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Name:	Marine Police -	Reply
Subject:	Navigation and ROW
Date:	7/12/2005 7:00:39 PM

Someone below posted the state rules of the road for boating...I won't repeat them....ck his link or go to outdooralabama.com and go to the boating section. The "cliff notes" version is this:

*Boats meeting head on should stay to the right.
*Boats crossing paths....boat on the right has the ROW...boat on the left should slow or stop and allow other to pass.
*Boat overtaking another boat can pass on either side provided it is safe to do so....boat being passed has ROW but should maintain course and speed.
*Boats in narrow channels should stay to the right.

To answer another question...boats towing other boats have ROW...not boats towing skiers/tubes/etc.

These rules are mainly for powered vessels. Sailboats have some different rules.
The link below goes to the federal navigation rules. The state rules were adopted from these.

Gary

URL: Federal Navigation Rules

Name:	Osms -	Reply
Subject:	Navigation and ROW
Date:	7/12/2005 7:46:10 PM

Is it true that boater's are responsible for any damage caused by their wake? Does Alabama have any penalty for above?

If a boat towing a skier overtakes a slower boat (ie. pontoon boat) on the starboard side and the pontoon decides to turn right and misses the overtaking boat but kills the skier then it is the overtaking boat's fault, according to your definition of towing. Not playing games -- need to know.

Name:	Marine Police -	Reply
Subject:	Navigation and ROW
Date:	7/12/2005 8:37:24 PM

Yes, boaters are responsible for any damage caused by their wake. There are some sections under the "rules of the road" that would cover criminal charges. Other than that it would be a civil action. The problem is that for criminal charges we have to see it happen. We can't make an arrest for a misdemeanor unless we see the offense. That goes for any law enforcement officer. Sooo....when people find out that it's up to them to sign warrants against the person...that's the end of it. I've yet to have anyone on the lakes I've worked willing to follow through with that.

As far as your scenario....a boat being passed has responsibility to hold course and speed (rules of the road #10), the boat being passed changed course and now the passing boat is on its right....when crossing the boat on the right has the ROW, vessels also "will not abruptly change course w/o first determining that it can be safely done w/o risk of collision" (rules of the road #8), also "operator must maintain a proper lookout" (rules of the road #19). Lastly, under regulation 220-6-18, a person being towed on skis, etc. shall be considered an occupant of the towing vessel. With the information given I don't see anyway that the overtaking boat would be held responsible.

Gary

Name:	roswellric -	Reply
Subject:	yes but
Date:	7/12/2005 8:57:57 PM

Isn't the reason for the responsibility for the overtaking boat to be responsible is because the forward boat may not see the overtaking boat? Seems to me that that's double jeorpardy.

Of course you should always look before you turn - especially PWC's. I think that's how most of them are injured.

Name:	Osms -	Reply
Subject:	Navigation and ROW
Date:	7/12/2005 11:01:56 PM

Thanks for your answers. Would it be correct to say that the skier is an extension of the boat? Are the boat and skier really a 100 foot boat in the eyes of the law.

I've just scanned the Coast Guard rules and they appear to ignore that skiers exist which makes some sense if you consider their emphasis is offshore and commercial inland traffic. I didn't see any mention of PWCs or skiers.

I learned another thing new. Eight year old children do not have to wear life jackets while aboard a boat in AL. My state and I believe the Coasties say 12.

Name:	joyrider -	Reply
Subject:	Navigation and ROW
Date:	7/12/2005 11:56:25 PM

"I" drive our boat like I would my SUV,.... but keeping my hand off the gas better than my foot does. :-)
I stay on the right side of the lake, I look both ways before I pull out in traffic, I stay out of the big water with kids in tow, I try not to ride anyones tails and I slow down when pulling in the drive,.... uh r "peir".
Uh Huh,.... female driver here! ;-) And a dang good one at that!

Name:	Osms -	Reply
Subject:	Navigation and ROW
Date:	7/13/2005 7:44:19 AM

joyrider that's a great policy - now we've only got to get the other 3,000 boats to do the same.

Ever notice how some people will leave the vicinity of their own dock and come to yours to tow their kids. My dock faces 'big water' and some people think nothing of running their boats on slow plane within 100 feet of the dock -- with the boat tied up and kids swimming. Generally these are adult drivers who wouldn't want you driving in front ot their dock - I don't get it.

Name:	lamont -	Reply
Subject:	Got an idea
Date:	7/13/2005 9:01:50 AM

Let's adopt Murphy Lake's boating and watercraft regulations. That should make everyone happy.

Name:	roswellric -	Reply
Subject:	I'll Bite....
Date:	7/13/2005 9:29:19 AM

Name:	F1Fan -	Reply
Subject:	Navigation and ROW
Date:	7/13/2005 12:10:05 PM

Re: 8 and older not having to wear vests:

This gives me a little more comfort for the occassional time we'll forget to vest up my 10 year old, but I can tell you as a parent I would darn sure still stick to the 12 year old guideline, especially in the conditions here on the weekend. If things start to go bad they tend to get very bad very quickly. I don't want to have to be worrying about pulling out and putting on vest for the kids on board. If the boat's on fire or sinking, I like to be able to just pick them up, throw them as far as possible, follow them in and call State Farm later.

This is similar to the age restrictions - we've had my 13 year old daughter convinced for the past 3 years it is 16 to drive. If she continues to show maturity and good judgement, we'll revisit this when she's 14 or 15, but for now don't have to deal with the expectation of having her own boaters license next summer. Not that there aren't 50 year olds with bad judgement, but the capacity to be aware and prepared for anything just isn't there for most 14 year olds, IMHO.

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