Reckless Operation or Manipulation

North Carolina law prohibits negligent or reckless operation of a vessel or the reckless manipulation of water skis, a surfboard, or similar device.

Reckless Operation or Manipulation is defined as the failure to exercise the care necessary to prevent the endangerment of life, limb, or property of any other person. Examples of illegal reckless operation that apply to all boaters are:

• Weaving your vessel through congested waterway traffic
• Jumping the wake of another vessel unnecessarily close to the other vessel or when visibility around the other vessel is restricted
• Approaching another vessel intentionally and swerving at the last possible moment in order to avoid collision
• Operating contrary to the navigation rules given in Unit 3
• Boating in restricted areas without regard for other boaters or persons, posted speeds and wake restrictions, diver-down flags, etc.
• Towing a person on water skis, a surfboard, or similar device behind your vessel in such a way that it causes the towed person to collide with another person or object
• Allowing passengers to ride on the bow, gunwale, transom, seat backs, seats on raised decks, or any other place where there may be a chance of falling overboard