Plot a Course for Boating Safety
Author:
May 18, 2021
Last Saturday, I was running the Intracoastal Waterway in Tampa Bay at 24 knots when, as I came to a channel that crosses the ICW, I observed a fast-moving boat approaching on my port side. Knowing that he was the give-way vessel, I expected he’d slow down until I cleared. I thought:
Does he know the rule?
He obviously didn’t or, worse, wasn’t paying attention because when I realized we’d likely meet at the crossroad, I throttled back while he sped across the channel. Maybe he was one of those new boaters who recently joined our lifestyle but hasn’t learned the Rules of the Road. Or perhaps he’s been a boater for some time and still hasn’t learned the rules.