Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Charges" means charges of the commission for moorage and storage, and all other charges related to the vessel and owing to or that become owing to the commission, including but not limited to costs of securing, disposing, or removing vessels, damages to any commission facility, and any costs of sale and related legal expenses for implementing RCW 79A.65.020 and 79A.65.030.

(2) "Commission" means the Washington state parks and recreation commission.

(3) "Commission facility" means any moorage facility, as that term is defined in RCW 53.08.310, owned, leased, operated, managed, or otherwise controlled by the commission or by a person pursuant to a contract with the commission.

(4) "Owner" means a person who has a lawful right to possession of a vessel by purchase, exchange, gift, lease, inheritance, or legal action whether or not the vessel is subject to a security interest, and shall not include the holder of a bona fide security interest.

(5) "Person" means any natural person, firm, partnership, corporation, association, organization, or any other entity.

(6)(a) "Registered owner" means any person that is either: (i) Shown as the owner in a vessel certificate of documentation issued by the secretary of the United States department of transportation under 46 U.S.C. Sec. 12103; or (ii) the registered owner or legal owner of a vessel for which a certificate of title has been issued under chapter 88.02 RCW; or (iii) the owner of a vessel registered under the vessel registration laws of another state under which laws the commission can readily identify the ownership of vessels registered with that state.

(b) "Registered owner" also includes: (i) Any holder of a security interest or lien recorded with the United States department of transportation with respect to a vessel on which a certificate of documentation has been issued; (ii) any holder of a security interest identified in a certificate of title for a vessel registered under chapter 88.02 RCW; or (iii) any holder of a security interest in a vessel where the holder is identified in vessel registration information of a state with vessel registration laws that fall within (a)(iii) of this subsection and under which laws the commission can readily determine the identity of the holder.

(c) "Registered owner" does not include any vessel owner or holder of a lien or security interest in a vessel if the vessel does not have visible information affixed to it (such as name and hailing port or registration numbers) that will enable the commission to obtain ownership information for the vessel without incurring unreasonable expense.

(7) "Registered vessel" means a vessel having a registered owner.

(8) "Secured vessel" means any vessel that has been secured by the commission that remains in the commission's possession and control.

(9) "Unauthorized vessel" means a vessel using a commission facility of any type whose owner has not paid the required moorage fees or has left the vessel beyond the posted time limits, or a vessel otherwise present without permission of the commission.

(10) "Vessel" means every watercraft or part thereof constructed, used, or capable of being used as a means of transportation on the water. It includes any equipment or personal property on the vessel that is used or capable of being used for the operation, navigation, or maintenance of the vessel.

Effective date—2002 c 286: See RCW 79.100.901.