Currently in the State of Maryland, bow riding or riding on seatback, gunwale, or transom is considered a "a negligent operation or grossly negligent operation." According to the Maryland State Requirements for Recreational Vessels, "law prohibits negligent or grossly negligent operation of a vessel that endangers lives and/or property." Also under this category are operating in a swimming area, hazardous water skiing practices or Personal Watercraft operations, and excessive speed in the vicinity of other boats. But on any given summer day, you're still likely to see any one of these practices, regardless of the dangers they pose. But in the wake of serious boating accidents this past summer, discussions are now taking place that could prohibit bow riding on vessels in Maryland waters. Senator Jim Mathias and Delegate Mary Beth Carozza, along with officials from the Maryland DNR and NRP, recently met with the state's Boat Act Advisory Committee to discuss tightening the regulations regarding bow riding. The Dispatch quoted Senator Mathias as saying:
“There is no specific language about bow riding in the regulations,” he said. “It’s mired in reckless operation. They can cite someone, but it comes with a $325 fine, and what we’re hearing is often the cases come before a judge who will ask if anyone got hurt. If not, they often say no harm, no foul."
The proposed regulation hopes to take on the issue of bow-riding head on with specific language designed to address the danger of the practice and ultimately keep people safe. There will be some exceptions for sailboats, however, as the nature of sailing often requires leaning over the sides and sitting on the bow. "We didn’t want to have an unintended consequence of harming the sailing community with this," Mathias stated. According to The Dispatch, a new regulation prohibiting bow-riding could be posted in the Maryland Registry as soon as mid-January. There will be a requisite public comment period and then it could become effective as soon as March 27, 2017. Stay tuned for updates.