The First In A Series

Boating Basics: On the Water

From Tom Nunes

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

Editor’s Note: Safe navigation on Arizona's waterways is everyone's responsibility. All operators are equally responsible for taking action to avoid collisions.
 This is the first of a series on navigation safety. It is aimed particularly at less-experienced boaters who may be somewhat in awe of all they should learn to boat safely. Therefore, we are focusing on one navigation rule at a time, in the hopes that each, studied on its own, will have a better chance of “sinking” in.
However, the best plan is always to take a safe-boating course; there are many offered by the Arizona Game & Fish Department, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the Power Squadron. These are listed on page 3 each issue.

Encountering Other Vessels

Even though no vessel has the "right-of-way" over another vessel, there are some rules that every operator should follow when encountering other vessels. It is the responsibility of both operators to take the action needed to avoid a collision. The navigation rules page shows what to do when encountering another vessel.

Encountering Vessels With Limited Maneuverability

When operating a power-driven vessel, you must give way to —

• Any vessel not under command, such as an anchored or disabled vessel
• Any vessel restricted in its ability to maneuver, such as a vessel towing another or laying cable, or one constrained by its draft, such as a large ship in a channel
• A vessel engaged in commercial fishing
• A sailboat under sail unless it is overtaking

When operating a vessel under sail, you must give way to —

• Any vessel not under command
• Any vessel restricted in its ability to maneuver
• A vessel engaged in commercial fishing

Two Important Terms

Stand-on vessel: the vessel that should maintain its course and speed
Give-way vessel: the vessel that must take early and substantial action to avoid collision by stopping, slowing down, or changing course