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The primary purpose of the “Rules of the Road” is to prevent collision on the water. These rules as stated are in reality regulation which HAVE THE FORCE OF THE LAW. They prescribe how we are to pilot our boats and how we signal to them our presence and intentions.

Each person planning to sail or skipper a boat MUST know these rules before ever leaving the dock. The skipper of a boat is legally responsible for proper operation of same and the safety of those with and/or around him.

1. Sail boats have special rules when passing each other:
   1. When each has the wind on a different sail (Figure #1) the vessel that has the wind on the port (left) side must keep out of the way of the other.
      
      
      
   2. When both have the wind on the same side, the vessel that is to windward must keep out of the way of the vessel to leeward (Figure #2).
      
      
      
2. When a powerboat approaches a sail boat the following rules apply.
   1. Always the powerboat is to pass the sailboat on the downwind side.
   2. When approaching from the rear, the powerboat shall determine which is the downwind side and signal the sail boat by giving (1) blast if intending to overtake and pass on the starboard side and (2) blasts if intending to overtake and pass on the port side. The sail boat skipper should respond with a similar (1) or (2) blast signal if in agreement. (Figures 3 & 4).
   
   
   
   

Study these lights and their angular ranges of visibility. If another vessel’s colored lights and her white lights are visible, she must be approaching you head on! If only her green sidelight, and her all-round white lights are visible, you must be on a heading that permits you to see only her starboard side. She must be approaching to your course line from your left. If the other vessel’s red and white lights are visible to you off your bow, she is crossing from your starboard to your port. She is, therefore in your “danger zone.” She is the stand-on vessel and you are the give-way vessel.

If you are overtaking another vessel you are known as the GIVE-WAY vessel. You must stay out of the way and this holds true until you are withing 22.5° abaft out of the beam. (Figure #6). The vessel being overtaken must maintain its course and speed. It is know as the STAND-ON vessel.