OPERATING YOUR BOAT SAFELY

1. OPERATING YOUR BOAT SAFELY

2. Navigation rules Navigation lights Night navigation Navigational aids Sound signals Compasses and charts Key Topics

3. Navigation Rules Three basic rules of navigation: • Practice good seamanship. • Keep a proper lookout. • Maintain a safe speed.

4. Navigation Rules (cont.) There are two terms to help explain what to do when encountering other vessels • Give-way vessel—vessel which is required to take early and substantial action to keep well away from other vessels.

5. Navigation Rules (cont.) • Stand-on vessel—vessel which should maintain its course and speed unless it becomes apparent that give-way vessel is not taking appropriate action.

6. Navigation Rules (cont.) Navigation rules depend on: • Type of situation • Type of vessels involved

7. Navigation Rules (cont.) When meeting another vessel head-on: • Power vs. Power: Neither vessel is stand-on boat—both vessels should keep to starboard (right). • Power vs. Sail: Powerboat is give-way boat. Click Start to begin animation

8. Navigation Rules (cont.) When meeting another vessel in a crossing situation: • Power vs. Power: Vessel on port (left) is give-way boat. • Power vs. Sail: Power-driven vessel is the give-way boat. Click Start to begin animation

9. When overtaking another vessel: Navigation Rules (cont.) • Power vs. Power: Vessel which is overtaking another vessel is give-way boat. • Power vs. Sail: Vessel which is overtaking another vessel is give-way boat. Click Start to begin animation

10. When a sailboat encounters another sailboat: Wind on same side: Leeward vessel is stand-on boat. Navigation Rules (cont.) • Wind on different sides: Vessel with wind on starboard (right) side is stand-on boat. Click Start to begin animation

11. Navigation Rules – Exceptions If operating power-driven vessel, you must give-way to: • Vessel not under command • Vessel restricted in its ability to maneuver or a vessel constrained by its draft, such as large ship in channel • Vessel engaged in commercial fishing • Sailing vessel unless it is overtaking

12. Navigation Rules – Exceptions (cont.) If operating a sailing vessel, you must give-way to: • Vessel not under command • Vessel restricted in ability to maneuver • Vessel engaged in commercial fishing

13. Navigation Rules – Exceptions (cont.) Operating in Narrow Channels: • A vessel in a narrow channel must keep as far to right of channel as is safe and practical. • If operating a power-driven vessel heading upstream on Mississippi River system, all vessels coming toward you from opposite direction have right-of-way and you must give-way.

14. Navigation Rules – Exceptions (cont.) • You may not get in the way of vessels that can only navigate within a channel if you are operating a vessel: • Less than 20 meters (65.6 ft.) • Under sail or engaged in fishing • Crossing channel • You must not anchor in a narrow channel unless circumstances require doing so.

15. Navigation Rules – Exceptions (cont.) • You must use appropriate sound signals and use caution while operating in a narrow channel when: • Overtaking or being overtaken • When your view is obstructed • If you are leaving a dock, slip, or tie-up mooring, you must give-way to all approaching vessels.

16. Navigation Lights Navigation lights help you and other boaters determine which is the give-way vessel when encountering each other at night. These lights must be displayed from sunset to sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility.

17. Navigation Lights (cont.) • Sidelights • redlight indicates vessel’s port (left) side. • greenlight indicates vessel’s starboard (right) side.

18. Navigation Lights (cont.) • Sternlight • Masthead Light • Must be used by all vessels when under engine power. • Absence of this light identifies sailboat under sail.

19. Navigation Lights (cont.) • All-Round White Light • May be used to combine masthead and stern light on vessels less than 39.4 ft in length. • Serves as anchor light when sidelights are extinguished.

20. Night Navigation • Lights of other vessels help you determine: • If operating under power or sail • Their direction of travel • Apply same navigational rules used in daytime. • Never assume lights of other vessels are working properly.

21. Night Navigation (cont.) Click Start to begin animation

22. Night Navigation (cont.) • When you see red and white lights you must give-way to other vessel. • When you see white and green lights you are the stand-on vessel. Click Start to begin animation

23. Night Navigation (cont.) • When you see only a white light, you are overtaking another vessel or it is anchored and it is the stand-on vessel. Click Start to begin animation

24. Night Navigation (cont.) • When you see red, green, and white lights, you are approaching another power-driven vessel head-on so both vessels must give-way. Click Start to begin animation

25. Night Navigation (cont.) • When you see only red and green lights, you are approaching sailing vessel head-on and you must give-way. Click Start to begin animation

26. Night Navigation (cont.) • When you see only a green light, you are approaching a sailboat under sail and you must give-way. • When you see only a red light, you are approaching a sailboat under sail and you must give-way. Click Start to begin animation

27. Night Navigation (cont.) Towing Lights • When commercial vessels are towing, they display one or more yellow lights in place of sternlight—may be space of several hundred yards between lights displayed on bow and stern of vessel.

40. Sound Signals Sound signals are composed of short and long blasts and must be audible for at least one-half mile: • Short blast is about one second in duration. • Prolonged blast is 4-6 seconds in duration.

41. Sound Signals (cont.) Vessel operators use sound signals to communicate change in direction to other boaters: • One short blast tells other boaters, “I intend to pass you on my port (left) side.” • Two short blasts tells other boaters, “I intend to pass you on my starboard (right) side.” • Three short blasts tells other boaters, “I am backing up.”

42. Sound Signals (cont.) Sound signals let other boaters know where you are during periods of restricted visibility: • One prolonged blastat intervals of no more than two minutes is the signal used by power-driven vessels when underway. • One prolonged plus two short blasts at intervals of no more than two minutes is the signal used by sailing vessels.

43. Sound Signals (cont.) Sound signals are used to warn other boaters or alert them to danger: • One prolonged blast is a warning signal. • Five (or more) short, rapid blasts are used to signal danger or that you do not understand or disagree with the other boater’s intentions.

44. U.S. Aids To Navigation System(cont.) • Nuns and Cans – red cone-shaped (nuns) or green cylindrical-shaped (cans) • Lighted Buoys – marked with Lateral System • Daymarks – red triangles or green squares attached permanently to structures; can be lighted.

45. Lateral Markers Red colors, red lights, and even numbers indicate right side of channel as boater enters from open sea or heads upstream. Green colors, green lights and odd numbers indicate left side of channel as boater enters from open sea or heads upstream. U.S. Aids To Navigation System (ATON)

46. U.S. Aids To Navigation System(cont.) Use this phrase as a reminder of the correct course when returning from open waters or heading upstream: “Red Right Returning”

47. U.S. Aids To Navigation System(cont.) • Red and green colors and/or lights indicates preferred (primary channel) • If green on top, preferred channel is to right. • If red on top, preferred channel is to left.

48. U.S. Aids To Navigation System(cont.) Non-Lateral Markers • Squares provide information indicating directions, distances, places, food and supplies, repairs, etc. • Diamonds warn of dangers such as rocks, dams, shoals, construction, or stumps.

49. U.S. Aids To Navigation System(cont.) • Circles indicate controlled areas such as speed limit, no fishing, or anchoring, etc. • Crossed diamonds indicate areas off-limits (exclusion area) to all vessels, such as swimming areas, dams, and spillways.

50. U.S. Aids To Navigation System(cont.) Other Non-Lateral Markers • Safe Water Marker indicate unobstructed water on all sides; they mark mid-channels or fairways and may be passed on either side. • Inland Waters Obstruction Marker indicate an obstruction to navigation; you should not pass between these buoys and the shore.