Rules & Regulations
Rules of the Road 857 Marine Sewage Equipment 871
U.S. Coast Guard Required Equipment 865 Obtaining Notices to Mariners 871
US Customs and Border Protection 869 Special Warnings and Notices 871
Rules of the Road
Understanding and obeying the rules of the type of vessel must have and when to display
road is critical to safe navigation, but often them, the types of sound equipment needed
neglected by yachtsmen and small recre- and when to use it.
ational boat captains, many of whom adhere Below are excerpts of the most commonly
to inaccurate interpretations of the rules. encountered and critical rules governing
Two similar, but legally distinct, sets of navigation along with explanations in italics.
rules govern navigation in U.S. coastal wa- Rules governing unusual vessels and circum-
ters; the “Inland Navigation Rules” cover stances and technical requirements of equip-
vessels operating on inshore waters, and the ment have not been included. A complete
“International Regulations for Preventing copy of the official Inland and International
Collisions at Sea” (COLREGS) cover vessels Rules of the Road is available from the Navi-
operating offshore. The dividing lines be- gation section of our Website (www.reedsal-
tween these areas are marked on charts as the manac.com). o
ad
“COLREGS Demarcation Line.”
In addition to governing the responsibili-
ties of boats and ships underway, the rules
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also dictate in great detail what lights each
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