Navigation Rules: Responsibility - Rule 2

• Navigation Rules, International and Inland are laws designed to prevent collisions between vessels.
• There are two sets of rules: international, applicable on the ocean beyond harbor entrances, and inland, applicable to harbors, rivers, and inland lakes.
• Additional rules apply to the Great Lakes and western rivers.
• The U.S. Coast Guard publishes Navigation Rules, International and Inland (COMDTPUB P16672.2 [series]).
• Updates are available on the U.S. Coast Guard’s Navigation Center website, including "Notice to Mariners" for important safety information.
• All vessels must adhere to the rules relevant to their location.
• Small boats should generally stay clear of larger vessels, but all rules apply to both large and small vessels to minimize danger.

Rule 2—Responsibility

• Compliance with the Navigation Rules does not excuse any vessel, owner, master, or crew from the consequences of neglecting the rules or standard maritime practices.
• Due consideration must be given to all navigational dangers, collision risks, and special circumstances, including vessel limitations, which might necessitate departing from the rules.
• A rule should only be disobeyed when necessary to avoid immediate danger, such as running aground or colliding with another vessel.

Rule 3—General Definitions

• Power-driven vessel: Any vessel propelled by machinery (steam, electricity, gasoline, diesel), regardless of sail use.
• Sailing vessel: Any vessel under sail only, even if equipped with power.
• Underway: Not at anchor, made fast to shore, or aground, movement is not required.
• Vessel engaged in fishing: Using nets, lines, or other apparatus that restricts maneuverability.
• Seaplanes: Aircraft designed to maneuver on water.
• Vessel not under command: Unable to maneuver as required by the rules due to exceptional circumstances.
• Vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver: Limited in movement due to the nature of her work (e.g., a dredge).
• Vessel constrained by her draft: A power-driven vessel restricted from deviating from its course due to its draft relative to the available water depth and width.

Steering and Sailing Rules

• Helmspersons must thoroughly understand the rules to quickly analyze situations and apply the correct rule.

Rule 5—Lookout

• Every vessel must maintain a proper lookout using sight, hearing, and all available means to fully assess the situation and collision risks.

Rule 6—Safe Speed

• Vessels must proceed at a safe speed to avoid collisions and stop within an appropriate distance, considering:
  • State of visibility
  • Amount of traffic
  • Vessel maneuverability
  • Background lighting at night
  • Wind, sea, current, and navigational hazards
  • Vessel draft relative to water depth

Rule 7—Risk of Collision

• All available means, including radar, should be used to determine if a collision risk exists, with any doubt being resolved in favor of assuming the risk exists.
• Assumptions should not be made based on limited information, especially radar data.
• Factors to consider:
  • Risk is deemed to exist if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not change.
  • Risk may exist even with an appreciable bearing change, especially when approaching large vessels, tows, or vessels at close range.

Situations for Proper Maneuvering

• Three basic situations that can lead to a collision: meeting, crossing, and overtaking.
• These situations only exist when vessels are in sight or sound of each other.
• Constant bearings indicate a collision course, requiring the give-way vessel to alter course or speed.
• Avoiding potentially dangerous situations is preferable to relying on rules to resolve them.
• The give-way vessel must keep clear of any vessel approaching from dead ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the starboard beam.

Rule 12—Conduct of Vessels in Sight of One Another, Sailing Vessels

• These rules apply to sailing vessels except vessels racing among themselves. These rules do apply to racing vessels encountering others not in the race. When two sailing vessels approach with risk of collision:
  • The vessel with the wind on the port side must keep out of the way of the other.
  • When both have the wind on the same side, the windward vessel keeps out of the way of the leeward vessel.
  • If a vessel with the wind on the port side cannot determine which side the other vessel has the wind, she must keep out of the way.
    • The windward side is the side opposite where the mainsail is carried.

Rule 13—Overtaking

• The overtaking vessel must keep clear of the vessel being overtaken.
• Power-driven vessels should stay to the starboard side of narrow channels.
• A vessel is overtaking when approaching from more than 22.5 degrees abaft the beam of another vessel.
• Any doubt should be resolved by assuming an overtaking situation and acting accordingly.

Rule 14—Head-On Situation

• Neither vessel should turn to port.
• If they are far enough to the left to pass the other safely, they may do so.
• Alter course to starboard if necessary to avoid the risk of collision.

Rule 15—Crossing Situation

• The vessel with the other on its starboard side must keep out of the way, altering course to starboard, slowing, stopping, or reversing.
• Vessels should pass port side to port side.

Rule 18—Responsibility Between Vessels

• Power-driven vessels must keep out of the way of vessels not under command, restricted in their ability to maneuver, engaged in fishing, and sailing vessels (except as required in Rules 9, 10, and 13).
• Sailing vessels must keep out of the way of vessels not under command, restricted in their ability to maneuver, and engaged in fishing.
• Vessels engaged in fishing must keep out of the way of vessels not under command and restricted in their ability to maneuver as much as possible.
• Seaplanes on the water should generally keep clear of all vessels, complying with the rules when a collision risk exists.

Lights and Shapes

• Navigation lights indicate a vessel’s size, activity, and direction at night or in limited visibility.
• Knowing the characteristics of navigation lights allows for appropriate action when approaching other vessels.
• A solid green light indicates the starboard side of a sailboat, red indicates the port side, and both indicate the sailboat is head on.
• A white light higher than red indicates the port side of a powerboat, while white higher than green indicates starboard.
• Both sailboats and powerboats show a white astern light, indicating a vessel is being overtaken.
• Anchored vessels must display an all-round white light visible for 2 miles, with no other navigation lights activated.
• Vessels under 7 meters are not required to display an anchor light, but it is recommended.
• Proper navigation lights must be shown in all weather conditions from sunset to sunrise, in limited visibility, and at other necessary times. No other visible lights that could be mistaken for the navigation lights are permitted.

Rule 21—Definitions

• Masthead light: A white light over the vessel's centerline, showing an unbroken light over 225 degrees.
• Side lights: A green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side, each showing an unbroken light over 112.5 degrees.
• Stern light: A white light at the stern showing an unbroken light over 135 degrees.
• All-round light: A light showing an unbroken light over 360 degrees.
• Flashing light: A light flashing at regular intervals at a frequency of 120 flashes or more per minute.

Rule 22—Visibility of Lights

• Visible Range in Miles for Vessels:
  • Less Than 12 Meters and 12 Meters or More but Less Than 20 Meters
  • See table above

Rule 23—Power-Driven Vessels Underway

• Power vessels underway exhibit a masthead light forward, side lights, and a stern light.
• Vessels less than 12 meters may exhibit an all-round white light and side lights.
• Powerboats on the Great Lakes may carry an all-round white light instead of a second masthead light and stern light combination.

Rule 25—Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars

• Sailing vessels underway must exhibit side lights and a stern light.
• Sailing vessels less than 20 meters may combine the side lights and stern light in one lantern at the top of the mast.
• Sailing vessels may also exhibit two all-round lights in a vertical line at the top of the mast, the upper red and the lower green.
• Sailing vessels less than 7 meters or vessels under oars should exhibit lights if practical, otherwise, have a white light ready to prevent collision.

Day Shapes

• Large vessels show lights at night and day shapes during daylight to indicate special activities or situations.
• Vessels not under command display two all-round red lights (or two black balls during the day) in a vertical line.
• Vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver show three lights (red-white-red) or a ball-diamond-ball shape.
• Vessels constrained by draft show three red lights or a black cylinder.
• Fishing vessels display a green light over a white light when fishing or two black cones apex to apex.
• Sailing vessels under power display a conical shape in rigging, apex down.

Rule 34—Maneuvering and Warning Signals—Inland Rules

• Power-driven vessels within half a mile of each other must indicate maneuvers with whistle signals:
  • One short blast: "I intend to leave you on my port side."
  • Two short blasts: "I intend to leave you on my starboard side."
  • Three short blasts: "I am operating astern propulsion."
• The other vessel should respond with the same signal if in agreement.
• If there is a misunderstanding or doubt about safety, sound the danger signal of at least five short and rapid blasts.
• Overtaking intentions:
  • One short blast: "I intend to overtake you on your starboard side."
  • Two short blasts: "I intend to overtake you on your port side."
• Vessels leaving a dock or nearing a blind bend should sound one prolonged blast, answered by any approaching vessel.

Rule 35—Sound Signals in Restricted Visibility

• Vessels in restricted visibility must sound fog signals at intervals of not more than two minutes. Passing may not be sounded until vessels are within sight of each other.
• Prolonged blast: four to six seconds in duration. Short blast: about one second.
• Fog signals:
  • Power-driven vessels making way: one prolonged blast
  • Power-driven vessels underway but stopped: two prolonged blasts with a two-second interval
  • Vessels not under command, restricted in ability to maneuver, sailing, engaged in fishing, or towing: one prolonged blast followed by two short blasts
  • Vessels towed (if manned): one prolonged blast followed by three short blasts, immediately after the towing vessel’s signal
  • Vessels at anchor: bell rung rapidly for five seconds
  • Vessels aground: bell rung rapidly for five seconds with three separate strokes on the bell immediately before and after the ringing