Donal wrote:
"Jeff" wrote in message
. ..
huge sections
of the coast and outlaying islands are outside the ColRegs line.


Sooooo ... your ColRegs are nothing to do with the "**International**
Regulations for the prevention of Collisions at Sea"????

Wrong, our ColRegs *are* the "Convention on the International
Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea," I assume identical to
yours. The US also exercised its prerogative to create a slightly
modified version for use in Inland Waters.

The standard government book lists the two on alternating pages so you
can see the differences. There are a number of changes, mostly
dealing with the special rules on the Western Rivers. Also, the
category of "Constrained by Draft" does not exist in the inland rules.
And, the sound signals are a bit different. The inverted cone is
not needed for motorsailers under 12 meters (which surprises Americans
abroad who have never heard of the rule), but the 7 meter/7 knots
sidelight exclusion does not exist in the Inland rules (which
surprises visitors to the US).

The Master's exam, required for anyone carrying passengers for hire,
includes a test on the rules, closed book, 90% required for passing.
Many of the question specify Inland or International, so we must learn
both to have a professional license. The vast majority of
recreational boaters have never read the ColRegs.

The ColRegs Demarcation line is drawn on many charts, and shows where
the Inland Rules take over from the International rules. Some sailing
areas of the country are largely Inland, like Long Island Sound, and
most of the Waterway south, other parts are largely ColRegs, like
Downeast Maine or Alaska. In other parts, like where I live, you
cross over the line whenever you take a short hop up or down the coast.