Wake Jumping illegal in NJ?

R

rommer

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Found this NJ regulation while researching the water safety cert.

"12:7-63. Restrictions on operation of personal watercraft
A person shall not operate a personal watercraft:
a. On the waters of this State between sunset and sunrise, or during any time of
restricted visibility as determined by an agent or officer of the Marine Law Enforcement Bureau,
Division of State Police;
Within the confines of the Point Pleasant Canal in the County of Ocean, or the
b.
Cape May Canal in the County of Cape May;
c. Above idle speed within 50 feet of:
(1) A bathing beach that has its boundaries marked by buoys or signs;
(2) The shoreline; or
(3) Any person in the water; or
d. In such a manner as to make the vessel completely leave the water or otherwise
become airborne, while crossing within 100 feet of the wake of another vessel. "

Note that section "d" does not say within 100 feet of another vessel but says within 100' of the WAKE.

What do you think, does that effectively outlaw wake jumping?
 
That is really a shame! I read it as outlawing wake jumping. I am sure it is because of irresponsible "wake jumpers" but it really infringes on the rights of ALL of us.
 
Now, how does one define "Personal Water Craft"? I saw some interesting Yamahas at the boat show that were anything but "personal". One had nav lights, most could seat 3, some had coolers, anchors, full sets of gauges, dry storage, and I think one had more HP than my 20 footer!
 
12:7-62. "Personal watercraft" defined

For the purposes of this act, "personal watercraft" shall mean a power vessel defined as a Class
"A" vessel by the United States Coast Guard, and which:

a. Is designed to be operated from a sitting, standing or kneeling position;

b. Is equipped with an internal combustion engine which powers a water jet pump;
and

c. Cannot be operated in a manner so as to disengage the pump so as to prevent the
vessel from making headway.

IMO section "c" is the most interesting in that without a transmission it becomes a PWC. Class "A" vessel is fairly well defined by the USCG as well but I don't have a source for that at the moment.

I think it would be safe to say Bob that as long as you have a proper water safety cert, you can jump NJ wakes in your bow rider without being hassled from the water police. But I could be wrong.
 
i believe wake jumping in close proximity to another vessel is illegal in most states, whether explicitly or falling under reckless operation. The NJ definition is a little odd though, sounds like some landlocked bureaucrat came up with the wording...
 
Odd. According to that definition, here is a 22' PWC:

08features_232limited_top.jpg


a) It's designed to be operated while seated OR standing.
b) has an internal combustion engine powering a water jet pump (2 to be exact!)
c) I've read "c" 10 times and still don't understand what it means.

I wonder why they specifically outlaw PWCs from doing this, and why not just make the law say "watercraft"? I think you're right, it's some landlocked bureaucrat trying to calm down some boaters that hate PWCers.
 
But it is not a class A vessel Bob.

Actually it is quite obvious WHY it was outlawed. The incredibly stupid actions of a small minority of PWC operators who continuously perform incredibly stupid acts of wake jumping over and over as a series of boats travel the water ways. This in turn caused some landlocked bureaucrat to over react and come up with a law that effectively bans the action in all imaginable cases even when performed safely.

Many times I have traveled an area where 3 or 4 or even more PWC's have followed my boat repeatedly jumping the wake and even circling the boat as I travel. (I produce a nice wake since I have heavy diesels with v-drives) They will cut off other boaters and put them self at tremendous risk. I've had to come off plane and stop on more than one occasion to try and determine if it was even safe to proceed without jeopardizing them or myself.

Before any one thinks I hate PWC operators like many boaters do that is not the case as I own 2 of them and believe in responsible operation and have made more than my share of non-friends by telling other PWC operators they are acting dangerously. One of my favorite stories is the drunken PWC operator near one of our summer raftups who was doing high speed doughnuts IN AN ANCHORAGE area within feet of her raftup and not far from ours. One of the other RO's here yelled over for her to stop and she yelled back, "stop trying to ruin my fun" Should have yelled back, "stop trying to kill us" but instead several people hopped on the radio and called in the police. Really ruined her day but everyone lived to talk about it.

Another thing I'll never understand is lending a PWC to a friend or relative that has never used one before. Talk about stupid!!!!

Anyway, time to jump off my soap box but I feel passionately about PWC operators that give those of us that follow the rules a bad name.
 
Section C means that the craft has no transmission to separate the jet drive from the engine. Whenever the engine is running, the vessel is producing thrust. Makes it more difficult to control and more dangerous to the uneducated.

PWC's really only have 2 modes of operation, off and go forward. Sure some have reverse or even neutral but it is a phony and not 100% effective is it really nothing more than redirecting the water thrust downward for neutral or froward for reverse by means of a bucket device over the water jet nozzle.
 
I guess I'll be ridiculed for asking, but I have not been able to find the definition of a Class A vessel. Can someone enlighten me?
 
Very well put Rommer, I have a pair myself and love jumping wakes...a holdover from my moto x days with a softer landing LOL. I never circle boats but wait for them to pass before I jump their wakes. Very safe and that is what I teach my kids. Some people might feel even what we do is unsafe but it is very carefully planned. Nothing like "catchin air" for a thrill. What is so confusing to me about the law is it sounds like "100 ft. from any wave that comes from a vessel. 100 feet away from a wave that comes from a vessel could take up an entire river. I hope no landlocked bureaucrat from Maryland gets wind of this as I am on the Chesapeake Bay.
 
quote:
Originally posted by blouderback

I guess I'll be ridiculed for asking, but I have not been able to find the definition of a Class A vessel. Can someone enlighten me?

Click to expand...


16' or less in length IIRC...

Not sure if there are any other qualities that define a class A vessel.

And I didn't even take your bait! ;)
 
Here's are a few issues, as I see it, with PWCs jumping a boats wake....

1.) The PWC is jumping back and forth in my wake. I'm headed South and there is a big boat that is headed North. The PWC rider can't see the Northbound vessel because he/she is too busy paying attention to jumping the wakes and going back and forth.... The big Northbound boat and I are going to leave each other on our port sides. The PWC is coming from my Stbd to my port and bamm...right into the oncoming boat

2.) This scenario goes on ALL the time. I'm traveling South and there is another boat 100's of yards behind me also traveling South. The PWCer is jumping over my wakes....back and forth and back and forth....with a PASSENGER on the back (yep...see it all the time) and bamm...hits a wake the wrong way and the passenger falls off. The boat traveling behind me doesn't necessarrily see that the passenger fell off and .....

3.) PWCers (Plural) are showing off to each other and are crossing, zig-zagging, my wake...well..no need to go on....

It's obvious that I'm not a big fan of PWCs...I owned two PWCs back in the late 80's early 90's when they were just becoming popular. They are a blast...but there just isn't enough enforcement to keep the few from giving the many a bad rap....IMHO.
 
If you really want to catch air, hit the ocean with a PWC and start wave jumping. 10 or 12' of air off a 6 foot wave put you almost 20' up if you look down! Just need to time the next wave crest properly....

Land on the top, OK...
Land on the backside, OK...
Land on the frontside, NOT OK! SPAT!
 
The ocean wave jumping idea sounds like a real good way to reduce the number of PWCs. It could get to be a spectator sport like gladiator bouts, if you can get a lot jumping in the same area close to shore.

An idea to kepp them away is to display a sign in large letters:

"TROLLING FOR SHARKS KEEP CLEAR"
 
Jumping sharks is even more fun!

Missing can be messy ;)
 
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