LRB-2276/1
ZDW:ahe
2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE
November 22, 2017 - Introduced by Representatives Barca, Jarchow, Brandtjen,
Fields, Krug, Mursau, Ohnstad, Rohrkaste and Spiros, cosponsored by
Senators Olsen and Wirch. Referred to Committee on Science and
Technology.
AB661,1,5 1An Act to renumber and amend 30.66 (3) (ar), 30.66 (3) (b) and 30.68 (5); and
2to create 30.50 (4d), 30.66 (3) (ar) 2., 30.66 (3) (b) 2. and 30.68 (5) (b) of the
3statutes; relating to: exemptions to certain boating restrictions for operators
4of hydro-flight devices and operators of personal watercraft that assist in
5powering hydro-flight devices.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill creates exemptions to certain boating restrictions for operators of
hydro-flight devices and associates watercraft.
Current law prohibits a person from operating a personal watercraft at a speed
in excess of slow-no-wake within 200 feet of the shoreline of any lake or within 100
feet of any other boat. A personal watercraft is a motorboat that uses an inboard
motor powering a water jet pump or a caged propeller as its primary source of motive
power and that is designed to be operated by a person standing on, kneeling on, or
sitting astride the watercraft. Slow-no-wake is the speed at which a boat moves as
slowly as possible while still maintaining steerage control. Current law also
generally prohibits a person from operating any boat within 100 feet of a swimmer.
This bill provides that the restrictions on the operation of a personal watercraft
at speeds exceeding slow-no-wake near a shoreline or another boat and the
restrictions against operating a boat within 100 feet of a swimmer do not apply to a
person operating a hydro-flight device or to a person operating a personal watercraft
that is used to assist in powering the hydro-flight device. The bill defines a

hydro-flight device as a jet powered device, attached by hose to a personal
watercraft, that propels a person wearing, holding, or standing on the device into the
air by the use of water forced under pressure through the hose.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB661,1 1Section 1. 30.50 (4d) of the statutes is created to read:
AB661,2,42 30.50 (4d) “Hydro-flight device" means a jet powered device, attached by hose
3to a personal watercraft, that propels a person wearing, holding, or standing on the
4device into the air by the use of water forced under pressure through the hose.
AB661,2 5Section 2. 30.66 (3) (ar) of the statutes is renumbered 30.66 (3) (ar) 1. and
6amended to read:
AB661,2,97 30.66 (3) (ar) 1. No Except as provided under subd. 2., no person may operate
8a personal watercraft at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake within 200 feet of the
9shoreline of any lake.
AB661,3 10Section 3. 30.66 (3) (ar) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
AB661,2,1211 30.66 (3) (ar) 2. The prohibition under subd. 1. does not apply to a person
12operating any of the following:
AB661,2,1313 a. A hydro-flight device.
AB661,2,1514 b. A personal watercraft that is connected by hose to a hydro-flight device and
15that is supplying the water needed to operate the hydro-flight device.
AB661,4 16Section 4. 30.66 (3) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 30.66 (3) (b) 1. and
17amended to read:
AB661,2,2018 30.66 (3) (b) 1. No Except as provided under subd. 2., no person may operate
19a personal watercraft at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake within 100 feet of any
20other boat.
AB661,5
1Section 5. 30.66 (3) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
AB661,3,32 30.66 (3) (b) 2. The prohibition under subd. 1. does not apply to a person
3operating any of the following:
AB661,3,44 a. A hydro-flight device.
AB661,3,65 b. A personal watercraft that is connected by hose to a hydro-flight device and
6that is supplying the water needed to operate the hydro-flight device.
AB661,6 7Section 6. 30.68 (5) of the statutes is renumbered 30.68 (5) (a) and amended
8to read:
AB661,3,159 30.68 (5) (a) No person may operate a motorboat repeatedly in a circuitous
10course around any other boat, or around any person who is swimming, if such
11circuitous course is within 200 feet of such boat or swimmer; nor shall any boat or
12water skier operate or approach closer than 100 feet to any skin diver's flag or, except
13as provided under par. (b),
any swimmer unless the boat is part of the skin diving
14operation or is accompanying the swimmer, or unless physical conditions make
15compliance impossible.
AB661,7 16Section 7. 30.68 (5) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
AB661,3,1917 30.68 (5) (b) The prohibition under par. (a) against operation of a boat closer
18than 100 feet from any swimmer does not apply to a person operating any of the
19following:
AB661,3,2020 1. A hydro-flight device.
AB661,3,2221 2. A personal watercraft that is connected by hose to a hydro-flight device and
22that is supplying the water needed to operate the hydro-flight device.
AB661,3,2323 (End)
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