Rules of the road

• General rules
• Operating rules
• Power driven vessels 
• Power meets sail
• Sailing vessels

General rules

The rules of the road, which apply on all waters of the State, also apply all over the world. They run to a lot of pages of fine print, but the following cover most of the encounters you will have with other vessels.

• All the time you are on the water you must keep a good lookout and be ready to give way to other vessels.
   
• If you must give way, do it in good time and make a move which will be obvious to the other vessels.
   
• In general, power boats have to keep out of the way of sailing and fishing vessels, and vessels that are hampered by such tasks including dredging, cable laying and so on.
   
• Always keep to the right hand side of channels - golden rule "look to the right, give way to the right, turn to the right and stay to the right".

Operating rules

Port

If a power driven vessel approaches within this sector maintain your course and speed with caution.

Starboard

If any vessel approaches within this sector, keep out of its way. (Note: This rule may not always apply if one or both vessels are sailboats.)

Stern

If any vessel approaches this sector, maintain your course and speed with caution.

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Power driven vessels

Head on situation

When two power driven vessels are meeting head on, each vessel must alter course to starboard (to the right) and pass well clear of each other.

Crossing situation

When two power driven vessels are crossing, the vessel with the other on her own starboard side is the give way vessel and must keep clear of the other.

Overtaking situation

Any vessel (including a sailing vessel) which is overtaking another vessel must keep well clear of the vessel overtaken. You can overtake the other vessel on either side but only when it is safe to do so, and you must keep well clear.

Power meets sail

Power driven vessels usually give way to sail, however this does not always apply. Larger power driven craft should be given a wide berth by small sail craft.

 

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Sailing vessels

Wind on different sides

When each sailing vessel has the wind on a different side, the vessel which has the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the other.

A keeps clear of B

If a sailing vessel with the wind on port side sees a sailing vessel to windward and cannot determine with certainty whether the other sailing vessel has the wind on the port or starboard side, she shall keep out of the way.

Wind on the same sides

When both sailing vessels have the wind on the same side, the vessel which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the vessel which is to leeward.

B keeps clear of A

NOTE: The windward side is deemed to be the side opposite to that on which the mainsail is carried or, in the case of a square rigged vessel, the side opposite to that on which the largest fore and aft sail is carried.

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