84 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 32

tation on water or on ice, it being the intent that ice boats shall be
regarded as watercraft for the purposes of this article;

(b) "Motorboat" means any vessel equipped with propelling
machinery, whether or not such machinery is the principal source
of propulsion;

⁽(c) "Waters of Maryland" means all waters within the jurisdic-
tion of this State, the marginal sea adjacent to this State, and the
high seas when navigated as a part of a ride or journey to or from
the shore of this State;

(d) "Operate" means to navigate or otherwise use a vessel;

(e) "Owner" means person, other than a lien holder, having the
property in or title to a vessel. The term includes a person entitled
to the use or possession of a vessel subject to an interest in another
person, reserved or created by agreement and securing payment of
performance of an obligation, but the term excludes a lessee under
a lease not intended as security;

(f) "Operator" means the person who operates or has charge of
the navigation or use of a vessel.

5.

(a) Every vessel, except those manually propelled, found upon the
waters of Maryland shall be numbered for identification in accord-
ance with this article and any regulations supplementary thereto
except:

(1) A vessel which has a valid document issued by the Bureau
of Customs of the United States or any federal agency successor
thereto;

(2) A vessel with a valid number awarded to it pursuant to
federal law or a federally approved numbering system of another
state, provided that such boat shall not have been in Maryland in
excess of ninety days and the number so awarded is displayed in
accordance with the requirements of that system and the certificate
of number is available for inspection whenever the vessel is in use;

(3) A vessel from a country other than the United States tem-
porarily using the waters of Maryland;

(4) A vessel which is owned by the United States government,
another state, or any political subdivision thereof, used in service of
the public;

(5) A ship's lifeboat S[, or a dinghy which must carry the same
number as the vessel to which it is attached];

(6) A vessel under twenty-five K25) feet in length propelled only
by sail;

(7) A vessel equipped with propelling machinery of seven and
one-half horsepower or under.

(8) The Commission may, by regulation from time to time and
for such periods as they prescribe, exempt any vessel or class of
vessels from the numbering provisions of this Act; provided, that
any such vessel or class of vessels has been exempted from the num-
bering requirements by federal statute or regulations.