Operating in Restricted Areas

Ohio law designates the following dangerous operating practices as illegal.

• No person shall operate a vessel in a designated “swim area,” in areas buoyed off as “no boats,” or within any restricted area in violation of the designated restriction.
• No person shall operate a vessel at greater speed than idle speed or create a wake under any of the following circumstances:
  • Within an area buoyed or marked as a “no wake” area
  • Within 300 feet of any marina, boat-docking facility, gasoline dock, launch ramp, recreational boat harbor, or harbor entrance on Lake Erie or the Ohio River
  • During sunset to sunrise between the Dan Beard bridge and the Brent Spence bridge on the Ohio River for any vessel not documented by the USCG as commercial
• Many Ohio state park lakes have an unmarked, 300-foot “idle speed” or “no wake” shore zone, whereas other lakes have a 100-foot shore zone. Check the lake’s zoning before boating.