I recently took the boating test and passed the test. Here are some notes to help you out.
- red light is on the port side (left)
- green light is on the starboard side (right)
- mandatory: all-round white light
- draft is the part of the boat that is under water floating
- sole is the floor of the cockpit or interior cabin. ( pretty much the deck)
- bilge is the lowest part of the interior of the hull, under the sole.
Jet Skis
- on a jet ski if you let of the power there is no steering.
- no power no steering (all jet skis, some boats)
- jet pump intake grate takes water in, compresses it then shoots it out.
- advantages: you can run them in shallow water, can park on beaches easier, and has no exposed motors.
- disadvantages: it could suck up your long hair, and can suck up skis and other things.
- PWC (personal water craft) are subject to all of the same laws and requirements of any other boat.
- the safety lanyard is a short cord attached to the ignition so if you fall off then the engine turns off.
Sail Boats
- if it does not have a motor the other rules do not apply to it.
- keels keeps you going straight and in line.
- the rutter is what actually steers the boat
- popular types of sailboats: catboat, cutter, ketch, sloop, yawl.
Boat Lengths
- dictates if you will need additional safety equipment
Hull Shapes
- Flat Bottom Hull
- Deep Vee Hull
- Round Bottom Hull
- Multi-Hull
Factors Influencing Seaworthiness
- Size
- Design
- Construction Materials
Types Of Engines
- Outboards:
- Inboards:
- Stern Drives
- Jet Drive:
- Outboard Jet:
- Boats are classified by their size, engine, and construction materials. (All Boats)
- if you were 40 years old on April 28 in 1994 you are grandfathered in and don’t have to take the boaters safety test, but you must have a V on your license.
- Capacity Plate will tell you how many people you can fit on your boat at maximum and also how much horse power.
Float Plan
- tell someone where you are going, who with, what boat, where, when, when will you be back.
Vessel Safety Checks
- don’t charge, they check to make sure you are safe and gives you a sticker to show you have everything
Trailering Your Boat
- Make sure you have the right trailer appropriate for the boat that you are hauling.
- The right tow vehicle
- match the coupler to the ball
- maintain the proper tongue weight
- make sure you attach your safety chains.
- make sure the safety chains are crossed
- Make sure they are crossed so that it will catch it if the boat falls
On The Road
- Traffic flow
- turning and cornering wide
- check rigging periodically
- carry tools, jack, spare parts, and flares
- observe the speed limits
Launching Your Boat
- Prepare away from the ramp
- transfer equipment and supplies
- remove tie-downs
- check drain plugs
- back down ramp until lower unit is submerged
- start engine and check idle OK
- start engine and check boat floats
- undo winch line
- back boat off of the trailer
Fueling Safety
- Fill Portable tanks on dock
- close hatches and portholes
- keep fuel nozzle in contact with deck plate
- do NOT overfill tanks
- ventilate tanks
- check systems for leaks
- use your nose
Maintain your Boat
- examine interior and exterior out of the water
- keep them covered but keep them ventilated.
- do NOT anchor off the stern of the boat
Boating Accessories
- anchor and lone
- spare parts and tool kit
- compass and charts
- radio, VHF-FM marine
- docking lines
- first aid kit
- water for emergencies
- flashlights
- spare bulbs
- sunscreen
Review
- avoid running out of gas by using the 1/3 method
- vessel equipment is required by law
- trailer winch cables and straps can snap be sure to stay out of direct line with a winch cable.
- when launching a sailboat with the mast raised at a launch area be certain that no overhead electrical wires come into contact with it
- always fill your extra fuels cans on a dock so that the fumes do not get into your boat.
- general responsibility rule: you are responsible for any thing that happens in your boat, and the wake of your boat, or anything that the wake of your boat that your wake messes up.
- Departure from rules may be necessary to avoid collision.
- “he who is bigger, stay out of his way.”
Stand on or Give Way
- if he is on the right then you give way just like at a four way stop sign.
- if you see a boat of your starboard side then let them go
- if sailboat has no motor on they are always stand on no matter what unless they have their motor on.
- power driven vessels always give way to sailing vessels, vessels engages in fishing, vessels engaged in fishing, vessels restricted in ability to maneuver.
Power Driven Vessel
- when you are in a narrow channel keep right!
- if you are going upstream you are always the give way vessel. because it is harder to steer when you are in a strong upstream current.
- no vessel at sea can assume right of way
- a sail boat is a stand-on when meeting a power boat.
- don’t shine your spot light at the bridge of another boat
Sound Signals
- i short blast means i’m meeting you on my P O R T side
- two shorts blast means i’m leaving you on my S T A R B O A R D side
- channel 16 is the international signal and distress channel or use 13 in some other areas
- yellow lights are on tows or tow boats itself
- if you see a pair of green lights or red lights, don’t get between them or in front of them
- let other boats know where you are especially in fog, rain, or any other dangerous conditions.
- do a loud blast every two minutes to let them know you are here.
- a fog blast is about 4 to 6 seconds long
- 5 or more short blast are the danger signal
- stop what you are doing and look around to see whats happening.
- if you loose a crew man 5 short blast and request help to find him if you need help
- inland rules
- signals indicate intent
- require an answer of agreement
- south of jetties are inland rules, north is international
- international rules
- Signals indicate execution
- no response required unless danger
- long blast in reduced visibility
- 3 short blast and one long blast means i’m leaving port
How to Prevent Problems
- practice good seamanship
- maintain lookout
- maintain safe speed
- SAFE SPEED
- you are responsible for your speed
US Aids to Navigation (ATON)
- Lateral Markers: marks the sides of a channel
- if they are buoys they float
- right side of the channel red color, red lights, even numbers, nun buoys
- when you are returning from see keep the red on your right
- left side of channel green colors, green lights, odd numbers, CAN buoys
- buoys are usually deeper waters
- telephone poles are the same as the buoys
- RED RIGHT RETURNING
- regulatory markers: information, danger, controlled, exclusion.
- special purpose markers: anchorages, traffic separation schemes
- data gathering
- etc
- special purpose markers do not tell you where you are
- safe water markers have no numbers but maybe letters
- in the intracoastal waterway keep the yellow pointy buoy on your right
- keep the yellow squared buoy on your left
- note yellow shapes: yellow means intracoastal waterway
- a red over green buoy marks an intersection of channel
Legal Requirements of Boating
- coast guards role: they will check you for life jackets that fit and for other safety things like that. (fire extinguishers, life jackets, etc)
- they don’t have to have probable cause to enter you’re boat
- what the states do: they’re the law enforcements on water but also can get you on land.
- they do try to have probable cause but they don’t have to.
- everybody on the boat needs to comply with safety regulations.
- numbering decals: the numbers must be applied front to back and be able to read clearly
- they must be 6 inches from the nose of the boat
- either hyphen of space between the first two letters and numbers
- registration certificate: must be on board when underway (must be the original)
- if you buy it from another state you must take off the old numbers and put on the new ones that fit to whatever current state you are living.
- boats are not titled in alabama
- register your boat at the courthouse
- documented vessels: u.s. citizens only may have a large vessel documented
- documentation number must be clearly visible on the interior structure
- name and hailing port 4’ high on hull
- hull identification numbers came in, in 1972
- you may be 14 years old to operate a boat by yourself with a certification and 12 with certification and a parent with certification
- obviously it’s illegal to operate under the use of drugs and alcohol
- contributes to 1/3 of boating accidents
- it’s illegal to: anchor in a channel, tie up to an ATON, tamper with, deface, or move any ATON, or obstruct a pier, wharf, or boat ramp.
- stay clear of naval vessels
- be aware of security zones
- no anchoring under bridges (overnight)
- help with America’s Waterway Watch
- personal flotation devices: children under the age of 8 MUST wear a life jacket when on the deck unless anchored up, if boats in motion, they MUST have on a life jacket.
- type 1 offshore life jacket: minimum buoyancy 22 pounds
- if you are on a tube, ski, jet ski, etc., YOU MUST wear a life jacket
- type 2: near-shore vest minimum buoyancy 15.5 pounds
- commercials vessels are required to provide type 1
- type 3: flotation aid minimum buoyancy 15.5 pounds (most popular.)
- type 3/5 inflatable PFD minimum buoyancy 22 pounds
- type 5 MUST be worn for the certification to be in effect.
- don’t wear a type 5 when tubing because it will inflate when touches water and it will probably rip apart if you’re tubing.
- type 6: throwable device: what size vessel must carry these aboard?
