(1) Except when traveling at slow–no wake speed perpendicular to the shoreline, a person who operates a personal watercraft on 1 of the Great Lakes that is under the jurisdiction of this state shall maintain a distance of 200 feet from the shoreline.
  (2) Except as provided in subsection (4), a person who operates a personal watercraft or a person who is being towed by a personal watercraft on a water sled, kite, surfboard, parachute, tube, water ski, or similar equipment on the waters of this state shall maintain a distance of not less than 100 feet from a dock, raft, or buoyed or occupied bathing or swimming area, a person in the water or on the water in a personal flotation device, or a vessel moored, anchored, drifting, or sitting in dead water.

Terms Used In Michigan Laws 324.80209

  • Channel: means either of the following:
  (i) The deepest part of a stream, bay, or straight through which the main current flows. See Michigan Laws 324.80201
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, governmental entity, or other legal entity. See Michigan Laws 324.80201
  • Personal watercraft: means a vessel that meets all of the following requirements:
    •   (i) Uses a motor-driven propeller or an internal combustion engine powering a water jet pump as its primary source of propulsion. See Michigan Laws 324.80201
  • Slow--no wake speed: means the use of a vessel at a very slow speed so that the resulting wake or wash is minimal. See Michigan Laws 324.80201
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o
  • Vessel: means every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water. See Michigan Laws 324.80201
  • Waters of this state: means any waters within the territorial limits of this state, and includes those waters of the Great Lakes that are under the jurisdiction of this state. See Michigan Laws 324.80201
    •   (3) A person who operates a personal watercraft or a person who is being towed by a personal watercraft on a water sled, kite, surfboard, parachute, tube, water ski, or similar equipment on the waters of this state shall maintain a distance of not less than 200 feet from a submerged diver, vessel engaged in underwater diving activities, or a flotation device displaying the international diving insignia.
      (4) Subsection (2) does not apply under either of the following conditions:
      (a) The personal watercraft being operated or the person being towed is proceeding at a slow–no wake speed.
      (b) The personal watercraft being operated or the person being towed is in a navigable channel, canal, river, or stream not otherwise posted.
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