Title HNC, California Harb. & Nav. Code

When steam vessels will inevitably or necessarily cross so near that by continuing their respective courses, there would be a risk of collision, each shall give right rudder, so as always to pass on the port side of the other. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

The rules of this article do not apply to any case for which a different rule is provided by the regulations concerning lights upon steam vessels, or for the government of pilots of steam vessels approaching each other within the sound of the steam-whistle or other audible signal…

The board of supervisors of each county may, when public convenience for the purpose of commerce requires it, cause to be located and opened a towpath, not exceeding ten feet in width, along the banks of any navigable stream within the county. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

In order to locate and open a towpath, the same proceedings shall be taken as are required by law to be taken in the respective counties of this State for the purpose of locating and opening public highways. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

The owner of any land over which a towpath is located and opened shall not be deprived of the water frontage. He has the free use and enjoyment of his land, subject only to the right of the public to use it for the purposes of commerce. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

It is not necessary to construct or maintain fences on either side of any towpath, but the board of supervisors may make all necessary regulations for the government and management of towpaths, and may provide for the erection of gates and for the full and complete protection of …

The sheriff of each county shall give all possible aid and assistance to vessels stranded on its coast, and to the persons on board. He shall exert himself to save and preserve such persons, vessels, and their cargoes, and all goods and merchandise which may be cast by the sea up…

Wrecked property may be kept or reclaimed at the time of the wreck by the owner, consignee, or other person entitled to possession; but if any person has a just claim for salvage and necessary expenses incurred in saving it, the claim shall be paid before the property can be recl…

The sheriff of any county in which any wrecked property is found, when no person entitled to possession appears, shall take possession of it in the name of the people, cause its value to be appraised by disinterested persons, and keep it in some safe place to answer the owner’s c…

If wrecked property is in a perishable state, the sheriff shall apply to the judge of the superior court, upon a verified petition, for an order authorizing the sheriff to sell it. If the judge is satisfied that a sale of the property would be beneficial to the persons interested…

If, within 90 days after wrecked property is found, any person claims the property, or its proceeds, and establishes his or her claim by evidence satisfactory to the judge of the superior court, the judge shall make an order directing the officer in whose possession the property …

Before making the order, the judge shall require from the claimant a bond to the people to be approved by the judge and filed with the clerk of the court, in a penalty double the value of the property or proceeds. The bond shall be conditioned upon the payment of all damages that…

If the bond becomes forfeited, the judge of the superior court, upon the application, supported by proof of the person entitled to its benefit shall make an order for its prosecution for such person’s benefit, and at his risk and expense. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

The rejection by the judge of any claim shall not preclude the claimant from maintaining an action against the officer for the recovery of the property or its proceeds. If the plaintiff prevails, there shall be deducted from the damages, in addition to salvage and expenses, all t…

If, within 60 days after saving wrecked property, no claimant of the property appears, or, if within 60 days after a claim, the salvage and expenses are not paid, or a suit for the recovery of the property is not commenced, the officer who has custody of the property may sell it …

Public notice of every sale of wrecked property under the provisions of this article shall be published by the officer making the sale for at least two weeks in succession in one or more newspapers printed in the county, or if none is printed in the county, then by written or pri…

Every sheriff into whose possession any wrecked property comes, shall forthwith cause to be published for at least two weeks in succession, in one or more of the newspapers printed in this State, a notice directed to all persons interested. The notice shall contain a minute descr…

The expense of publishing notices under the provisions of this article is a charge upon the property or proceeds to which it relates. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

(a) Any hulk, derelict, wreck, or parts of any ship, vessel, or other watercraft sunk, beached, or allowed to remain in an unseaworthy or dilapidated condition upon publicly owned submerged lands, salt marsh, or tidelands within the corporate limits of any municipal corporation o…

(a) A peace officer, as described in Section 663, or a lifeguard or marine safety officer employed by a county, city, or district while engaged in the performance of official duties, may remove a vessel from, and, if necessary, store a vessel removed from, a public waterway under…

(a) Any peace officer, as described in Section 663, may store any vessel removed from private property when the vessel is found on, or attached to, private property and a report has previously been made that the vessel has been stolen or a complaint has been filed and a warrant t…

(a) Except for the urgent and immediate concern for the safety of those aboard a vessel, a person shall not abandon a vessel upon a public waterway or public or private property without the express or implied consent of the owner or person in lawful possession or control of the p…

(a) On or before January 1, 2005, the department shall submit recommendations to the Legislature on strategies to prevent recreational vessels from being abandoned and to facilitate the ability of owners to turn in their recreational vessels to public agencies for disposal in lie…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any wrecked property that is an unseaworthy derelict or hulk, abandoned property as described in Section 522, or property removed from a navigable waterway pursuant to Section 523 or 524 that is an unseaworthy derelict or hulk, may …

For purposes of this article, “surrendered vessel” means a recreational vessel that the verified titleholder has willingly surrendered to a willing public agency under both of the following conditions: (a) The public agency has determined, in its sole discretion, that the vessel …

It is the intent of the Legislature that a sum of not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000) be appropriated from the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund to the Abandoned Watercraft Abatement Fund for grants to local agencies pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of …

A district created under this part is a public corporation created for municipal purposes. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

It has perpetual succession. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

It may sue and be sued. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

It may adopt a seal. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

It may take by grant, purchase, gift, devise or lease or otherwise acquire and hold and enjoy, and lease or dispose of, real and personal property of every kind, within or without the district, necessary to the full or convenient exercise of its powers. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, C…

A district may acquire, purchase, takeover, construct, maintain, operate, develop, and regulate wharves, docks, warehouses, grain elevators, bunkering facilities, belt railroads, floating plants, lighterage, lands, towage facilities, and any and all other facilities, aids, or pub…

It may exercise the right of eminent domain to take any property necessary to carry out any of the objects or purposes of the district. (Amended by Stats. 1975, Ch. 582.)

It may incur indebtedness and issue bonds or other evidence of indebtedness for its purposes. If any bonds issued for port improvement purposes by any part of a district prior to its creation are refunded, the refunding bonds are a lien only upon the lands upon which the original…

It may levy and collect or cause to be levied or collected taxes as in this part provided. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

It has exclusive jurisdiction over, and it may provide for and supervise pilots and the pilotage of sea-going vessels from the end of jurisdiction of existing pilot authorities to points lying upon any navigable waterway project of the United States, entering the district. (Enact…

It may contribute money to the Federal or the State Government or to the county in which it is located or to any city within the district, for the purpose of defraying the whole or a portion of the cost and expenses of work and improvement to be performed, either within or withou…

A district may do any work or make any improvement within or without the territorial limits of the district, which will aid in the development or the improvement of navigation or commerce to or within the district. (Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 195, Sec. 19.)

A district may enact necessary police regulations providing for control of any waterway project of the United States, entering the district, and adopt rules and regulations concerning the construction of wharves, docks, buildings, and improvements of all types, contemplated. (Add…

(a) This section is applicable only within the Santa Cruz Port District. The Legislature finds and declares that this section is necessary to meet a serious danger to the public safety within the Santa Cruz Port District caused by surfriding activities within the harbor entrance …

A district may provide for the opening and laying out of streets leading to the waterfront. (Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 195, Sec. 21.)

A district may regulate and control the construction, maintenance, and operation or use of all wharves, warehouses, structures, improvements, or appliances used in connection with or for the accommodation and promotion of transportation or navigation on any improvement project of…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any port district which has received, or is receiving, money pursuant to the provisions of Division 1 (commencing with Section 30) for the construction or improvement of a small craft harbor or facilities in connection therewith, may en…

It may fix, regulate and collect the rates or charges for the use of wharves, warehouses, vessels, railroads and other facilities, structures and appliances owned, controlled or operated by it, in connection with or for the promotion and accommodation of transportation or navigat…

It may lay out, plan and establish the general plan and system of harbor and harbor district improvements and modify the plan and prescribe the specifications for such improvements. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)

It may perform the functions of warehousemen, stevedores, lighterers, reconditioners, shippers and reshippers of properties of all kinds. (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 368.)