Specifications
46 47
Thoseboatingonriversneed
tobeawareoftheirlocationin
regardtodamsintheirboating
areaLow-head,or“fixedcrest,”
damscanbedifficulttoseefrom
smallvesselsmovingdown-
riverTheycanbeextremely
dangeroustosmallboatsandswimmers;somuchsotheyhavebeen
nicknamed“drowningmachines”Beawarethatbuoysarenotinthe
riveryearroundandevenwhentheyaretheycanbemovedoffstation
bythecurrentKeepalookoutfor“DangerDam”signsItisstrongly
recommendedthatboaters,whichprovidevalu-
ableinformationonthelocationofdamsandotherhazardsintheriver
Alockisanengineeredstructurethatenablesvesselstomove
betweenwaterwaysofdifferingheightsTherearespecificprocedures
inplacefornavigatingthroughlocksSpecificsmayvaryincertain
regions,butingeneral:
• Staybetweentheredandgreenbuoysthatmarktheriver’snavi-
gablechannel
• Requestanopeningusingyourmarineradio,cellphone,orwith
asoundsignalconsistingofoneprolongedblast(4-6seconds)
andoneshortblast(1second)withinonemileofthelockSound
signalscanbemadebyusingthelock’spull-cordoryourwhistle,
horn,megaphone,orhailer
• Waitforthelockoperatortosignalyouwithhornblasts;additional
signalsmayincludetrafficlightsorflashinglights
• Enterthelockatreducedspeed
• Makesureallpassengersremainseatedandweartheirlifejackets
• Tieyourcrafttothemooringdevicesafterentering;aminimumof
50feetoflineisrecommended
• Usefenderstoavoiddamagetoyourvesselandthelockwalls
• Whenthrough,waitforthelockoperator’ssignal(hornand/or
lights),thenleavethelockatidlespeed
ThereisaspecificorderoflockagepriorityamongvesselsMilitary
andmostcommercialvesselshavepriorityoverrecreationalvessels
AvesselunderwaywhenhailedbyaCoastGuardvesselisrequired
toheavetoormaneuverasdirectedsoastopermitaboardingteam
tocomeaboard(See“USCoastGuardBoardingPolicy:Whatto
Expect”page50)
Otherfederal,state,andlocalmaritimelawenforcementofficialsmay
alsoboardandexamineyourvessel,whetheritisnumbered,unnum-
bered,ordocumentedUSCoastGuardlawenforcementpersonnel
workwithandmayalsobefoundaboardotheragencies’enforcement
vessels
TheUSCoastGuardmayimposeacivilpenaltyforfailureto:
• Complywithequipmentrequirements
• Reportaboatingaccident
• Complywithotherfederalregulations
• ComplywithNavigationRules
Federallawprohibitsthenegligentorgrosslynegligentoperationofa
vesseland/orinterferencewiththesafeoperationofavesselsoasto
endangerlivesand/orpropertyTheUSCoastGuardmayimposea
civilpenaltyfornegligentoperationGrosslynegligentoperationisa
criminaloffenseandanoperatormaybefinedupto$5,000,imprisoned
foroneyear,orboth
Someactionsthatmayconstitutenegligentorgrosslynegligent
operationare:
• Operatingaboatinadesignatedswimmingarea
• Excessivespeedinthevicinityofotherboatsorinregulated
waters
• Hazardouswaterskiingorotherwatersportspractices
• Bowriding,orridingonseatback,gunwale,ortransom
• Operatingaboatwhileundertheinfluenceofalcoholordrugs
Backwash
Boil
Low-head DamEscape Route