When you learn to drive a car, you take lessons.  You practice.  You learn traffic signs, signals and rules.  You gain skill through experience. You learn to use common sense and good judgment.

Well, boating requires no less.  On today's crowded waterways it is too hazardous to learn by trial and error.  One of the essential ingredients to boating safety is marine Rules of the Road.

As a responsible skipper, you have a duty to know these rules fully and to observe them.  Their primary purpose is to prevent collisions on the water.  The Coast Guard Auxiliary points out that if you fail to observe the rules, and a mishap results, the plea that you did not know them is not a valid legal defense.

There are three basic boating situations which could risk collision. In each, your vessel will either be "burdened" or "privileged."  The burdened boat always is required to change course and yield the right-of-way to the privileged boat.

You'll be in either (1) a meeting situation, (2) a crossing situation, or (3) an overtaking situation, when risk of collision is possible. (There are differing sets of Rules of the Road for different parts of the nation.  Boaters should learn the applicable local rules).

Boaters sometimes can be confused in a head-on meeting with another vessel. When two boats under power meet each other, neither one has right-of-way.  Both boats must alter course to starboard (right) sufficiently to allow safe passage of the other vessel on the port (left) side.

In a crossing situation, the vessel on your starboard side is always the privileged boat. As the burdened vessel, you are obligated to alter course and allow the other boat to pass safely.

In an overtaking situation, the burdened vessel always is the boat which is passing. In most instances, the passing boat should overtake the other vessel on the port side. In open water, you also may pass on the starboard side.  A single blast on your horn indicates to the other skipper that you intend passing to your port.  Two blasts indicates you are passing to your starboard side.

At one time or another, most boaters will encounter possible collision situations with a sailboat. If your boat is under power and the sailboat under sail only, the sailboat has right-of-way.  A sailboat that is under power, however, is classed as a powerboat and must abide by powerboat rules.

As a prudent skipper, you should recognize that Rules of the Road are guidelines only.  If you should encounter a collision situation and the other boat fails to recognize your right-of-way, don't press for your privileges.  Play it safe and move out of the boater's path.