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Wake Reduction Rules for Orchard Beach Lagoon and Great Kills Harbor
Wake Reduction Rules for Orchard Beach Lagoon, Bronx
(excerpted from the New York City Administrative Code)
§ 10-158 Vessel regulation zone
a. Description.
That portion of the body of water contained within the county of the Bronx, known as the lagoon within Pelham Bay Park, whose limits are: on the northeast, latitude 40¬ 52' 40", longitude 73¬ 47'; on the northwest, latitude 40¬ 52' 57", longitude 73¬ 47' 38"; on the southeast, latitude 40¬ 51' 54", longitude 73¬ 49' 12"; and on the southwest, latitude 40¬ 52' 4", longitude 73¬ 48' 25", and which does not exceed one thousand feet from the shore line at low water mark, shall be designated a vessel regulation zone, as set forth under section 46 of the navigation law of the state of New York.
b. Regulation.
The maximum vessel speed limit within this vessel regulation zone
shall be four miles per hour. The commissioners of the police department and the department of parks and recreation shall be required to enforce said speed limit. "Vessel", as defined for purposes of this section, shall not include a crew racing shell. "Crew racing shell" shall mean any shell, gig, barge or other boat designed primarily for practice or racing, propelled by oars or sweeps, in the sport of crew or scull racing conducted by a private or public educational institution, school, academy, college, university or association of any of the preceding or by any amateur sports club or association or by the United States or International Olympics Committee and shall not include canoes, rowboats or lifeboats.
c. Posting of speed signs.
There shall be posted by the commissioner of the department of parks and recreation on the shore near the boundaries of this vessel regulation zone, signboards facing the water and bearing thereon in large letters, "Vessel Regulation Zone, Speed Limit 4 miles per hour". Such signboards shall be conspicuously placed and of sufficient size to be easily readable by a person using such waters.
d. Penalties.
Any person violating any of the regulations including the speed limit as set forth in this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable upon conviction by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than ninety days or by both.
e. Exemptions.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to any vessel while actually competing in a duly authorized regatta, provided notice of such regatta has been filed with the Bronx county clerk and the department of parks and recreation at least ten days prior to the occurrence of such event and provided that no single sponsor of such regatta be allowed to conduct more than six within any calendar year.
Special Provisons Relating to Speed at Crooke's Point in
Great Kills Harbor
(excerpted from Section §45-d of the New York State Navigational Law)
1. No vessel shall be operated in Great Kills Harbor extending beyond the Crooke's Point Jetty to the lighted buoy at the Harbor's entrance, within one hundred feet of the shore, a dock, pier, raft or float or an anchored or moored vessel in a manner or at a speed that causes a wake that unreasonably interferes with or endangers such dock, pier, raft or float or an anchored or moored vessel but in no event at a speed exceeding five miles per hour, unless for the purpose of enabling a person engaged in water skiing to take off or land.
2. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any vessel competing in or practicing for a regatta or boat race over a specified course held by a bona fide club or racing association, provided that due written notice of the date of the race has been given to the appropriate law enforcement agency at least fifteen days prior to such race, pursuant to the provisions of section thirty-four of this chapter, and all provisions of this section have been complied with.
3. Any person who operates a vessel in violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation punishable as set forth in section seventy-three c of this article.
4. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting any town or county from continuing, adopting or enacting any other local laws, resolutions or ordinances related to persons operating a vessel within its limits, but no such municipality shall have the power to make less restrictive any of such provisions.
For additional safety information, call the U.S. Coast Guard Infoline at (800) 368-5647.
In case of emergency, contact New York Harbor Patrol at (212) 993-0950.
To contact the Parks Marina Division, please call (718) 478-0480 for World's Fair Marina and (212) 496-2105 for 79th Street Boat Basin.
