Specifications
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Boaterscallnavigationrules–thebasiclawsgoverningthesteering
orsailingofaboat–“TheRulesoftheRoad”TheseRulesdefinethe
rolesandresponsibilitiesofvesseloperatorsIfalloperatorsfollowed
theserules,mostaccidentscouldbeavoided
TheRulesaredividedintotwoparts,InlandandInternationalInland
Rulesapplytovesselsoperatinginsidethelineofdemarcation,while
InternationalRulesapplyoutsidethatlineDemarcationlinesare
printedonmostnavigationalchartsandarelistedintheNavigation
Rules
PrintcopiesoftherulescanbeobtainedfromtheSuperintendentof
Documents,USGovernmentPrintingOffice,POBox979050,St
Louis,MO63197-9000Tel(202)512-1800,oryoucandownloada
copyfromtheUSCoastGuard,BoatingSafetyDivisionwebsiteat
wwwuscgboatingorg
Theoperatorofavessel394feet(12meters)orgreaterisresponsible
forhavingandmaintainingacopyoftheNavigationRulesonboard
whileoperatingonUSinlandwaters
TheRulesvaryslightlydependingonwhetheryouareboatingon
inlandoroninternationalwatersAsanexample,whenoperatingon
inlandwaters,soundsignalsaresignalsof;whenoperatingon
international
waters,theyaresignalsof
Designatesomeonetowatchfordangersthatmay
comefromanydirection
Exceptwherespeedisrestrictedbyregulation,
orthewaterwayismarkedasa“NoWake”or“SlowSpeed”area,you
mustjudgesafespeedforyourself,takingintoaccountvisibility,vessel
traffic,yourboat’sabilitytomaneuver,andtheweatherconditions
TheRulesoftheRoadincludetheactionstotake
whenencounteringanothervesselonthewaterSomeofthemost
commonsituationsyoumayencounterare:overtaking,meeting
head-on,andcrossingthebowofanothervesselIneachcase,the
boatdesignatedasthe“give-way”vesselisrequiredtoyieldtothe
otherboat,whiletheboatdesignatedasthe“stand-on”vesselshould
maintainitscourseandspeed
Thefollowingdiagramsdescribethewhistlesignalsandactionstobe
takenbyvesselsinacrossing,meeting,orovertakingsituationwhile
operatingininlandwatersThesearebasicexamples;foradditional
information,consulttheNavigationRules
Give-Way Vessel
shouldaltercoursetopass
astern(behind)
1shortblast(1sec)
Stand-On Vessel
shouldmaintainitscourse
andspeed
1shortblast(1sec)
2shortblasts
(1seceach)
2shortblasts
(1seceach)
1shortblast
(1sec)
1shortblast
(1sec)
Overtaken
Overtaking
(keepclear)