The lines are drawn here

MIKE WHITEHEAD

Ahoy.

Today, I am staying on the inland side of the line of demarcation

for Newport Harbor while skippering a private yacht. Therefore, I

will be observing the Inland Navigation Rules and Regulations as

defined by the International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions

at Sea commonly known as COLREGS.

You might be asking yourself what am I talking about with terms

like inland rules and line of demarcation. These terms are very

familiar to licensed captains but unfamiliar to the recreational

boater. Why? Simply because Coast Guard certified vessels such as

charter boats have Coast Guard regulations that usually differ

between operating in a harbor versus in the ocean. The Coast Guard

issues the vessel a certificate of inspection that lists the maximum

number of passengers that can be aboard including the number of

required crew plus safety equipment.

A vessel with only an inland Coast Guard certification is not

allowed to cross the line of demarcation when passengers are aboard

the vessel. As such, these charter captains will adhere to the inland

rules with respect to navigation, navigational lights, day shapes,

and sound signals when in the harbor.

However, some vessels are also certified for local coastal or far

offshore ocean operations. Once the vessel crosses the line of

demarcation, the number of passengers might be decreased, the

required crew increased and more safety requirements such as life

rafts might be added. Therefore, the cost of ocean operation rises,

so that is why many charter boats are certified only to carry

passengers in the harbor.

Lines of demarcation are defined as “delineating those waters upon

which mariners shall comply with the International Regulations for

Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (72 COLREGS) and those waters upon

which mariners shall comply with the Inland Navigation Rules. The

waters inside of the lines are Inland Rules waters. The waters

outside the lines are COLREGS waters.”

Got it? No? Well, a subsection of the International and Inland

Navigation Rules book states, “Inland Waters means the navigable

waters of the United States shoreward of the navigational demarcation

lines dividing the high seas from harbors, rivers and other inland

waters of the United States and the waters of the Great Lakes on the

United States side of the International Boundary.” But, everyone with

a vessel more than 12 meters long knows this because this book is

required by the Coast Guard to be aboard ship.

So, where is the line of demarcation? The line of demarcation for

Newport Harbor is drawn between the two green and red channel markers

No. 3 and No. 4 at the seaward tips of the jetties, approximately 275

yards apart. Once you cross this line, then you change from inland

to international rules and regulations. Now you know why many charter

boats turn around before the end of the jetties, being very careful

not to cross into the waters where international rules apply.

The buoy positioned about 1,600 feet seaward of the line of

demarcation is locally referred to as the seal buoy or bell buoy.

Years ago, the bell buoy was changed to a red and white vertically

striped buoy labeled “NWP” with a white light that flashes Morse code

for the letter A (alpha). Now, the buoy is the haul-out home for the

sea lions that must be deaf from the constant ringing of the bell.

I wonder how many boaters have noticed that Newport does not have

entrance buoys numbered No. 1 and No. 2?

TIP OF THE WEEK

Who knows what a red and white vertically striped buoy indicates

to boaters and what is Morse code for the letter A? E-mail me your

answers by Wednesday, and I will put all the correct answers into a

hat for a drawing. One lucky person will receive a complimentary copy

of my “VHF Marine Radio” book published by Bristol Fashion

Publications.

Tune in to my “Boathouse Radio Show” every Saturday from noon to 1

p.m. on KCBQ-AM (1170). You can join in during the nation’s No. 1

boating talk radio show by calling the listener line at (888)

344-1170, and you can listen worldwide over the Internet at

https://www.boat houseradio.com.

Safe voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send

him your thoughts and story suggestions by e-mail to

[email protected].