Safe Boating Courses
Your local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power
Squadrons offer comprehensive safe boating classes sev-
eral times a year. You may contact the Boat/U.S.
Foundation at 1-800-336-BOAT (2628), or in Virginia
1-800-245-BOAT (2628) for a course schedule in your
area. Also contact your local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or
Power Squadron Flotilla for the time and place of their next
scheduled class.
Rules of the Road
Your Larson boat is subject to U.S. Coast Guard-enforced
marine traffic laws known as “Rules of the Road.” There
are two sets of r ules — the United States Inland
Navigational Rules and the International Rules. The United
States Inland Rules are applicable to all vessels inside the
demarcation lines separating inland and international
waters. The “Rules of the Road” can be obtained from
your local U.S. Coast Guard Unit or the United States
Coast Guard Headquar ters (1300 E. Street NW,
Washington, D.C. 20226) in the publication titled,
“Navigational Rules, International-Inland.”
“Aids to Navigation” (U.S. Coast Guard pamphlet #123)
explains the significance of various lights and buoys. This
and other pamphlets, including the “Boating Safety
Training Manual,” and “Federal Requirements For
Recreational Boats” are also available from the U.S.
Coast Guard Headquarters.
Because of proposed alterations in buoys and markers,
contact the U.S. Coast Guard to stay informed of impend-
ing changes. If you have a ship-to-shore radio telephone
on board, heed storm warnings and answer any distress
calls.
1.9
1. Thumb Up: Speed up the boat.
2. Thumb Down: Slow down the boat.
3. Cut Motor/Stop: Immediately stop boat. Slashing motion over neck (also used by driver or observer).
4. Turn: Turn the boat (also used by driver). Circle motion—arms overhead. Then point in desired direction.
5. Return to Dock: Pat on the head.
6. OK: Speed and boat path OK. Or, signals understood.
7. I'm OK: Skier OK after falling.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
FIGURE 1.3 – AWSA WATER SKIING HAND SIGNALS
Safe Boating Courses
Y our local U
.S. Coast Guard A
uxiliary and the U
.S. P
ow
er
Squadrons offer comprehensiv
e safe boating classes se
v-
eral times a y
ear. Y
ou may contact the Boat/U
.S.
Foundation at 1-800-336-BO
AT (2628), or in Virginia
1-800-245-BOA
T (2628) for a course schedule in y
our
area. Also contact your local U
.S. Coast Guard A
uxiliary or
Po
wer Squadron Flotilla f
or the time and place of their next
scheduled class.
Rules of the Road
Y our Larson boat is subject to U
.S. Coast Guard-enf
orced
marine tr
affic laws kno
wn as “Rules of the Road.
”There
are two sets of r
ules — the United States Inland
Navigational Rules and the Inter
national Rules. The United
States Inland Rules are applicable to all v
essels inside the
demarcation lines separating inland and inter
national
waters
. The “Rules of the Road”
can be obtained from
your local U
.S. Coast Guard Unit or the United States
Coast Guard Headquarters (1300 E. Street NW
,
Washington, D
.C. 20226) in the pub
lication titled,
“Navigational Rules, International-Inland.
”
“Aids to Navigation”
(U.S
. Coast Guard pamphlet #123)
explains the significance of v
arious lights and b
uoys
. This
and other pamphlets, including the
“Boating Safety
Training Man
ual,”
and “Federal Requirements For
Recreational Boats”are also a
vailab
le from the U.S
.
Coast Guard Headquarters
.
Because of proposed alterations in b
uoys and mar
kers
,
contact the U.S
. Coast Guard to stay inf
ormed of impend-
ing changes. If y
ou have a ship-to-shore r
adio telephone
on board, heed storm w
arnings and ans
wer an
y distress
calls.
1.9
1. Thumb Up:
Speed up the boat.
2. Thumb Down:
Slow do
wn the boat.
3. Cut Motor/Stop:
Immediately stop boat. Slashing motion over nec
k (also used by dr
iver or obser
ver).
4. T
urn:T
urn the boat (also used b
y driv
er). Circle motion—arms o
verhead. Then point in desired direction.
5. Return to Dock:
Pat on the head.
6. OK:
Speed and boat path OK. Or, signals understood.
7. I'm OK:
Skier OKafter f
alling.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
FIGURE 1.3
–
AWSAWATER SKIING HAND SIGNALS