in the activity; “operate” means to navigate or otherwise use a vessel; a vessel is “under way” when it is not moored, anchored, made fast to the shore or aground; “person” means any individual, partnership, firm, association, limited liability company, corporation or other entity; “town” includes city, town, borough and any other political subdivision of the state; “masthead light” means a white light placed over the fore and aft centerline of the vessel aft of and higher than the side lights and forward of the stern light showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 225 degrees and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side of the vessel; “side light” means a green light on the starboard side or a red light on the port side, placed forward of the stern light and as near as practicable to the bow of the vessel, each showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 112.5 degrees and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on its respective side, except that on a vessel of less than twenty meters in length the side lights may be combined in one lantern carried on the fore and aft centerline of the vessel; “stern light” means a white light placed as near as practicable to the stern showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 135 degrees and so fixed as to show the light 67.5 degrees from right aft on each side of the vessel; “all-around light” means a light showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon 360 degrees; “anchor light” means an all-around white light exhibited forward and displayed where it can best be seen; “international regulations” means the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, including annexes currently in force for the United States; and “jetted articulated vessel” or “JAV” means any vessel that consists of a base pumping unit used to generate water or other media under pressure, an articulated hose used to convey media under pressure or a jointed or flexible conduit used to convey such media and a device through which high-pressure media is ejected for the purpose of propelling, elevating or submerging an operator or passenger.

Legislative History

(1961, P.A. 520, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 171, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 374; P.A. 73-257, S. 3, 27; P.A. 83-50, S. 1, 3; P.A. 85-106, S. 1; P.A. 87-505, S. 5, 9; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11, S. 45, 70; P.A. 95-79, S. 45, 189; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 16-187, S. 1.) History: 1967 act replaced boating safety commission with boating commission and redefined motorboat to place 65-foot limit on length; 1971 act replaced definition of “commission” with definition of “commissioner”; P.A. 73-257 redefined “water-skiing” to include towing person behind vessel under power; P.A. 83-50 defined “sailboard”; P.A. 85-106 defined “masthead light”, “side light”, “stern light”, “all-around light”, “anchor light” and “international regulations” and deleted definition of federal regulations for preventing collisions at sea; P.A. 87-505 deleted an obsolete reference to Sec. 15-128 and inserted Sec. 15-129 in lieu thereof; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11 made a technical change; P.A. 95-79 redefined “person” to include a limited liability company, effective May 31, 1995; 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; P.A. 16-187 redefined “water skiing” and added provision defining “jetted articulated vessel” or “JAV”, effective June 9, 2016.