Do federal or local regulations apply to mooring a boat?
This question is at the heart of numerous passionate debates and several current lawsuits, having its roots deep in US history. In 1776, the waterways were the main roads and most goods were shipped by boat. The framers of the US Constitution recognized a potential problem of individual states holding up the flow of industry by creating chokeholds on these watery roads. So they barred states from passing any laws restricting traffic on federally navigable watersany creek, stream, river or bay that could be reached from another state. While there is still a great deal of barge traffic on the waters 225 years later, it is not the most important shipping method between states, and most boats on the water are for recreation rather than commerce. At the same time, land use and population along the waterfront exploded. This has resulted in a century-long running battle between land owners and boaters along numerous fronts. Where that line is today depends on where you live. The US courts hav
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- Do federal or local regulations apply to mooring a boat?
