Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Obstructing Navigation

Boat operators should always be considerate of other boaters, even when stopping to anchor or moor. Keep in mind that it is unlawful to operate a watercraft in a manner that obstructs or tends to obstruct navigation or attach a watercraft to any buoy or marker other than a mooring buoy.

Homeland Security Restrictions

Recreational boaters have a role in keeping our waterways safe and secure.

• Observe and avoid all security zones, including restricted areas near dams, power plants, etc. Do not stop or anchor beneath bridges or in the channel.
• Avoid all commercial ships (foreign or domestic) and commercial port areas on Lake Superior and the Mississippi River.
• Do not approach within 100 yards and slow to minimum speed within 500 yards of any U.S. Naval vessel. If you need to pass within 100 yards of a U.S. Naval vessel for safe passage, you must contact the U.S. Naval vessel or the Coast Guard escort vessel on VHF-FM channel 16.
• Keep a sharp eye out for anything that looks out of the ordinary. Report all suspicious activities to the local authorities or the U.S. Coast Guard.

In March, 2005, the U.S. Coast Guard officially launched America’s Waterway Watch to encourage the boating public to report suspicious activities in our nation’s ports and waterways. America's Waterway Watch simply asks anyone who works, lives, or recreates on the water to keep an extra eye out for any suspicious activities. Anyone who spots anything is asked to call the National Response Center's 24-hour hotline, 1-800-424-8802 or 1-877-24WATCH. The National Response Center is comprised of 16 federal response agencies that have various skills to respond to different incidents.

To Report Suspicious Activities: Call the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 or 1-877-24WATCH

For Immediate Danger to Life or Property: Call 911