Chapter Two: Rhode Island Laws and Safety Requirements

Practice safe and legal boating every time you are on the water. Boating is a highly regulated recreational activity, and there may be occasions when a law enforcement officer will inspect your boat for compliance with equipment and legal conformity. The boat operator has the responsibility of ensuring the safety of all passengers and this includes making certain all required safety equipment is onboard the boat and ready to use.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

RHODE ISLAND - It is the policy of Rhode Island to promote safety for person and property in and connected with the use, operation, and equipment of vessels, and to promote uniformity of laws relating thereto.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), harbormasters, assistant harbormasters, police officers authorized to make arrests, and employees of the DEM, authorized to make arrests, shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this chapter and, in the exercise thereof, shall have the authority to stop and board any vessel subject to the laws of Rhode Island.

Enforcement power of employees of the DEM

Employees of the DEM, authorized to make arrests shall, shall have the power to enforce all laws, rules, and regulations relating to laws of Rhode Island.

Refusal to stop on order or command

It is illegal for any person to refuse to move or stop on oral command or order of any employee of the DEM in the exercise of the employee's duties under this chapter.

It shall likewise be illegal for any person to refuse to move or stop on oral command of a harbormaster, assistant harbormaster, or police officer, operating from a patrol boat identified as such and exercising the duties lawfully assigned to him or her.

• The harbormaster of any locality, or where there is none, the governing body of any locality is empowered and authorized to establish reasonable speed limits for the operation of any personal watercraft in any area within their jurisdiction.
• The harbormaster of any locality, or where there is none, the governing body of any locality is empowered and authorized to post signs governing the reasonable use of personal watercraft at any location within their jurisdiction.