Constrained by Draft

[bacampbe]

Since we've been discussing navigation rules a lot:

My boat lives in a marina on an inland lake. The path out of the marina involves a fairly long, narrow channel where I have a breakwater to port and shallows to starboard. We regularly meet incoming traffic head on. This traffic is mostly made up of small powerboat.

Rule 14 says we should pass port-to-port, unless otherwise agreed. But moving to starboard puts us uncomfortably shallow. There's no good way to agree to something else, and I doubt 1 in 100 of the power boaters know sound signals (most will just get mad at you for honking at them), and very few carry VHF. Many get agitated if I don't give them quite a bit of room (i.e. more than strictly necessary) between me and the breakwater.

How would you handle this?

[Sailormann]

Maintain a course that will avoid collision but don't endanger your own craft. A lot of newbie boaters feel they need about 10 times as much manouevring room as is actually necesssary.

[RainDog]

It is better to annoy another boat than to run aground. Pick your line and hold it. From driving a car, showing your port side is intuitive even if the other boater does not know the rules. You may get some dirty looks, but that is just a change to be smug, since you know you are correct. The power boaters may not understand the realities of a 4' draft.

[RainDog]

Two more notes: 1) Since you are constrained by draft, you are the stand on vessel and it is their job to alter their course to port. 2) If a collision is iminent, you are still obligated to take evasive action.

[RichH]

You are constrained by draft ONLY if you have the proper shapes or lights flying ... and is for where *International Rules* apply. Constrained by Draft is not a part of Inland rules.

See Rule #18 and the differences between Inland and International: Rule18

[Boasun]

Originally Posted by RichH

You are constrained by draft ONLY if you have the proper shapes or lights flying ... and is for where *International Rules* apply. Constrained by Draft is not a part of Inland rules.

See Rule #18 and the differences between Inland and International: Rule18

Oh so TRUE....
How well marked is that channel? Sounding of sound signals while under power is kosher. The weekend warriors in those bass boats should know (but probably not) the sound signals.

Now the trick is to get by them without a grounding or a collision. And if you have a keel like Giu does you have less room to maneuver. But courtesy and a bull horn may help here.
The Restricted in Maneuverbility signal (ball-diamond-ball) isn't kosher either in this case. Because your vessel isn't crippled or working.

[AE28]

Originally Posted by RichH

You are constrained by draft ONLY if you have the proper shapes or lights flying ... and is for where *International Rules* apply. Constrained by Draft is not a part of Inland rules.

See Rule #18 and the differences between Inland and International: Rule18

Rich:
Do you think this is applicable?
Paul
RULE 9
NARROW CHANNELS
(b) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway.

[Boasun]

Originally Posted by AE28

Rich:
Do you think this is applicable?
Paul
RULE 9
NARROW CHANNELS
(b) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway.

It is part of the rules that you are required to abide by... Yes it applies to you and all of the other boats using that channel. The question is; how do you fit into that rule and how to apply it?