Safety information

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. Fishing vessels have the right-of-way regardless of position. Fishing vessels cannot, however, impede the passage of other vessels in narrow 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 navigating 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 position with respect to the buoys should be re- versed; red buoys should be to port and black buoys to starboard.

Many bodies of water used by boaters are entirely within the boundaries of a particular state. The Uniform State Waterway Marking System has been devised for these waters.

This system uses buoys and signs with distinctive shapes and colors to show regulatory or advisory information. These markers are white with black letters and orange borders.

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