The purpose of the navigation rules (rules of the road) is to prevent collisions. Since there are no traffic lines and few signs on the water, boat operators must make choices. Common sense is required, but boaters must also know the rules of the road. The following is only a summary of these rules. Complete copies of all the rules are available from the U.S. Coast Guard and at some bookstores. The rules listed here are intended to give boaters information on some of their responsibilities when encountering various situations on the water. Operators are responsible for:

• The safety of all passengers in the boat.
• The boat’s wake and any damage caused by it.
• Maintaining a proper lookout and operating at a safe speed for the conditions.
• Using good seamanship, which is the foundation of the navigation rules.

Boat operators must maintain a proper lookout at all times when operating a boat. Collisions and other types of accidents can be avoided by scanning all around the boat for swimmers, other boats and obstructions. Listening for dangerous situations is also a part of maintaining a proper lookout. Passengers should be asked to assist.

A boater’s speed of operation will vary according to the weather, water conditions, time of day or night, other boat traffic and individual boat characteristics. Safe speed allows the operator to be in control and take correct action to avoid a collision.

A risk of collision exists when there is the possibility that two boats will arrive at the same point on the water at the same time.The first indication of a risk of collision is when one operator notices that another boat has a constant bearing (or constant relative position) and a decreasing range (the other boat is getting closer). When this occurs, the Rules of the Road make one boat either a stand-on (privileged) vessel or a give-way (burdened) vessel (explanation follows). The risk of collision ends when both boats have avoided the collision by proper action under the rules and are moving safely away from each other.

Under the Rules, the stand-on vessel is required to maintain its course and speed. The give-way vessel is required to stop or slow down or, when overtaking, to pass the other vessel in a safe manner. Under no circumstances should the stand-on vessel assume that the give-way vessel is going to take the action required to avoid a collision. Both operators are required to avoid a collision in any situation.