Navigation Rules - Traffic Laws of the Waterways

http://www.boat-ed.com. This Boat-Ed safety course video discusses the navigation rules or traffic laws of the waterways. Responsibilities of the give-way vessel and stand-on vessel are defined.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• boat navigation rules
• waterway laws
• safe speed
• stand on vessel
• give way vessel
• Boat-Ed
• boating
• boating video
• boating education
• boating safety course

[Myrtone]

The equivelant rules for boats differ in that certain types of vessel have priority over others, with priority to the starboard in all other situations. So you need to know what type of vessel is approaching. What do you do for example when there is a sailng vessel behind a powed vessel approaching from the port? Or what if there is a powered vessel from behind *yours* and another powered vessel approaching from the starboard?

[kalkomey]

The points you raise are covered in our online courses and our YouTube video Encountering Other Vessels. The action a vessel operator should take when encountering another vessel depends on the answers to two questions: (1) How are the two vessels propelled? (2) How are the two vessels approaching one another? (Are the vessels meeting head-on? On paths that cross? Overtaking?)

[Myrtone]

Would it be more correct to say that the stand on vessel does not need to take any evasive action to avoid the give way vessel?

[kalkomey]

A stand-on vessel might need to take evasive action. Every operator is responsible for avoiding a collision. Operators must consider all dangers of navigation; risk of collisions; and any special conditions, including the limitations of the vessels involved. A departure from the navigation rules might be necessary to avoid immediate danger.

[Myrtone]

There is another important difference. In most countries, give way rules for road traffic are static, that is they are the same in relation to direction, except in cases of emergancy vehicles. This means that if one is approaching from the give way direction, one merely has to check for traffic approaching from the give way direction.