Ohio Rev. Code § 1547.20: Permission for conducting special water events.

No person or organization shall conduct any race, regatta, or other special event upon the waters in this state without first obtaining written permission, upon application not less than thirty days prior to the time of the proposed race, regatta, or event, of the federal agency, state department, conservancy district, or political subdivision having jurisdiction and control over such waters. Any state department, conservancy district, or political subdivision may suspend its respective rules during a race, regatta, or special event. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean that the operator of a vessel competing in a specially authorized race, regatta, or special event shall not attempt to attain high speeds on a marked racing course.

On any waters in this state over which no federal agency, state department, conservancy district, or political subdivision has jurisdiction and control, no person or organization shall conduct any race, regatta, or other special event without first obtaining written permission, upon application not less than thirty days prior to the time of the proposed race, regatta, or event, of the chief of the division of parks and watercraft. The chief may, after determining that the public safety will be adequately protected, grant written permission for holding such race, regatta, or special event. This section does not apply to privately owned lakes or ponds nor to canoes or rowboats.