All undocumented vessels equipped with engines of ten (10) horsepower or more, or vessels that are sixteen (16) feet or longer, are required to be registered with the State of Washington and display current "WN" registration numbers and a current registration sticker on the forward half of the vessel.  All vessels operated in the saltwaters of Thurston County are required to be registered, except tenders or vessels solely human powered.

It is unlawful to operate any vessel or use water skis or similar devices in a reckless or negligent manner.

No person shall ride or sit on the bow, starboard or port gunwales of a motorboat while moving, except while casting off or mooring.

No one shall operate a motorboat at a speed greater than is reasonable.

No motorboat operator shall carry passengers in an unsafe manner.

No person under age 12 may operate a motorboat

Persons age 12 through 15 may not operate a motorboat in excess of 5 MPH.

Only persons 16 years old or older may operate a personal watercraft.

It is illegal to operate any vessel, watercraft, water skis or similar device while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug.

Persons with a breath alcohol concentration of .08 or higher are presumed to be under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

The speed limit on all lakes in Thurston County is 5 MPH, except as designated below:

The maximum speed on these lakes is 45 MPH.

The speed limit on the following lakes is restricted to 5 MPH during the first thirty (30) days of lowland fishing season, after which time, the speed limit returns to 45 MPH, provided that all other requirements are met.

No vessel shall operate in excess of 5 MPH between 8:00 p.m. or official sunset, whichever comes first, and 11:00 a.m.

All vessels and watercraft operating above 5 MPH are required to stay 200 feet from all shorelines, 200 feet from all public boat launches, 200 feet from all swim area buoy lines, and 100 feet from all other vessels.

Vessels operating in excess of 5 MPH shall travel in a counter-clockwise direction around the lake.

All vessels will follow the direction of regulatory buoys, including speed and wake requirements.

Any motorboat or other vessel, including personal watercraft, towing a water-skier, inner-tube, wakeboard, or any other similar type device, is required to be operated by a competent person at least sixteen (16) years old.

The motorboat or other vessel, including personal watercraft, shall in addition to the operator, have at least one other person in the boat capable of assisting in an emergency and able to maintain constant observation of the person being towed.

Each vessel towing a water skier, inner-tube, wakeboard or similar device, must be equipped with a ski flag, described as a twelve inch by twelve inch bright red or bright orange flag on a twenty-four inch pole.  This flag must be displayed immediately after the towed person(s) falls into the water and remain displayed until the person(s) is back out of the water.

Personal Watercraft (PWC) are defined as Class "A" inboard boats powered by an inboard engine and jet pump mechanism.

PWC are regulated the same as other motorboats, and operators are required to follow the same rules.

It is a violation of the Ordinance to operate a PWC without properly using the emergency lanyard, if so equipped.

Operators of Personal Watercraft are required to be at least 16 years of age.

All watercraft operating in Thurston County are required to have one wearable, United States Coast Guard (U.S.C.G.) approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) for each person on board the vessel.

If the vessel is sixteen (16) feet or longer, the vessel is required to carry one throwable U.S.C.G. approved PFD.

All persons on board a PWC are required to wear a U.S.C.G. approved wearable PFD.

All persons being towed as a water-skier, inner-tuber, wakeboarder, or any other similar type activity are required to wear a U.S.C.G. approved Type I, II, III or V PFD.

Fire extinguishers must be carried on all vessels that meet one or more of the following conditions:

All vessels must carry some mechanical means of producing sound in case of distress (i.e. horn, bell, or whistle.)

All motorboats must be muffled so as not to exceed 85 decibels from fifty feet during any manner of operation.

All vessels operating after official sunset are required to be equipped with, and have in proper working order, running lights as prescribed by the United States Code.

It is against the law to remove aquatic plants from the waters of Thurston County by means of a motorboat, vessel, watercraft, trailer, or vehicles used to move said objects.

It is against the law to launch any vessel with aquatic plants attached.

Scuba divers must mark the area in which they are diving by conspicuously posting the area with buoyed diving flags, either the recreational red with white diagonal stripe flag or the military or commercial blue and white "Alpha" flag.  This flag must be seen from 1000 yards away and diving operations must not reasonably interfere with normal vessel traffic.

An individual or organization wishing to hold a regatta, race, or aquatic event must submit an application to the Thurston County Sheriff's Office at least 90 days prior to the date of the event, and in no cases, later than May 1 of the year of the event.

No application is necessary for Christmas Boat Parades.

The Thurston County Sheriff's Office Marine Services Unit can be contacted at (360)786-5131, TDD (360) 754-2933.

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has the authority to enact emergency declarations regarding any portion or portions of the Thurston County Boating Ordinance in response to water level emergencies.  The emergency declaration is immediately effective and a public hearing is required within 20 days of the declaration.  For questions regarding Emergency Declarations, please call the BOCC at (360) 786-5440.