COAST GUARD TRAINING

SCHOOL
RULES OF THE ROAD

PREPARED BY

INSPECTOR RAJAPUNDIT
 INTRODUCTION
• ROR- SIMILAR TO VEHICLES ON
ROAD
• 74 % REPORTED INCIDENTS-
RELATED TO UNCERTAINTY,
VIOLATIONS AND DISREGARD TO
ROR
• 38 RULES, 3 SECTIONS,4 ANNEXES
AND 5 PARTS
RULE 1(a) APPLICATION
 ALL VESSEL
RULE 1(a) APPLICATION

 HIGH SEAS - international

 DEMARCATION LINES -
international and inland

 GREAT LAKES - inland

DEMARCATION LINE
GREAT LAKES
RULE 1(b) APPLICATION

Allows vessel to comply with

International Rule without switching
over to Inland Rules

Allows Inland vessels to comply with

International Rules while on Inland
waters
RULE 1(c) APPLICATION
 Special station or signal lights
 RULE 1(e) APPLICATION
 Occasionally a vessel can not comply
with these rules due to special case
RULE 2 RESPONSIBILITY

 Everyone is
responsible
and must
comply with
these rules
RULE 2 RESPONSIBILITY
Special Circumstances
the rule book can not
cover every situation
RULE 2 RESPONSIBILITY

If you must depart from the rules to

avoid immediate danger you are
REQUIRED to do so
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
VESSEL - used as means of
transportation on the water
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
POWER-DRIVEN VESSEL
propelled by machinery
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
SAILING VESSEL
sail only
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
VESSEL ENGAGED IN FISHING
nets, lines, trawls
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
NOT FISHING, TROLLING
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
SEAPLANE
 RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS

VESSEL NOT UNDER COMMAND

exceptional circumstance and unable to
maneuver as required by the rules

example; broken rudder, sail boat with mast

lost, lost of propeller etc.
RULE 3 DEFINITIONS

VESSEL RESTRICTED IN
HER ABILTY TO MANEUVER
due to the nature of her work
UNREP ATON

DREGDING

FLIGHT QUARTERS
 RULE 3 DEFINITIONS
VESSEL CONSTRAINED BY HER DRAFT
international only
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
UNDERWAY, MAKING WAY
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
NOT UNDERWAY
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
LENGTH AND BREATH

BREATH

LENGTH
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
IN SIGHT
RULE 3 DEFINIATIONS
RESTRICTED VISIBILTY
RULE 19 AND 35
fog, heavy rain, snow etc
RULE 3(l) DEFINITIONS
GREAT LAKES, WESTERN RIVERS
Great Lakes

Western rivers
RULE 4 APPLICATION
Any condition of visibility

CLEAR DAY RESTRICED

 RULE 5
LOOKOUT
AT ALL TIMES
 RULE 6 SAFE SPEED
Visibility, traffic density, background
lights, wind, sea and current, Draft,
 RULE 6 SAFE SPEED
Wind, Sea and Current, Draft,
 RULE 7 RISK OF
COLLIOSION

IF IN DOUBT COLLISION EXISTS

ASSUMPTIONS SHOULD NOT BE MADE

ON SCANTY RADAR INFO

CBDR
BANG
 RULE 8 ACTION TO
AVOID COLLISION

BE POSTIVE

AMPLE TIME

OBSERVANCE OF GOOD SEAMANSHIP

RULE 8 ACTION TO
AVOID COLLISION

DO NOT
SMALL SPEED
OR
COURSE CHANGES
RULE 8 ACTION TO
AVOID COLLISION

CHECK TILL PAST AND CLEAR

IF YOU HAVE TO:

SLOW DOWN
STOP
BACK DOWN
RULE 9 NARROW CHANNELS
DRIVE ON THE STARBOARD SIDE
RULE 9 NARROW CHANNELS
THESE VESSELS WILL NOT IMPEDE
VESSELS USING IN NARROW
CHANNELS:
LESS 20 METERS
SAILING
ENGAGED IN FISHING
CROSSING
ANCHORING
RULE 9 NARROW CHANNELS
OVERTAKING IN NARROW CHANNELS
ONLY IF IT IS SAFE TO PASS
RULE 9 NARROW CHANNELS
OVERTAKING IN NARROW CHANNELS
ONLY IF IT IS SAFE TO PASS
RULE 9 NARROW CHANNELS
OVERTAKING IN NARROW CHANNELS
ONLY IF IT IS SAFE TO PASS
RULE 9 NARROW CHANNELS
OVERTAKING IN NARROW CHANNELS
ONLY IF IT IS SAFE TO PASS
RULE 9

BEND
SIGNAL
ONE
PROLONG
RULE 9 CURRENT

WESTERN
RIVERS
GREAT LAKES DOWN BOUND

DOWNBOUN
HAS THE
RIGHT OF
WAY
 RULE 10 TRAFFIC
SEPARATION SCHEMES
CHANNELS
YOU SHALL:

PROCEED IN APPROPRIATE LANE

KEEP CLEAR OF SEPARATION ZONE

AND SEPARATION LINE
 Separation line

Traffic lane

Separation zone
 RULE 10 TRAFFIC
SEPARATION SCHEMES
• How do you join or leave a traffic scheme? at
the termination of the lane.
• If you must enter from the side?
at as small an angle to the direction of traffic
flow as practicable.
• If you must cross the traffic separation
scheme? as nearly as practicable at right
angles.
 JOIN AT
SMALL ANGLES

END OF LANES

CROSS AT
RIGHT ANGLES
 RULE 10 TRAFFIC
SEPARATION SCHEME
THESE VESSELS WILL NOT IMPEDE
VESSELS USING THE TSS:
LESS 20 METERS
SAILING
ENGAGED IN FISHING
CROSSING
ANCHORING
SOUND FAMILIAR (RULE 9)
 RULE 10 TRAFFIC
SEPARATION SCHEME

DO NOT
ENTER SEPARATION ZONE:

UNLESS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

OR
TO ENGAGE IN FISHING
 RULE 11
APPLICATION
IN SIGHT OF ONE ANOTHER
 RULE 11
APPLICATION
IN SIGHT OF ONE ANOTHER
RULE 4 APPLICATION
Any condition of visibility

CLEAR DAY RESTRICED

 RULE 12
SAILING VESSELS
TWO SAILING VESSEL ONLY
 RULE 12
SAILING VESSELS

WIND IS
BLOWING
ON THE
PORT SIDE
 RULE 12
SAILING VESSELS

WIND IS
BLOWING
ON THE
STARBOARD
SIDE
 RULE 12 SAILING VESSELS
WIND ON DIFFERENT SIDES
VESSEL WITH WIND ON PORT
IS THE GIVEWAY VESSEL

WIND ON PORT WIND ON STARBOARD

GIVEWAY STAND-ON
RULE 12 SAILING VESSELS
WIND ON SAME
VESSEL TO WINDWARD GIVE WAY

WIND

WINDWARD
LEEWARD GIVEWAY
STAND-ON
RULE 12 SAILING VESSELS
VESSEL WITH WIND ON PORT SIDE
CAN NOT DETERMINE OTHER VESSEL
IS THE GIVE WAY VESSEL

WIND ON PORT
GIVEWAY
UNDETERMINED
STAND-ON
RULE 12 SAILING VESSELS
FORE AND AFT SAILS

SQUARE SAILS
RULE 13 OVERTAKING

A VESSEL OVERTAKING SHALL

KEEP OUT OF THE WAY OF THE
VESSEL SHE IS OVERTAKING

IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT

YOU ARE OVERTAKING
 RULE 13 OVERTAKING

YOU ARE OVERTAKING WHEN:

MORE THAN 22.5O ABAFT THE BEAM

OR AT NIGHT

YOU ONLY SEE THE STERN LIGHT

 RULE 13
OVERTAKING
 RULE 13
OVERTAKING
 RULE 13
OVERTAKING
 RULE 13
OVERTAKING
RULE 13 OVERTAKING

DO NOT MAKE A VESSEL

YOU ARE OVERTAKING
INTO A CROSSING VESSEL

YOU ARE TO KEEP CLEAR UNTIL

YOU ARE PAST AND CLEAR
 RULE 14 HEAD-ON
(MEETING)

TWO POWER-DRIVEN VESSELS

YOU ARE MEETING WHEN

RISK OF COLLISION EXISTS
RULE 14 HEAD-ON
(MEETING)

BOTH VESSEL ALTER

COURSE TO STARBAORD

IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT

YOU ARE MEETING
RULE 14 HEAD-ON (MEETING)
 RULE
14
CURRENT

WESTERN
RIVERS
GREAT LAKES DOWN BOUND

DOWNBOUND
HAS THE
RIGHT OF
WAY
 RULE 15 CROSSING

TWO POWER-DRIVEN VESSELS

RISK OF COLLISION EXISTS

THE VESSEL WITH THE OTHER TO

STARBOARD GIVES WAY
RULE 15 CROSSING
REMEMEBER:

IF YOU SEE A GREEN

LIGHT GO,

RED LIGHT YOU STOP

DO NOT CROSS AHEAD

 RULE 15 CROSSING
STAND-ON

GIVEWAY
 RULE 15 CROSSING

THERE IS NO IN DOUBT
IN CROSSING

ONLY
RISK OF COLLISION RULE7
OVERTAKING RULE 13
MEETING RULE14
 RULE
15
WESTERN DESCENDING
RIVERS
GREAT LAKES
CROSSING CROSSING

SHALL KEEP
OUT OF THE ASCENDING
WAY
 RULE 16
ACTION BY GIVEWAY
VESSEL

KEEP OUT OF THE WAY

DO IT EARLY AND SUBSTANTIAL

AND KEEP CLEAR

 RULE 17 ACTION BY
STAND-ON VESSEL

MAINTAIN COURSE AND SPEED

IF IT’S APPRARENT THE

GIVE WAY
IS NOT DOING HER JOB,
STAND-ON VESSEL
MAY TAKE ACTION,
 RULE 17 ACTION BY
STAND-ON VESSEL

AVOID ALTERING COURSE TO PORT

FOR A VESSEL ON HER PORT SIDE

THIS DOES NOT RELIEVE THE

GIVE WAY OF HER OBLIGATION
 RULE 18
RESPONSIBILITIES
BETWEEN VESSELS

RULE 9 (NARROW CHANNELS)

RULE 10 (TSS)
RULE 13 (OVERTAKING)
NUC CON DRAFT RAM

FISHING VESSEL

SAILING VESSEL

POWER-DRIVEN

SEAPLANE
 RULE 19 CONDUCT OF
VESSELS IN RESTRICTED
VISIBILITY
NOT IN SIGHT OF
ONE ANOTHER

IN OR NEAR AN AREA OF
RESTRICTED VISIBILITY
 RULE 19 CONDUCT OF
VESSELS IN RESTRICTED
VISIBILITY
IF YOU DETECT BY RADAR ALONE AND
A RISK OF COLLISION EXISTS

YOU SHALL TAKE ACTION

IN AMPLE TIME
 RULE 19 CONDUCT OF
VESSELS IN RESTRICTED
VISIBILITY
YOU SHALL AVOID DOING:

ALTER COURSE TO PORT FOR

VESSEL FORWARD OF THE BEAM

ALTER COURSE TOWARD A VESSEL

FORWARD OR ABAFT OF THE BEAM
 RULE 19 CONDUCT OF
VESSELS IN RESTRICTED
VISIBILITY
IF COLLISION DOES NOT EXIST
AND YOU HEAR A FOG SIGNAL
FORWARD OF YOU BEAM YOU SHALL:

REDUCE SPEED TO MINIMUM

OR
TAKE ALL WAY OFF