Navigational Aids; The General Prudential Rule; Night Running; Whistle Signal - Four winns Horizon 200 Owner's Manual

5. The General Prudential Rule

The general prudential rule regarding right-of-way is that
if a collision appears unavoidable, neither boat has right-
of-way. As prescribed in the "Rules of the Road", both
boats must act to avoid collision.

6. Night Running

Boats operating between sunset and sunrise (hours vary
by state), or in conditions of reduced visibility, must use
navigational lights. Nighttime operation, especially dur-
ing bad weather or fog, can be dangerous. All "Rules
of the Road" apply at night, but it is best to slow down
and stay clear of all boats regardless of who has right-
of-way.
To see more easily at night, avoid bright lights when
possible. Also, it is helpful to have a passenger keep
watch for other boats, water hazards, and navigational
aids.
To determine the size, speed and direction of other
vessels at night, you should use running lights. A green
light indicates the starboard side, and the red light indi-
cates the port side. Generally, if you see a green light,
you have the right-of-way; if you see a red light, give
way to the other vessel. See Figure J11.
Figure J11: Night Running
Owner's Manual
05/00

7. Whistle Signal

Out on the water, whistle signals are commonly used.
Although using a whistle signal is not necessary every
time a boat is nearby, operators must signal their inten-
tions when necessary to avoid potentially confusing or
hazardous situations. Use whistle blasts early enough
to be noticed and understood by other boaters.
It is customary for the privileged boat to signal first and
the yielding boat to return the same signal to acknowl-
edge she understands and will comply. Use the dan-
ger signal (five or more short and rapid blasts) if intent
is not clear. A short blast is one or two seconds long. A
long blast is 4 to 6 seconds long. The Navigational
Aids Chart at the end of this section lists the meanings
of the various whistle signals.
J - 9 NAVIGATIONAL AIDS
Aids to navigation (ATONS) help you to travel safely on
the water. They help you get from one place to another
and are most helpful if you have a nautical chart. A
navigational aids chart is at the end of this section.
NEVER tie your vessel to an ATON. It is illegal
because it blocks the ATON from view of other
boaters. Decreased visibility can contribute to
a serious accident which may result in prop-
erty damage, personal injury, or death.
There are two ATON systems. The system used on
federal waters is known as the International Associa-
tion of Lighthouse Authorities System B (IALA-B). The
Coast Guard maintains this system. The second sys-
tem is the Uniform State Waterway Marking System
(USWMS). This system is maintained by state authori-
ties.
A. International Association of Lighthouse
Authorities System B (IALA-B)
IALA-B uses four types of ATONS. This section dis-
cusses the two most common markers: lateral mark-
ers and safe water markers. Other federal markers
include special markers and isolated danger markers.
The Navigational Aids Chart at the end of this section
shows these aids.
Section J
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