Yamaha 2A Owner's Manual page 15

maintain its course and speed. You must
stay out of its way until you are clear of
it. Likewise, if another vessel is passing
you, you should maintain your speed
and direction so that the other vessel
can steer itself around you.
OTHER SPECIAL SITUATIONS
There are three other rules you should
be aware of when driving your boat
around other vessels.
Narrow Channels and Bends
When navigating in narrow channels,
you should keep to the right when it is
safe and practical to do so. If the opera-
tor of a power-driven vessel is preparing
to go around a bend that may obstruct
the view of other water vessels, the
operator should sound a prolonged
blast on the whistle (4 to 6 seconds). If
another vessel is around the bend, it too
should sound the whistle. Even if no
reply is heard, however, the vessel
should still proceed around the bend
with caution. If you navigate such
waters with your boat, you will need to
carry a portable air horn, available from
local marine supply stores.
Fishing Vessel Right-of-way
All vessels which are fishing with nets,
lines or trawls are considered to be"fish-
ing vessels" under the International
Rules. Vessels with trolling lines are not
considered fishing vessels. Fishing ves-
sels have the right-of-way regardless of
position. Fishing vessels cannot, howev-
er, impede the passage of other vessels
in narrow 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 which 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, numbers and lights to
show which side of the buoy a boater
should pass on when navigating in a
particular direction. The markings on
these buoys are oriented from the per-
spective of being entered from seaward
(the boater is going towards the port).
This means that red buoys are passed
on the starboard (right) side when pro-
ceeding from open water into port, and
black buoys are to port (left) side. When
navigating out of port, your position
with respect to the buoys should be
reversed; red buoys should be to port
and black buoys to starboard.
Many bodies of water used by boaters
are entirely within the boundaries of a
particular state. The Uniform State
Waterway Marking System has been
devised for these waters. This system
uses buoys and signs with distinctive
shapes and colors to show regulatory or
advisory information. These markers are
white with black letters and orange
boarders. They signify speed zones,
restricted areas, danger areas, and gen-
eral information.
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