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Safety information
21
provided the other vessel gives you the right-
of-way as it should.
Overtaking
If you are passing another vessel, you are the
give-way vessel. This means that the other
vessel is expected to maintain its course and
speed. You must stay out of its way until you
are clear of it. Likewise, if another vessel is
passing you, you should maintain your speed
and direction so that the other vessel can
steer itself around you.
Other special situations
There are three other rules you should be
aware of when riding your watercraft around
other vessels.
Narrow channels and bends
When navigating in narrow channels, you
should keep to the right when it is safe and
practical to do so. If the operator of a power-
driven vessel is preparing to go around a
bend that may obstruct the view of other water
vessels, the operator should sound a pro-
longed blast of four to six seconds on the
whistle. If another vessel is around the bend,
it too should sound the whistle. Even if no re-
ply is heard, however, the vessel should still
proceed around the bend with caution. If you
navigate such waters with your watercraft,
you will need to carry a portable air horn,
available from local marine supply stores.
Fishing vessel right-of-way
All vessels fishing with nets, lines, or trawls
are considered to be “fishing vessels” under
the International Rules. Vessels with trolling
lines are not considered fishing vessels. Fish-
ing vessels have the right-of-way regardless
of position. Fishing vessels cannot, however,
impede the passage of other vessels in nar-
row channels.
Sailing vessel right-of-way
Sailing vessels should normally be given the
right-of-way. The exceptions to this are:
(1) When the sailing vessel is overtaking the
power-driven vessel, the power-driven
vessel has the right-of-way.
(2) Sailing vessels should keep clear of any
fishing vessel.
(3) In a narrow channel, a sailing vessel
should not hamper the safe passage of a
power-driven vessel that can navigate
only in such a channel.
Reading buoys and other markers
The waters of the United States are marked
for safe navigation by the lateral system of
buoyage. Simply put, buoys and markers
have an arrangement of shapes, colors, num-
bers, and lights to show which side of the
buoy a boater should pass on when navigat-
ing in a particular direction. The markings on
these buoys are oriented from the perspective
of being entered from seaward (the boater is
going towards the harbor). Red buoys are
passed on your starboard (right) side when
proceeding from open water into the harbor,
and black buoys are to your port (left) side. An
easy way to remember the meaning of the
colors is the phrase “red right returning”.
When navigating out of the harbor, your posi-
tion with respect to the buoys should be re-
versed; red buoys should be to port and black
buoys to starboard.
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