§2-06 Kayaks and Canoes

  1. A permit allows a permittee and his or her guests to use the City's access facilities for a kayak or canoe. A permittee may have more than one boat listed on his or her permit, but each kayak or canoe on the water must carry a permittee.
  2. The permittee is responsible for the safety of all those in his or her craft. Operation of the kayak or canoe under a permit is solely at the operator's own risk.
  3. Permittees and guests should be strong, experienced swimmers. It is recommended that permittees be able to sustain themselves fully clothed for ten minutes in deep water; swim two body-lengths underwater at a depth of six feet; and tow a "victim" fifteen feet.
  4. Permittees must be familiar with and obey all federal, state and local boating rules and regulations.
  5. Permittees must be aware that environmental conditions such as rip tides and other strong currents can overwhelm even the most adept swimmers. They should know the water and weather conditions before going out.
  6. Because the waters can be polluted, boaters should avoid water contact to the greatest degree possible.
  7. Swimming, water skiing, windsurfing, scuba diving or practicing immersion escape techniques in the waters to which the launch site give access are prohibited.
  8. No wildlife or natural land features may be disturbed.
  9. Kayaks and/or canoes may be launched only at launch sites designated for this purpose. No person shall launch any boat or water vehicle that requires the use of a boat trailer or other such trailer for its land transportation. A person shall not launch a motor powered vessel, or use either an inboard or outboard motor on any vessel once underway. No person shall launch rafts or other inflatables, sailboats, rowboats, "wind surfers" or sailboats of any kind.
  10. All persons using a kayak or canoe must wear a Personal Flotation Device.
  11. No person launching a boat from a kayak and/or canoe launch may begin a boating trip before sunrise or complete a boating trip after sunset. The launch sites will be open from April 1 to December 1
  12. No person shall enter a launch site, or operate or ride as a passenger in a canoe or kayak, under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  13. No person shall use any boat-launching site or any adjacent waters within 100 feet from the shore of a launch area, including offshore and inshore approaches, for any purpose other than launching boats or removing boats from the water, unless a written permit is obtained from the department.

<< Return to Rule & Regulations Main.