wrote in message
ups.com...

Even if common sense didn't dictate that sailors (and others) need to
stay out of the way of commercial vessels, the rules specifically do.
No vessel under 20 meters and no vessel of any size under sail can
impede a power driven vessel following a VTS. Here's an interesting and
far out possibilty: Since a pleasure boat can voluntarily follow a VTS
and the rules say that sailors and small power boats cannot impede aany
vessel following a VTS, there might be a strong argument that a 40'
sailboat needs to give way to a 20' powerboat *if* the powerboat is
following the VTS. It would take a court case to sort this out, but
it's a technically correct appllication of the rules.


VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) and TSS (Traffic Separation Scheme) can be and
frequently are, two different things.
Since the 20' powerboat probably had no need to use the TSS and it is still
bound by it's "obligations under any other rule", I'd be willing to bet the
powerboat would have serious liability concerns if a collision occurred

Thanks for the referance. I had questioned the requirments for a boat
operators license when I registered the boat.

What I was sent was the booklet from the DNR titled Wisconsin Boating
Regulations.

You would think they might refer to a complete set of regulations if
one existed ?

thanks again.

But my point is that NOBODY obeys the rules, even the people on this
forum who say we should obey the rules!

When was the last time you heard somene sound a horn for passing or
other encounters with other boats?

i think anyone who actually obeyed the rules for sound signals would
look and feel a bit ridiculous, thus my question.

Understand that I'm not saying people should disobey rules such as the
rightmost boat hs the right of way, the big boats have the right of way
over small boats and so on. I'm just wondering about the rules that
are never observed in practice, except possibly by commercial vessels.

D

wrote in message
oups.com...
But my point is that NOBODY obeys the rules, even the people on this
forum who say we should obey the rules!

When was the last time you heard somene sound a horn for passing or
other encounters with other boats?

i think anyone who actually obeyed the rules for sound signals would
look and feel a bit ridiculous, thus my question.

Understand that I'm not saying people should disobey rules such as the
rightmost boat hs the right of way, the big boats have the right of way
over small boats and so on. I'm just wondering about the rules that
are never observed in practice, except possibly by commercial vessels.

D


On the contrary, plenty of people obey the rules ..... you just may not have
run across them.
Regarding whistle signals ..... very few people, including commercial
vessels, use whistle signals anymore.
For most commercial vessels, they will generally make passing arrangements
via VHF, but beware, the knowledge of the signals is still required as they
will frequently do this with something like, "I'll pass you on your one
whistle side".
In many case of small boats, the traffic density is so great that the use of
a whistle signal could lead to confusion for vessels other than the
intended.
Personally, when dealing with small recreational vessels, I rarely use
whistle signals, other than the danger signal or a long blast.
As for your basic premise, sorry, but the Rules are all inclusive...... you
need to know them all, whether or not you use them.

otn