Wind Lake Management District, Town of Norway, Racine County, WI

WLMD
30910 Royal Hill Road
Burlington, WI 53105

262-514-3238
info@wlmd.org

Boating Regs

Town of Norway Water Traffic, Boating And Water Sports Regulations, Chapter 8
8.01 Intent.
       The intent of this ordinance is to provide safe and healthful conditions for the enjoyment of aquatic recreation consistent with public rights and interest and the capability of the water resource.

8.02 Applicability and Enforcement.
       The provisions of this ordinance shall apply to the Water of Long (Kee-Nong-Go-Mong) Lake, Wind Lake, the Muskego Channel, the Wind Lake Channel, and the Anderson Channel within the jurisdiction of the Town of Norway. The provisions of this ordinance shall be enforced by the Officers of the Town of Norway Lake Patrol.

8.03 Adoption of State Boating and Safety Laws.
       Except for Section 30.68, Sections 30.50 and through 30.71 of the Wisconsin Statutes, and any amendments thereto, are adopted and incorporated herein by reference as though fully set forth.

8.04 Boating Regulations.
       (1) Speed.
(b) No person shall operate a motorboat at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard for the actual and potential hazards then existing. The speed of a motorboat shall be so controlled as to avoid colliding with any object lawfully in or on the water or with any person, boat or other conveyance in or on the water in compliance with legal requirements and exercising due care. In no event shall any person operate a motorboat at a speed in excess of 50 m.p.h.
(c) No person shall operate a watercraft within 300 feet of any main shoreline on any lake at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake speed, or as otherwise established by regulatory markers.
(d) No person may operate a personal watercraft at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake within 100 feet of any other boat. This paragraph does not apply if Section 8.07(3)(a), (c) or (d) apply to the operation of the personal watercraft.
       (3) Contests.
No person shall operate a motorboat in a contest of speed or maneuverability unless such race or contest is authorized by the Town Board.
       (6) Searchlights.
No person shall continually or repeatedly cause the rays of a searchlight to rest upon the pilot of another boat.

8.05 Hours of Operation.
       (1) Wind Lake.
No motorboat shall be propelled upon the waters of Wind Lake at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake between sunset and 9:00 a.m.
       (2) Waubeesee and Long Lakes.
No motorboat shall be propelled upon the waters of Waubeesee or Long Lakes at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time or between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Central Standard Time.

8.06 Swimming Regulated.
       No person shall swim within the water traffic lane unless accompanied by a staffed boat and shall remain within 50 feet of the boat at all times.

8.07 Waterskiing Regulated.
       (5) Two Skiers Allowed.
No motorboat operator shall tow more than 2 waterskiers, without prior authorization from the Town Board. All downed or dropped skiers, skis, boards and similar contrivances shall be picked up immediately.
       (6) Wake-Surfing Prohibited.
No wakesurfing shall be permitted (i.e. riding on surfboard or similar contrivance on the water of the boat without the control of a rope connected to a boat).

8.08 Construction of Ramp Prohibited.
       No person shall construct, install or use in any manner, a ramp for skiing, jumping or for any purpose whatsoever, without prior authorization from the Town Board.

8.09 Littering Prohibited.
       No person shall deposit, place or throw from any boat, raft, pier, platform or similar structure or from shore, any cans, papers, bottles, debris, refuse, garbage, solid or liquid waste on or into the lake.

8.10 Possession of Glass Prohibited.
       No person shall possess or have under his or her control any bottle, jar, container, cup, other receptacle or any other object made of glass, ceramic, earthenware or similar breakable material while on any lake within the Town, whether the lake is frozen or unfrozen. This prohibition does not extend to eyeglasses, lenses or glass which is an integral part of sporting equipment used on the lake.

8.11 Seaplane Landings Prohibited.
       No person shall operate on the surface of any waters of the Town any seaplane or aircraft capable of landing on water. All waters shall be designated by standard marking devices to show the prohibition of such use.

8.12 Conduct at Public Access Sites.
       (1) In this section the term "public access site" shall refer to any parcels of land on lakes in the Town of Norway owned, under easement, leased or administered by the State of Wisconsin and under the management, supervision and control of the Department of Natural Resources.
       (2) No person shall operate or park any vehicle, as defined in 340.01(74), Wis. Stat. as amended from time to time, and which is required to be registered by law, on any public access site, except as may be specifically authorized by law or administrative rule.
       (3) No person may enter or be within the boundaries of any public access site, including any posted parking areas therein, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and the following 6:00 a.m. except as permitted under the rules and regulations of the Department of Natural Resources, and amended from time to time.
       (4) No person shall park, stop or leave standing, whether attended or unattended, any vehicle or watercraft within a public access site, contrary to any posted notice therein.
       (5) No person may engage in violent, abusive, indecent, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct which tends to cause or provoke a disturbance or create a breach of the peace while within the boundaries of any public access site.
       (6) No person shall dispose of waste material in any manner at or within a public access site, except by placing the same in receptacles or other locations provided for that purpose.
       (7) No person shall engage in any activity or do any act which is contrary to the lawfully posted notices of the Department of Natural Resources at a public access site.

8.13 Uniform Aids to Navigation: Waterway Markers.
       (1) Definitions.
(a) "Waterway marker" is any device designed to be placed in, or near any water within the Town, to convey an official message to a boat operator on matters which may affect health, safety, or well-being.
(b) "Regulatory marker" is a marker which has no equivalent in the U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation.
(c) "State aid to navigation" is a waterway marker which is the equivalent of a U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation.
(d) "Buoy" is any device designed to float which is anchored in the water and which is used to convey a message.
       (2) Authority to Place Markers.
No waterway markers shall be placed in, on or near any waters within the Town, except such buoys or other markers as have been authorized by the Town or other political subdivision of the state or federal government.
       (3) Waterway Markers Used on Waters Within the Town of Norway.
All state aids to navigation and regulator markers are to be marked and displayed in conformity with the regulations set forth in Section NR 5.09 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, which section and amendments thereto are incorporated herein by reference as though fully set forth.
       (4)(5) Wind Lake and Waubeesee lake Waterway Markers.
See Norway Town Hall for locations.
       (6) Installation, Removal, Maintenance.
Waterway markers shall be installed and removed by the Town of Norway Lake Patrol. Off-season transportation, maintenance and storage are to be performed by the Department of Public Works.

8.14 Penalty.
       (1) Except as set forth below, any person, firm, association or corporation violating any provision of this chapter shall forfeit not more than ($60.00 upon conviction of the same offense, a second or subsequent time within one year, together with the costs of prosecution in accordance with state law.
       (2) Any person violating Section 8.04
       (6) shall be fined not more than $200.00, together with the costs of prosecution in accordance with state law. Any person violating Section 8.04(5) shall be required to obtain a certificate of satisfactory completion of a safety course under Wis. Stat. 30.74(1).

Secs. 30.50 - 30.71 Wisc. Stats.

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