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Safety information

Fishing vessel right-of-way Many bodies of water used by boaters are
All vessels fishing with nets, lines, or trawls entirely within the boundaries of a particular
are considered to be “fishing vessels” under state. The Uniform State Waterway Marking
the International Rules. Vessels with trolling System has been devised for these waters.
lines are not considered fishing vessels. Fish- This system uses buoys and signs with dis-
ing vessels have the right-of-way regardless tinctive shapes and colors to show regulatory
of position. Fishing vessels cannot, however, or advisory information. These markers are
impede the passage of other vessels in nar- white with black letters and orange borders.
row 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 navigat-
ing in a particular direction. The markings on
these buoys are oriented from the perspec-
tive of being entered from seaward (the boat-
er 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 return-
ing”. When navigating out of the harbor, your
position with respect to the buoys should be
reversed; red buoys should be to port and
black buoys to starboard.

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