LEADS AND SECTOR LIGHTS
Leads serve to guide water vessels through the waterway. Not only navigation buoys and markers but also the leads are navigation aids through the water. When in the waterway, your vessel should always remain on the safe course.
When it is dark, one should ensure that all the red white, and green lights are vertically aligned with each other. The boaters’ charts and maps have leads. Thus, they are easy to identify.
The chart will help one familiarize himself with the leads before he or she enters an insecure waterway.
Even though, sector light varies from one to the other. When present with a red sector light, one should turn to starboard. If the color is green, one should turn to port.
But the white color sector light indicates that it is safe to take the course. In some sectors, the lights may mark the entrance to the port. Therefore, it is wise to know that the white sector is the shipping way to the sea.
BLUE MIDDLE CHANNEL MARK
These are fixed blue lights. They indicate the middle of a channel. The buoy is useful for a vessel passing below a bridge to maintain its track. However, on boating charts, the blue middle channel marks appear as a star. The star gets symbolized with a flash.
SPEED SIGNS
Speed signs are installed in the waterway to ensure safety. When sailing, the watercraft operator should ensure that he or she travels within a limited speed.
Otherwise, exceeding the speed incurs penalties. Mostly, the speed restrictions are between Four knots and fifteen knots. Every speed determines the kilometers to travel with the speed.
NAVIGATION THROUGH CHANNELS AND RIVERS
A channel is taken to mean a place whereby it is safe to navigate through. Some channels, though navigable, are not marked. When navigating through channels, it is advisable that one keeps to starboard. Normally, a channel can get too narrow, and thus, it is a must that the sailor keeps to starboard.
However, when sailing along estuaries and rivers, watercraft operators are advised to be super cautious. The reason is that; it is not always that the shallow and navigation hazard zones get marked with the buoys and markers. Even when marked, the shallow area may shift position.
When negotiating bends, extra caution is required. One should look out for oncoming boats to avoid accidents. It is also advisable not to cut corners.
Similarly, in channels and other shallow water stretches, rules and regulations for safety still abide. Forever, it is safe to keep to the starboard which is the right-hand side.
One should be cautious not to impede the passage of large vessels. Water alterations may result to change of the course. Thus, one should be well informed about the channel.
Fishing in channels can obstruct other watercraft from the easy passage. It is therefore right not to go fishing in narrow channels.
WASH
The watercraft operator should ensure that the wash they create does not impact negatively on life in the water or constructions in progress. Different sites get placed with no wash sign. Thus, the vessel operators should ensure that they abide by the rules.
It is wise to be cautious and look behind to see whether your vessel is creating any wash. The excess wash may endanger other vessels and also destroy plants in the water. It is fair enough to adjust to the necessary speed that is wash free.
CONCLUSION
It is upon all watercraft holders to know their way through the waters. One should get acquainted with every sign and symbol and still know their meaning. By doing so, boating safety is enhanced.
If we find the navigation aids or buoys and markers are not in good condition or not used in the right place, we must inform the nearest US Coast Guard unit.
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