Narrow Channel Navigation
What is a narrow channel?
They are natural or man-made pathways adjacent to shallow water.
When navigating in a narrow channel where should you navigate?
When operating in a narrow channel, the rules tell you to stay as far to the outer limit of the channel as practical on your starboard side.
Vessels of less than 20 meters (65.62 feet), or a sailboat, shall not impede a boat that is constrained by draft, i.e. a large ship that must operate within the channel in order to make way safely. When crossing a channel, do so at a right angle and in such a way as to avoid causing the traffic in the channel to make course or speed changes.
Can you anchor a boat in a narrow channel?
Do not anchor in a narrow channel.
How do you overtake in narrow channel?
When navigating through a narrow channel, you should normally overtake on the port side, while the vessel being overtaken should ideally be positioned as close to the starboard side of the channel as possible.
Special Situations
When operating on the Great Lakes, Western Rivers and other designated rivers, the down bound boat (going with the current) has the right of way over a boat going upstream. This is because a boat going upstream can maneuver better than a one going downstream.
Additionally, a boat crossing a designated river shall keep out of the way of boats ascending or descending the river.
If you approach a bend in a river around which you cannot see, sound one prolonged blast to alert boats approaching from the other side of the bend that you are there. If another boat is around the bend, it should answer with one prolonged blast. Conversely, if you hear a prolonged blast as you approach the bend, answer with a prolonged blast.
