From the new navigation rules book

—INLAND—
Steering and Sailing Rules
Rule 18
Responsibilities between vessels
§ 83.18
Except where Rules 9, 10, and 13 (§§ 83.09,
83.10, and 83.13) otherwise require:

(a) A power-driven vessel underway shall keep out of the way of:

(i) A vessel not under command;
(ii) A vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver;
(iii) A vessel engaged in fishing;
(iv) A sailing vessel.

(b) A sailing vessel underway shall keep out of the way of:

(i) A vessel not under command;
(ii) A vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver; and
(iii) A vessel engaged in fishing.

(c) A vessel engaged in fishing when underway
shall, so far as possible, keep out of
the way of:
(i) A vessel not under command; and
(ii) A vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver

Maybe I need to post this repeatedly on the Milwaukee Yacht Club gate and all sail boats moored in Milwaukee. I cannot count how many times I have played doge sailboat because they feel they always have the right away.

Hey Art, Thanks for posting. What states regulations were these updates taken from? I’ve had similar issues with sailboats on the St. Croix. At the top of your post it indicates ‘Inland’. Does that mean these new rules don’t apply to Lake Michigan or the St. Croix (boundary waters)?

These are Federal laws Bzzsaw…however

(iii) A vessel engaged in fishing.

is not referring to us little guys. Look in the definitions section. It’s talking about trawling.

Trust me, I jumped on that when I first read it!!

Anchored changes things though.

Inland means everything that’s not international and I think that starts 20 miles out from the coast(?) I would have to check on that for sure.

I’ve had issues with sail boats in general, even ones that are under motor power with their sales down. Sailboats come in three versions. Ones that don’t give a crap about fisherman, ones that don’t know anything about fishing, and ones that don’t know and don’t give a crap at the same time. Even though I may have legal right of way, I would rather adjust course and save myself the headache and expense of lost gear when they drag that big old keel across all my gear. Just because I’m right by the rules of navigation doesn’t always mean I should hold my course.

Inland refers to the Western rivers, the Mississippi and the Great Lakes.
This past September, I was fishing in the evening well out of the harbor and was harassed by a group of sail boats. A quick call to the Coasties, and a viewing of the video I had taken on my camera by those on duty-at their request resulted in citations for 3 boats for not keeping out of the way of A vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver-Due to my low rate of speed at the time, and there ability to have sailed well clear of my position, and there repeated circling of my boat. Believe me, I tried to stay out of the way.

for not keeping out of the way of A vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver-Due to my low rate of speed at the time,

Really? I’m not doubting you just that “-Due to low rate of speed at the time” was not what I thought “restricted ability” meant.

Back to the books for me!

Inland Waters means the navigable waters of the United States shoreward of the Boundary Lines as described in 46 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 7, excluding the Great Lakes, and, for towing vessels, excluding the Western Rivers. For establishing credit for sea service, the waters of the Inside Passage between Puget Sound and Cape Spencer, Alaska, are inland waters.

The Great Lakes are separate from Inland water.

Not that it make much difference.

Sailboats always make me nervous. They look out of control most the time.

On the St Croix it’s the skippers that are out of control.

Sorry sailboat captains, a few give them all a bad name.

Sailboats are a pain, period. I’m all for allowing everyone to use the water they are on, but c’mon. Last fall I was trolling in Milwaukee Harbor, in and out of the gaps as most others were. A sailboat, with sails down was spinning in circles just inside the gap as he prepared his sails and such for heading out. I was long lining and chose one side to keep going straight and tried to avoid him as much as I could. Just as I pulled in front of him, he chose to quit circling and tried to cut in front of me. As he passed, he started complaining that he had the right of way. I politely told him he had been spinning in circles and nobody knew what his intentions were.

Small boats hate them, and the bigger charters really hate them for that exact reason. They simply think they have rights NO MATTER WHAT!