Watercraft Regulations

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Regulation of Watercraft

Please note that this is IN ADDITION to Minnesota boating and personal watercraft laws.

Definitions

Personal Watercraft: a motorboat less than 12 feet in length propelled by a water jet pump.

Slow No-wake: the operation of a watercraft at the slowest possible speed necessary to maintain steerage, but in no case greater than 5 miles per hour.

Watercraft: any contrivance used or designed for navigation on water other than (a) duck boat during the duck hunting season, (b) rice boat during the harvest season, or (c) seaplane. (Note: Lake Orono is not in an area allowed for hunting.)

Regulations

All motorized watercraft exceeding the slow no-wake speed shall travel in a counter-clockwise direction.
Maximum speed limit 40 mph at all times with the exception of those areas and times listed in the next two paragraphs.
Maximum speed limit of watercraft shall be 15 mph sunset to sunrise all year.
A slow no-wake speed shall be maintained in an area extending 100 feet from the shore. Watercraft launching or landing water skiers by the most direct route to open water are exempt from this provision.
Any watercraft owner or the operator thereof, if the owner not be present, who violates any provision of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Enforcement

Primary enforcement of this ordinance shall rest with the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office.

The City of Elk River shall be responsible for marking the public access and lake with signs or buoys explaining the rules and regulations of this ordinance.