Title 61, Small Watercraft

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) “Board” means the State Marine Board. (2) “Boat” means every description of watercraft, including a seaplane on the water and not in flight, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on the water…

(1) ORS 830.005, 830.015 to 830.050, 830.175, 830.210 to 830.420 and 830.475 to 830.490 apply to all boats operated in the waters of this state. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, ORS 830.005, 830.015 to 830.050, 830.175, 830.210 to 830.420 and 830.475 to 830.490…

(1) Nothing in ORS 830.005, 830.015 to 830.050, 830.175, 830.210 to 830.420 and 830.475 to 830.490 is intended to affect the provisions of ORS 783.610, 830.060 to 830.140, 830.175 to 830.185, 830.700 to 830.715, 830.725, 830.730, 830.770, 830.780, 830.785, 830.795 to 830.820 or 8…

(1) The sheriff of each county and all other peace officers shall be responsible for the enforcement of this chapter and any regulations made by the State Marine Board pursuant thereto. In the exercise of this responsibility, a peace officer may stop any boat and direct it to a s…

(1) Any law enforcement agency within the State of Oregon that receives a report of a previously unreported stolen boat shall notify the State Marine Board within 72 hours after receiving the report. The report shall include all information concerning the theft and the boat invol…

No political subdivision of this state may enact or enforce any law contrary to the provisions of this chapter. [Formerly 488.028]

If any person finds a boat which is lost or adrift the person shall report the whereabouts of the boat to the owner or to any peace officer at the earliest possible time. [Formerly 488.124]

No person shall make or file, with intent to deceive, with any law enforcement agency a false or fraudulent report of the theft of a boat required to be numbered in the State of Oregon. [1999 c.550 §3]

(1) As used in this section, “invasive species” has the meaning given that term in ORS 570.755. (2) The State Marine Board shall administer a program designed to beautify and protect the state’s rivers through the removal of litter and invasive species. The program shall include …

If any provision of ORS 830.060 to 830.140, 830.700 to 830.715, 830.725, 830.730, 830.770, 830.780, 830.785, 830.795 to 830.820 and 830.830 to 830.870 conflicts with federal requirements so that the system of identifying numbers for boats devised by the State Marine Board is not …

The Boating Offense Compact is enacted into law and entered into on behalf of this state with all other states legally joining therein in a form substantially as follows: ______________________________________________________________________________ ARTICLE I Findings and Declara…

The State Marine Board shall establish and implement a program to provide mandatory boating safety education. [1999 c.716 §2; 2001 c.104 §310] Note: 830.082 to 830.094 were added to and made a part of ORS chapter 830 by legislative action but were not added to any smaller series …

In establishing the mandatory boating safety education program pursuant to ORS 830.082, the State Marine Board shall: (1) Set a minimum standard of boating safety education. The minimum standard shall be consistent with the applicable standard established or approved by the Natio…

A person may obtain a boating safety education card if the person: (1) Is at least 12 years of age; (2) Passes the boating safety course and examination described in ORS 830.084 (2), or the equivalency exam described in ORS 830.084 (3), or submits proof to the satisfaction of the…

A person 12 to 15 years of age who has obtained a boating safety education card may operate a motorboat with an engine of 10 horsepower or less. In addition, a person 12 to 15 years of age who has obtained a boating safety education card may operate a motorboat with an engine gre…

A person may operate a motorboat with an engine greater than 10 horsepower if the person: (1)(a) Is at least 16 years of age; and (b) Obtains a boating safety education card pursuant to ORS 830.086; or (2) Is accompanied by and under the direct supervision of a person 16 years of…

A boating safety education card is not required if a person: (1) Is at least 16 years of age and rents a motorboat with an engine greater than 10 horsepower and completes a required dockside safety checklist before operating the boat; (2) Possesses a current commercial fishing li…

A person operating a motorboat shall carry the person’s boating safety education card on the boat and shall present the card to a peace officer upon request by the peace officer. [1999 c.716 §8; 2003 c.14 §500; 2019 c.156 §6] Note: See note under 830.082.

In any proceeding for a violation of ORS 830.088, 830.090, 830.092 or 830.094, the court shall conditionally suspend all or part of the fine to be imposed on the defendant if the defendant appears personally and agrees to complete, at the defendant’s own expense, a boating safety…

It is the policy of this state to promote safety for persons and property in and connected with the use, operation and equipment of boats and to promote uniformity of laws relating thereto. [Formerly 488.710]

(1) There hereby is created the State Marine Board consisting of five members to be appointed by the Governor and to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. (2) Each member shall be a resident of this state, a citizen of the United States, and at the time of appointment shall have…

In addition to the powers and duties otherwise provided in this chapter, the State Marine Board shall have the power and duty to: (1) Make all rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. The rules shall be made in accordance with ORS chapter 183. (2) Devise a sys…

The State Marine Board shall at least once every three years conduct a survey of owners and others to determine, by county, the kinds of boating activity on the various waters of the state during different periods of the year. Boating activity in a county shall be determined by t…

The term of office of a member is four years beginning on July 1 of the year of appointment. A member shall continue to serve until a successor has been appointed and qualifies. Before a member’s term expires, the Governor shall appoint a successor to assume duties on July 1 at t…

Members of the State Marine Board are entitled to compensation and expenses as provided in ORS 292.495. [Formerly 488.845]

The State Marine Board shall select one of its members as chairperson and another as secretary, each of whom shall hold office for one year, or until the selection of a successor. Three members of the board constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The board shall meet…

(1) The State Marine Board shall appoint a State Marine Director who shall serve at the pleasure of the board. (2) The director shall devote full time to the duties of the office. With the approval of the board, the director shall: (a) Administer the numbering, certificating, rec…

(1) In addition to the powers and duties otherwise provided in this chapter, the State Marine Board shall have the power and duty to make grants from funds received through the Clean Vessel Act of 1992, 16 U.S.C. 777c and 777g, P.L. 102-587, and through the Boating Infrastructure…

(1) On or before the 10th day of each month, the State Marine Board shall pay into the State Treasury, except as provided in ORS 830.948, all moneys received by the board during the preceding calendar month. The State Treasurer shall credit the moneys to the Boating Safety, Law E…

(1) Amounts remaining in the Boating Safety, Law Enforcement and Facility Account in excess of funds obligated under ORS 830.140 (2) shall be distributed, upon application, to a federal agency, the state, a city, county, water improvement district, park and recreation district or…

A revolving fund not to exceed $2,500 may be established within the State Marine Board from funds available under section 1 (1), chapter 84, Oregon Laws 1991. This revolving fund may be used for payment of state claims appropriately authorized by the State Marine Board not to exc…

In addition to any other authority to promote safe boating pursuant to this chapter, the State Marine Board may cause the removal of any obstruction consisting of logs, rocks or other debris resulting from natural causes from the waters of this state if the board finds the obstru…

(1) In order to protect the public interest in the prudent and equitable use of the waters of this state and enhance the enjoyment of pleasure boating and other recreational water sports thereon, the State Marine Board shall establish and pursue comprehensive educational programs…

The State Marine Board is authorized to enter into bilateral, reciprocal agreements with other jurisdictions to provide mutual assistance in the disposition of boating offenses committed by residents of one jurisdiction while in the other jurisdiction. [1991 c.590 §4]

(1) In addition to those powers and duties set forth in ORS 830.110, the State Marine Board shall review county boat use permit programs, adopted by county ordinance, for approval or denial. (2) The board shall review county boat use permit programs under the following standards:…

(1) The State Marine Board, upon consideration of the size of a body of water and traffic conditions, may make special regulations consistent with the safety and the property rights of the public or when traffic conditions become such as to create excessive congestion, relating t…

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a person may not use a motor for propelling a boat or for any purpose on the following named waters of this state: ______________________________________________________________________________ Counties Lakes, Res…

(1) A person may not operate a boat with an outboard or inboard motor at a speed in excess of 10 miles per hour during those hours of the day and on those days of the year that it is lawful to fish, on East Lake, Paulina Lake and Elk Lake in Deschutes County; Magone Lake in Grant…

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a person may not use a motor to propel a boat on Waldo Lake or use a seaplane to land on or take off from Waldo Lake. (2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to the Department of State Police and any oth…

The governing body of a political subdivision of this state may apply to the State Marine Board for a temporary suspension of a speed restriction on a specific body of water within the territorial limits of the political subdivision and, after a hearing upon notice, the board may…

In addition to any other authority to regulate boating activities pursuant to this chapter, the State Marine Board may regulate and restrict boating activities to protect traditional boating uses and to prevent boating user conflicts. [Formerly 488.880]

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, it is unlawful to operate a boat on the waters of this state if a county requires a boat use permit to do so and the operator of the boat has not obtained the permit. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this se…

No person shall operate or give permission for another person to operate a boat which is not equipped as required under ORS 830.005, 830.015 to 830.050, 830.175, 830.210 to 830.420 and 830.475 to 830.490. [Formerly 488.024]

(1) All boats must carry at least one United States Coast Guard approved personal flotation device in good and serviceable condition for each person on board. Each device must be of an appropriate size for the person for whom it is intended and must be readily accessible whenever…

(1) Every motorboat shall carry on board, fully charged and in good condition fire extinguishers of a type required by the board by rule. (2) The State Marine Board shall make rules for fire extinguishers in accordance with ORS chapter 183. (3) When the board makes rules under th…

On all waters of the state, every boat shall carry and exhibit the lights required by rules promulgated by the State Marine Board. Such rules shall be designed to prevent collisions and generally promote boating safety. In promulgating such rules the board may consider lighting r…

(1) Each boat shall carry on board, in good and serviceable condition, sound signaling devices of a type required by the board by rule. (2) The board shall make rules for sound signaling devices in accordance with ORS chapter 183. (3) When the board makes rules under this section…

Carburetors on all engines of motorboats, other than outboard motors, shall be fitted with a U. S. Coast Guard approved device for arresting backfire. [Formerly 488.071]

(1) Motorboats using fuel having a flashpoint of 110 degrees Fahrenheit or less shall have ventilating systems that meet standards provided by the State Marine Board for the purpose of properly and efficiently ventilating the bilges of every engine and fuel compartment in order t…

No person shall operate a boat in the waters of this state which rise and fall with the ebb and flow of the tide unless the boat is equipped with safety devices of a type prescribed by regulations of the State Marine Board made in accordance with ORS chapter 183. [Formerly 488.09…