Alabama Boating Safety Course

Boating Basics: On the Water

Navigation Rules

There are two terms that help explain these rules.

  • Stand-on vessel: The vessel which should maintain its course and speed
  • Give-way vessel: The vessel which must take early and substantial action to avoid collision by stopping, slowing down, or changing course
Rules: Powerboat vs. Powerboat Rules: Powerboat vs. Sailboat
MEETING HEAD-ON
Power vs. Power:
Neither vessel is the stand-on vessel. Both vessels should keep to the starboard (right).
Both vessels giving way to the right		 MEETING HEAD-ON
Power vs. Sail:
The powerboat is the give-way vessel. The sailboat is the stand-on vessel.

Powerboat giving way to (going right of) the sailboat
CROSSING SITUATIONS
Power vs. Power:
The vessel on the operator's port (left) side is the give-way vessel. The vessel on the operator's starboard (right) side is the stand-on vessel.

Powerboat on the port (left) gives way to the vessel on the starboard (right)		 CROSSING SITUATIONS
Power vs. Sail:
The powerboat is the give-way vessel. The sailboat is the stand-on vessel.



Powerboat gives way to the sailboat
OVERTAKING
Power vs. Power:
The vessel that is overtaking another vessel is the give-way vessel. The vessel being overtaken is the stand-on vessel.

Powerboat giving way while overtaking another vessel
OVERTAKING
Power vs. Sail:
The vessel that is overtaking another vessel is the give-way vessel. The vessel being overtaken is the stand-on vessel.

Powerboat giving way while overtaking sailboat
Alabama Marine Police
Course Material
Boating Basics
It's the Law!
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