Federal Boating Regulations

You might think federal boating regulations only apply to large commercial vessels, but the same regulations, the Inland Navigation Rules, apply to any vessel operating on the navigable waters of the United States.

Inland Navigation Rules

The Inland Navigation Rules are contained in Volume 1 of Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The rules cover required lights and day shapes, signaling appliances and vessel operations responsibilities among vessels, rights of way, buoyage systems and warnings and pollution.

Colregs

The international rules cover the same information as the inland rules and apply seaward of the demarcation line among rivers, harbors, bays and inlets, and the open sea.

Clean Water Act

Not strictly a boating regulation, the Clean Water Act expanded in scope to include all boats after the 1989 incident in which the Exxon Valdez spilled a quantity of crude oil in Prince William Sound in Alaska.

Boat Registration and Documentation

Federally registered boats are said to be "documented" instead of registered. To obtain documentation, a boat must be greater in size than 5 register tons, and pass certain tests as to stability and safety.

Vessel Security Requirements

If your boat is more than 100 gross register tons or is making a trip lasting more than 24 hours or will travel on the high seas, sub-chapter K of Title 33, requires you to have a Vessel Security Plan and a designated Security Officer.

References

• Navigable Waters Defined (33 CFR 2.26)
• Inland Navigation Rules (33 CFR 84.01 to 90.7)
• International Navigation Rules (33 CFR 80.01 to 82.7

Resources

• The Rules of the Nautical Road