APPENDIX INLAND NAVIGATION RULES
NAVIGATION RULES 1-19 — INLAND PART A — GENERAL Rule 1 Application
(a) Tese Rules apply to all vessels upon the inland waters of the United States and to vessels of the United States on the Canadian waters of the Great Lakes to the extent that there is no conflict with Canadian law.
(b)(i) Tese Rules constitute special rules made by an ap- propriate authority within the meaning of Rule 1(b) of the International Regulations.
(ii) All vessels complying with the construction and equip- ment requirements of the International Regulations are considered to be in compliance with these Rules. (c) Nothing in these Rules shall interfere with the opera- tion of any special rules made by the Secretary of the Navy with respect to additional station or signal lights and shapes or whistle signals for ships of war and vessels proceeding under convoy, or by the Secretary with respect to additional station or signal lights and shapes for fishing vessels engaged in fishing as a fleet. Tese additional station or signal lights and shapes or whistle signals shall, so far as possible, be such that they cannot be mistaken for any light, shape, or signal authorized elsewhere under these Rules. Notice of such special rules shall be published in the Federal Register and, aſter the effective date specified in such notice, they shall have effect as if they were part of these Rules.
(d) Traffic separation schemes may be established for the purposes of these Rules. Vessel traffic service regulations may be in effect in certain areas.
(e) Whenever the Secretary determines that a vessel or class of vessels of special construction or purpose cannot comply fully with the provisions of any of these Rules with respect to the number, position, range, or arc of visibility of lights or shapes, as well as to the disposition and characteristics of sound-signalling appliances, the vessel shall comply with such other provisions in regard to the number, position, range, or arc of visibility of lights or shapes, as well as to the disposi- tion and characteristics of sound-signalling appliances, as the Secretary shall have determined to be the closest possible compliance with these Rules. Te Secretary may isuse a cer- tificate of alternative compliance for a vessel or class of vessels specifying the closest possible compliance with these Rules. Te Secretary of the Navy shall make these determinations and isuse certificates of alternative compliance for vessels of the Navy.
(f) Te Secretary may accept a certificate of alternative compliance isused by a contracting party to the International Regulations if he determines that the alternative compliance standards of the contracting party are substantially the same as those of the United States.
Rule 2 Responsibility
(a) Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master, or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of
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seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case. (b) In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.
Rule 3 General Definitions
For the purpose of these Rules and this Act, except where the context otherwise requires:
(a) Te word “vessel” includes every description of water craſt, including nondisplacement craſt and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water; (b) Te term “power-driven vessel” means any vessel pro- pelled by machinery;
(c) Te term “sailing vessel” means any vessel under sail pro- vided that propelling machinery, if fitted, is not being used; (d) Te term “vessel engaged in fishing” means any vessel fishing with nets, lines, trawls, or other fishing apparatus which restricts maneuverability, but does not include a vessel fishing with trolling lines or other fishing apparatus which do not restrict maneuverability;
(e) Te word “seaplane” includes any aircraſt designed to maneuver on the water;
(f) Te term “vessel not under command” means a vessel which through some exceptional circumstances is unable to maneuver as required by the Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel;
(g) Te term “vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver” means a vessel which from the nature of her work is restricted in her ability to maneuver as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel; ves- sels restricted in their ability to maneuver include, but are not limited to:
(i) a vessel engaged in laying, servicing, or picking up a navigation mark, submarine cable, or pipeline; (ii) a vessel engaged in dredging, surveying, or underwater operations;
(iii) a vessel engaged in replenishment or transferring per- sons, provisions, or cargo while underway;
(iv) a vessel engaged in the launching or recovery of aircraſt; (v) a vessel engaged in mine clearance operations; and (vi) a vessel engaged in a towing operation such as severely restricts the towing vessel and her tow in their ability to devi- ate from their course.
(h) Te word “underway” means that a vessel is not at an- chor, or made fast to the shore, or aground; (i) Te words “length” and “breadth” of a vessel mean her length overall and greatest breadth;
(j) Vessels shall be deemed to be in sight of one another only when one can be observed visually from the other; (k) Te term “restricted visibility” means any condition in which visibility is restricted by fog, mist, falling snow, heavy rainstorms, sandstorms, or any other similar causes; (l) “Western Rivers” means the Mississippi River, its tribu- taries, South Pass, and Southwest Pass, to the navigational demarcation lines dividing the high seas from harbors, rivers, and other inland waters of the United States, and the Port Allen-Morgan City Alternate Route, and that part of the Atch- afalaya River above its junction with the Port Allen-Morgan City Alternate Route including the Old River and the Red River;
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