Approved by DC-E. USCGAuxA, Inc Approved by DC-E USCG AuxA, Inc 1 Boating Skills & Seamanship Lesson 7 Inland Boating

Approved by DC-E USCG AuxA, Inc 1 Approved by DC-E. USCGAuxA, Inc

Boating Skills & Boating Skills & SeamanshipSeamanship

Boating Skills & Boating Skills & SeamanshipSeamanship

Lesson 7Inland Boating

2

Lesson Objectives

• Nature and Navigation of Inland Waters• Aids To Navigation (ATON)• River Characteristics• Waterway Maintenance• Hazards & Challenges• Locks & Locking Through• Using River Charts

3

Types of Inland WatersTypes of Inland Waters

• Navigable Waterways“Roads” providing transportation between 2 or more states or into the sea such as -

• Navigable rivers• Great Lakes• Intracoastal Waterway

• Non-Navigable WaterwaysLakes and other waters entirely within one state

4

Inland Navigation RulesInland Navigation Rules

• In Force on Navigable Waterways– Federal equipment requirements apply

• Followed on All Waterways– Collision avoidance

• Lookouts• Lighting• Meeting, crossing & overtaking

5

Inland ATONsInland ATONs

• US Aids to Navigation System – Two Regional Variations– Western Rivers– Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)

• Covered in Chapter 5

• Uniform State Waterways Marking System (USWMS) Now Merged Into USATON System

6

Western Rivers ATONSWestern Rivers ATONS

• River Bank Names Looking Downstream– Right bank or right descending bank

• Green passing (square) & crossing (diamond) daymarks

– Left bank or left descending bank• Red passing (triangle) & crossing (diamond)

daymarks

7

Western Rivers ATONSWestern Rivers ATONS• Passing Daymarks

– Look like daymarks in Chapter 5

– Mark the side of the river the channel is on

– You continue past the daymark

– Back of the daymark may signal upcoming crossing daymark

8


• Crossing Daymarks– Diamond shaped

• Green or Red (old colors)• Green & white or red & white

checkerboard (new colors)

– Signal that channel changes banks

• Head for the diamond on the opposite bank

9


• River Buoys– Continuously added, removed, or moved– Do not have letters or numbers– Not usually shown on river charts

10


• Mile Markers– Placards on daymarks or other location– Distance to mouth of river in statute miles

• Except Ohio River - distance to headwaters

– Help locate position on river chart

11

Uniform State Waterways Marking System


• The following slides detail changes to the USWMS as it merged with the US ATON system.

• Following those slides are ones detailing USWMS pre-merger characteristics of the various aids.

• For most boaters these are for historical reference only

12



• Effective July 20, 1998, the US Coast Guard commences a five year phased-in merger of the Uniform State Waterway Marking System with the United States Aids to Navigation System. This merger eliminates distinctions between the two systems and creates safer, less confusing waterways.

13



• Here are the changes that occurred by Dec. 2003.– USATONS regulatory markers now carry the

same orange bands just above the water line and near the top as the USWMS system did.

– The USWMS black port side channel markers were replaced with the green markers.

– The meaning of a red and white vertically-striped buoy changes in the USWMS from "do not pass between the buoy and the nearest shore" to the USATONS meaning of "safewater all around."

14



• Continued– Obstructions currently marked with the USWMS red and

white vertically-striped buoy will be replaced with either a red or green channel marker, if practicable, the USATONS black and red horizontally striped isolated danger marker, or a newly created USATONS black and white vertically-striped marker to indicate not to pass between the marker and the shore.

– The USWMS white black-topped markers which mean "pass to north or east of buoy" and the white red-topped markers which mean "pass to south or west of buoy", will be replaced with USATONS red or green channel markers, the isolated danger mark, or the new black and white vertically-striped marker.

15



• Continued– USATONS which made no mention of lights on

mooring buoys may now incorporate white lights of various rhythms.

– Ownership identification on private or state aids to navigation is permitted so long as it does not change or hinder an understanding of the meaning of the aid to navigation.

16



• Three Types of Markers– Regulatory– ATONS– Mooring buoys

17

• Regulatory Markers - Non-Lateral– White signs or buoys

• Signs have orange borders• Buoys have orange band

– Four types• Boat exclusion• Danger• Controlled areas• Information or directions



18

Regulatory Markers



Exclusion Area - Boats Keep Out

Danger InformationControlled Area

19

• ATONs– Buoys – Two types

• Lateral markers• Non-lateral markers



20

• Lateral Markers– Show lateral edges of channel– Normally occur in pairs– Solid black or red

(Black is being replaced by green in many areas)

– Numbered– May have reflectors or lights– Red right returning



21

• Non-Lateral Markers - Cardinal System

– Mark safe passage areas

– Three buoys• White buoy with red stripes

– Do not pass between buoy and nearest shore• White buoy with black top

– Pass to north or east• White buoy with red top

– Pass to south or west



22

BLACK & REDUsually in pairs

Pass between these buoys(Note: black being replaced by

green)

PASS TO SPECIFIED DIRECTIONS OF THESE

USWMS ATONsUSWMS ATONs

Do not pass between buoy and nearest

shorePass to South or

West

Pass to North or East

23

Non Lateral Marks - Caution

Non Lateral Marks - Caution

• USWMS Cardinal Mark– Do not pass between buoy and closest shore– This is being changed - for now be careful

• US Aid - Safe-Water Mark– Spherical (ball-like) shape– Indicates navigable water all around– May be passed on either side

DO NOT CONFUSE THESE ATONS

24

Inland SeamanshipInland Seamanship

• Challenges include:– Changing water depths– Speed of currents– Flash flooding– Underwater hazards– Effect of high winds– Anchoring– Isolation

25

River CurrentsRiver Currents

• Can be quite strong

• Are concentrated in the channel

• Hinder movement upstream

• Aid movement downstream

• May run in different directions at different depths

• Usually flow around outside of bends

26

River BendsRiver Bends

• Outside Bend– Water is deeper– Current usually flows faster

• Inside Bend– Water is shallower & shoaling

may occur– Current is slower

• Differences can cause eddies & slack water

27

Other River ChallengesOther River Challenges

• Entering a current

• Tows and other traffic

• Debris & ice

• Wing dams, dikes, and other devices

• Dredges

• Lowhead & High dams

28

Maintaining Inland WatersMaintaining Inland Waters

• Responsibility of U.S. Corps of Engineers

• Techniques include– Levees– Revetments– Dikes or wing dams– Dredging

29

Dredging • Lights on dredge pipelines• Dredge lights and shapes

Day Shapes Lights

OK to pass this side

Do not pass this side

OK to pass this side

Do not pass this side

30

Lowhead DamsLowhead Dams

• Present on many rivers

• Most dangerous for boaters

• Efficient, self-operating drowning machines

• Escape difficult if caught in “boil”– Swim under and downstream

• Know where they are and avoid them

31


32


• See the boil?

33


• Looking Downstream

34


• Same spot, a little to the right

35


• Same spot, a little to the left

36

Looking Downstrea

m(Photo Courtesy CT

DEP)

Lowhead DamLowhead Dam

37

Kayak

(Photo Courtesy CT DEP)


• Unsuspecting kayaker caught

• Result: FatalFatal

38


Looking Upstream

(Photo Courtesy CT DEP)

39

High DamsHigh Dams

• Stay Out of Restricted Areas– Marked by signs, buoys and/or flashing

lights– Upstream - strong undertows– Downstream - tailrace

• Boils & backwash

• Dam Gates– Wicket v. Tainter

40

LocksLocks

• Operation

• Priorities for Use

• Commercial Traffic

• Hazardous Cargo

• Communications

41

©1999 PAF&BC

Lock OperationLock Operation

42


43


• Upstream lock door RISES from floor

44


• Downstream doors swing or lift

• Watch for air BLAST as it opens

45

Locking ThroughLocking Through

• Do Not Enter Without Appropriate Signal– Green light or prolonged blast

• Follow Commands of Lockmaster• No Wake!• Wear PFD• Tie-Up to Appropriate Fitting• Tend Lines Carefully

46

River ChartsRiver Charts

• Sources– NOAA (some)– U.S. Corp of Engineers (most)

• Characteristics– NOAA - essentially the same as coastal

charts

47


• Characteristics - Non-NOAA Charts– Many show limited information

• Principal geographic features• Channel & sailing line• Fixed ATONs• Mile markers

– Navigation lights sometimes shown– Water depths and buoys rarely shown

48


• Study River Charts Beforehand– Symbols may be different than those on

coastal charts– North is rarely “up”– Note downstream direction

49

Non NOAA River ChartNon NOAA River Chart

50

NOAA River ChartNOAA River Chart

Portion of NOAA Chart 12375 - CT River

51

Commercial TrafficCommercial Traffic

• Ocean-Going v. River Tows– Beware: Ocean-going tows can be

found on many rivers, especially near the mouth

• Watch Out For The Tow– Keep clear– Prop wash– Blind spot

• VHF Communication

52

Summary

• Inland Waters• Western River ATON, USWMS• Inland Seamanship• River Characteristics • River Maintenance• Low and High Dams• Locks• River Charts• Commercial Traffic

Documents

Approved by DC-E. USCGAuxA, Inc Approved by DC-E USCG AuxA, Inc 1 Boating Skills & Seamanship Lesson 7 Inland Boating