By Captain Tony Carli, Zenith Maritime of Boston
The mere mention of the Navigation Rules (NavRules) can send shivers down the spine of the saltiest mariner. Anyone who has taken a Coast Guard License Exam know the NavRules take up most of your study time, and causes the most anxiety come test day! These rules attempt to address every scenario a mariner may face while on a vessel in either inland or international waters, in good weather or bad, night or day, and good visibility or none. One rule I often hear paraphrased is; sailboats have the right of way… While this is true in some cases, this is by far only part of an extremely important rule. Referred to as “The Pecking Order,” Rule 18 seeks to establish order out of potential chaos by designating a hierarchy of “privilege”. A good way for recalling this pecking order is the mnemonic: New Reels Catch Fish So Purchase Some. The first letter in each of these words represents the function of a vessel.
N-Not under command
R-Restricted in her ability to maneuver
C-Constrained by her draft
F-Fish (commercial fishing not rod reel)
S-Sailing
P-Power boat
S-Seaplane
While this mnemonic is easy to remember, it’s worth noting that every mariner should educate themselves on what each of these vessels are doing that allow them their respective place in the pecking order. The definition of each function can be found in its entirety in the complete Colregs Navigation rules book.