Sec. II Harbormaster

Sec. III General Regulations for Beverly Harbor

Sec. IV Mooring/Slip and Rack Regulations, Permits and Fees

Sec. V Mooring Gear and Equipment Regulations

Sec. VI Minimum Standards for Mooring Equipment

Sec. VII Responsibility

Sec. VIII Bridge Procedures and Opening Instructions

Sec. I - Terms and Definitions

The words, terms or phrases used within the following sections shall have the meanings set forth in this section unless otherwise stated.

1. HARBORMASTER shall include all assistant harbormasters appointed by the Mayor and under the direction of the Harbormaster.

2. VESSEL includes boats of all kinds, ships, barges, sailing vessels, water crafts and powerboats of any type or kind with any means of propulsion.

3. ANCHORAGE AREA means any area designated on the chart and/or used for the purpose of anchoring and mooring.

4. DISTURBING WAKE means the disturbing water or waves that a vessel leaves behind while underway which could cause injury or damage to another person or vessel due to excessive rocking.

5. PUBLIC LANDING includes, but not limited to the floats and piers at the Ferryway Landing.

6. PERMIT DECAL means the 3" x 3" sticker issued on a yearly basis by the Harbormaster.

7. TRANSIENT MOORING means the moorings used on a temporary basis by visiting boats and maintained by yacht clubs or mooring rental companies.

Sec. II - Harbormaster - Power and Authority

1. The Harbormaster shall have the authority to enforce all applicable State Laws and City Ordinances, make regulations regarding the size, kind, and placement of all mooring gear within the confines of the City and shall enforce these regulations as provided in General Laws.

Sec. III - General Regulations for Beverly Harbor

1. No Vessel shall exceed five (5) miles per hour or cause a disturbing wake within the anchorage areas, mooring areas, marinas, or where posted.

2. No person shall operate a boat in any designated anchorage area while towing water skiers, aquaplanes, or similar devices.

3. No vessel shall be tied to any public landing for a period greater than thirty (30) minutes without the express permission of the Harbormaster.

4. No person shall operate a vessel within three hundred (300) feet of any beach while towing water skiers, aquaplanes, or similar devices.

5. No person shall operate a vessel within one hundred (100) feet of a dive flag or marker unless such boat is being operated by a person working with and rendering assistance to such divers.

6. All persons skin diving or scuba diving shall display and tow the required dive flag while submerged and surface beneath such flag.

7. Willful abandonment of any boat in city waterways or placing a boat on an unauthorized mooring shall be prohibited.

8. No more than three boats are allowed to tie to any one mooring in the Misery Island area.

9. No person shall operate a personal watercraft jetski, surfjet, or wetbike in Beverly waters (a) unless the person is 16 years of age or older, (b) within 150 feet of a swimmer, shore, or moored vessel, except at headway speed, (c) without wearing an approved personal flotation device or (d) between sunset and sunrise. For the purpose of this section, the term "headway speed" shall mean the slowest speed at which a personal watercraft, jetski, surfjet or wetbike can be operated and maintain steerage way.

10. All Marinas and Yacht Clubs in Beverly must provide a comprehensive list of all slip-rack-mooring customers to the Harbormaster’s office by July 1st of each calendar year. (Comprehensive shall mean owner’s name, address, telephone numbers, vessel length, make, model, and registration/documentation numbers). Said list shall be updated accordingly. Failure to provide list shall result in a non-criminal disposition of not more that $50.00 per day.

11. Any company wishing to fuel commercial vessels in Beverly waters must comply with 527 CMR 15:00 as well as provide a current MSFT License, certificate of insurance, and a bond for not less that $50,000.00. Fueling shall only be allowed for commercial fishing vessels and shall only be allowed in designated fueling area.

12. All violations of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00).

1. All boats moored in city waters, tied at slips or seasonally rack stored on waterfront property with launching capacity shall be assessed an annual fee at the rate of five fifty ($5.50) per foot of length. All boat tenders or dinghies belonging to or attached to another fee-paying boat shall be exempt.

2. No mooring shall be placed in Beverly waters without first obtaining permission from the Harbormaster and completing the required applications. Moorings in Beverly waters without a permit will be removed and the owner fined fifty ($50.00) dollars per day.

3. No boat shall be moored, other than temporarily, at any private dock, marina, or yacht club in Beverly waters, without first obtaining a slip permit from the the Harbormaster and paying the required permit fee.

4. No boat shall be moored in Beverly waters without an approved mooring permit and permit decal. The decal shall be placed on the boat's transom (starboard side) or as close as possible. This does not apply to transient boats moored on transient moorings for less than seven (7) days.

5. Mooring permits must be renewed by May 1 of each year. Renewal permits received or postmarked after May I will be assessed a late fee. Permit locations not renewed by this date will be reassigned on a first come first serve basis.

6. Moorings not renewed by July I will be considered illegal and removed at the owner's expense and shall be delivered to the possession of the Harbormaster until claimed by the proper owner or disposed of according to (M.G.L. Chap. 91).

7. No mooring permit shall be transferable. Only the Harbormaster may authorize in writing the temporary use of a mooring by another boat upon application by the permit holder. Yacht club commodores may assign guest vessels to guest moorings or moorings of their respective club members upon permission from the mooring owner.

8. All permits will expire on December 31 of each year.

9. The sale of a boat does not include the sale of the mooring location. The mooring permit holder must notify the Harbormaster immediately upon the sale of their boat.

10. Anyone requesting a new mooring in Beverly waters must first join the waiting list by contacting the Harbormaster's office. A ten dollar fee ($10.00) is required each year to remain on the list.

11. Winter spars are not required, but if used must be removed by June I and shall not be set before October 1 of each year.

12. No mooring shall be moved without first obtaining permission from the Harbormaster.

13. Excise tax shall be paid to the Assessor's office and should not be confused with the mooring fee which is paid to the Harbormaster's Department prior to May 1.

14. No mooring permit will be issued until all fees and taxes from previous years are paid in full.

15. Mooring permit holders must notify the Harbormaster immediately upon any change in information provided on the mooring permit application and when no longer desired, must cancel their permit prior to May 1st  to avoid being billed for that season.

16. It is the policy of the Harbormaster’s office that all moorings in Beverly’s main harbor be utilized as fully as possible. Mooring permitees in Beverly Harbor must habitually use their mooring during the summer season each year with the permit holder’s listed boat. Habitual use for the purpose of these regulations is defined as a minimum of forty-five (45) days during the boating season (June 15th through September 15th). Moorings not habitually used will result in automatic permit revocation and mooring locations will be reassigned.

17. Transient moorings – Transient moorings shall be available for the public and can be reserved provided there is available space to moor the vessel without endangering other vessels. No transient mooring permit shall be issued until applicant makes payment in full of any fee required and until sufficient information is provided to determine available space. No transient mooring permit shall be issued for a period greater than 2 days. All other use of transient moorings shall be on a first come first served basis and shall be at a fee of five ($5.00) dollars per day.

Sec. V - Mooring Gear and Equipment Regulations

1. No mooring gear or equipment shall be placed in Beverly waters without first being inspected by the Harbormaster or authorized mooring company to ensure the adequacy of such gear.

2. Only authorized mooring companies may service and/or do mooring work in Beverly waters. A permit must first be obtained from the Harbormaster.

3. It is the mooring owner's responsibility to ensure that the mooring number be permanently affixed to mooring float or winter spar and be legible at all times.

4. All mooring numbers shall include the prefix letter which designates each area. Areas shall be designated as follows: Area (B), all moorings in the Danvers and Bass rivers to the Amtrak bridge. Area (V), from the Amtrak Bridge to Monument Bar. Area (R), from Monument Bar to Curtis Point. Area (L), from Curtis Point to the Manchester border, excluding the islands. Area (Y), all moorings in Beverly waters for Misery and Baker's Islands.

5 . Any mooring float or winter spar without a Beverly issued number will be considered illegal and removed. Unless claimed by the owner, these moorings will be held in the custody of the Harbormaster for one (1) year and then disposed of according to General Law.

6. All mooring gear shall be inspected and/or serviced by the owner, certified diver, or mooring service company at least once annually to determine the condition of gear and to ensure compliance with minimum standards set forth by the Harbormaster.

7. All mooring owners or mooring service companies shall notify the Harbormaster Dept. in writing of all inspections and service completed to mooring gear.

8. Winter spars shall be rigged in a way that they maintain an upright position during all tide levels. The top portion shall be painted white and have the number affixed to at least two sides.

9. All moorings shall be equipped with a primary and secondary pennant.

10. All mooring floats shall be kept clean to ensure they remain at least six (6) inches above the surface of the water at all times.

11. It shall be the permit holder's responsibility to ensure mooring gear is maintained and in serviceable condition at all times.

12. The Harbormaster may order that moorings be serviced if found to be overgrown with marine growth and considered a hazard to navigation.

13. Moorings not serviced within ten (10) days of notification will be removed.

Sec. VI - Minimum Standards for Mooring Equipment

1. The following are the minimum acceptable standards for mooring equipment and gear used in Beverly waters. All vessels shall maintain these minimum standards while moored in Beverly waters.