You may be right Tfred, that's why I said it may. Actually, some bikes do have motors but all have to obey the same rules as motor vehicles. What about scooters. They do have motors.
Lots of gray in that law including what is a vessel. That's generally considered a ship or LARGE boat. Is my 21 foot sailboat a vessel, how about my canoe or my kayak????????
A sailboat is a vessel. Sometimes a canoe is a vessel, sometimes it is not. All depends
Title 29.1 - GAME, INLAND FISHERIES AND BOATING.
§ 29.1-700. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:
"Motorboat" means any vessel propelled by machinery whether or not the machinery is the principal source of propulsion.
"No wake" means operation of a motorboat at the slowest possible speed required to maintain steerage and headway.
"Operate" means to navigate or otherwise control the movement of a motorboat or a vessel.
"Owner" means a person, other than a lien holder, having the property in or title to a motorboat. The term includes a person entitled to the use or possession of a motorboat 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.
"Personal watercraft" means a motorboat less than sixteen feet in length which uses an inboard motor powering a jet pump, as its primary motive power and which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on, rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside, the vessel.
"Vessel" means every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.
"Waters of the Commonwealth" means any public waters within the territorial limits of the Commonwealth, the adjacent marginal sea and the high seas when navigated as a part of a journey or ride to or from the Virginia shore.
(Code 1960, c. 500, § 62-174.2; 1962, c. 626; 1968, c. 659, § 62.1-167; 1972, c. 412; 1987, c. 488; 1998, cc. 84, 443, 512, 514, 515, 533, 537, 563.)
Canoe would be a vessel as defined above.
§ 29.1-738. Operating boat or manipulating water skis, etc., in reckless manner or while intoxicated, etc.
A. No person shall operate any motorboat or vessel, or manipulate any skis, surfboard, or similar device, or engage in any spearfishing while skin diving or scuba diving in a reckless manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person.
B. No person shall operate any watercraft,
as defined in § 29.1-712, or motorboat which is underway (i) while such person has a blood alcohol concentration at or greater than the blood alcohol concentration at which it is unlawful to drive or operate a motor vehicle as provided in § 18.2-266 as indicated by a chemical test administered in accordance with § 29.1-738.2, (ii) while such person is under the influence of alcohol, (iii) while such person is under the influence of any narcotic drug or any other self-administered intoxicant or drug of whatsoever nature, or any combination of such drugs, to a degree which impairs his ability to operate the watercraft or motorboat safely, (iv) while such person is under the combined influence of alcohol and any drug or drugs to a degree which impairs his ability to operate the watercraft or motorboat safely, or (v) while such person has a blood concentration of any of the following substances at a level that is equal to or greater than: (a) 0.02 milligrams of cocaine per liter of blood, (b) 0.1 milligrams of methamphetamine per liter of blood, (c) 0.01 milligrams of phencyclidine per liter of blood, or (d) 0.1 milligrams of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine per liter of blood.
C. For purposes of this article, the word "operate" shall include being in actual physical control of a watercraft or motorboat and "underway" shall mean that a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.
Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(1960, c. 500, § 62-174.10; 1962, c. 626; 1968, c. 659, § 62.1-176; 1987, c. 488; 1988, c. 176; 1989, c. 726; 1994, c. 587; 1996, cc. 929, 1015; 1997, c. 703; 2005, c. 616.)
§ 29.1-712. Definitions.
As used in this article:
"Dealer" means any watercraft dealer as defined in § 29.1-801.
"Watercraft" means any vessel, other than a seaplane, on the water, propelled by machinery whether or not the machinery is the principal source of propulsion or any sail-powered vessel longer than eighteen feet measured along the centerline. Watercraft which have a valid marine document issued by the United States Coast Guard shall not be included in this definition.
(1981, c. 405, § 62.1-186.1; 1984, c. 418; 1987, c. 488; 1997, c. 877.)
According to the above when operating a vessel while intoxicated, a vessel is defined as a machinery powered or sail powered vessel.
Haven't found anything regarding firearms yet, but I do like to enjoy a beverage or 3 while canoing the Rappahannock between Remington and Motts Run. So far as I know, I
could conceal handgun in my zippered water proof US Navy Seal Navsea approved underwater dry bag without a permit as a sealed container in my canoe "vessel" not requiring a CHP and
couldoperate my canoe "non vessel" while drinking alcohol in possesion of said handgun and be in compliance of the law.
I said "COULD".