Texas Parks and Wildlife Code 31.106 – Personal Watercraft
(a) No person shall operate a personal watercraft in the following manner or under the following circumstances:
(1) unless each person riding on or towed behind the vessel is wearing a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device;
(2) if the vessel is equipped by the manufacturer with a lanyard type engine cutoff switch, unless such lanyard is attached to the person, clothing, or personal flotation device of the operator as appropriate for the vessel involved;
(3) during the period between sunset and sunrise;
(4) within 50 feet of any other vessel, person, stationary platform or other object, or shore, except at headway speed;
(5) if the operator is under 13 years of age unless the operator is supervised by another person who:
(A) is at least 18 years of age;
(B) can lawfully operate the watercraft; and
(C) is on board the watercraft when under way;
(6) if the personal watercraft is a motorboat, within any area prohibited for operation of a motorboat by state law or local rule or regulation;
(7) while towing water skis, an aquaplane, a surfboard, a tube, or any other similar device, unless the towing vessel is designed to carry on board a minimum of two persons;
(8) by jumping the wake of another vessel recklessly or unnecessarily close to that vessel; or
(9) in a manner that requires the operator to swerve at the last possible moment to avoid collision.
(b) The provisions of this section do not apply to professional exhibitions or an officially sanctioned race, tournament, or exhibition.
Terms Used In Texas Parks and Wildlife Code 31.106
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Rule: includes regulation. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) Subsection (a)(4) of this section does not prohibit the operation of personal watercraft on bodies of water less than 100 feet in width.
(d) An owner of a personal watercraft permitting a person under 18 years of age to operate the personal watercraft in a manner prohibited by this section may be notified of the violation.
(e) For the purposes of this section, a person is considered to be accompanying the operator of a personal watercraft if the person is on board the personal watercraft when underway.