[ve-l] USPS Guide OK for COLREGS carriage requirement?

[Dave Donkers]

Greetings again  --

Thanks to all who gave comments. I decided to wait a
bit on my replies to let the comments come in.

Some of the things I've checked out, and a few replies...

DOT (Department of Transportation) may work with USCG,
but USCG is under Department of Homeland Security.
Different Departments - there are no "USDOT USCG
requirements".

Where can we find out what USCG trains its officers to
accept as a "copy of the Inland Navigation Rules"?
I'm going to play the devil's advocate for a moment
and ask what rule/law/whatever defines this?  Doesn't
USPS have at least an informal working relationship
with the USCG, with contacts we can talk to get
clarification on issues like this?

My name is Dave, but I'll pass along to Don when I
meet him that I'm new as SEO, and I did find this book
as a part of the S course material.  If this is
something I should have known in the 10 years before
I became SEO, then I'm guilty.

In a careful rereading of the introduction, Wing states
"By law, all vessels of twenty meters or more in length
that operate in U.S. Inland Waters are required to carry
an up-to-date copy of the Rules. ... This book  ...
satisfies this requirement."  Yes, and vessels twelve
meters or more in length need to carry it, too.
The biggest difference I can see is that this book's
presentation of the Rules doesn't look like Paradise
Cay's printing of the 'official' GPO printing of the
rules. The GPO Rules also have to be updated,
something you don't have to do right now with this book
or the Paradise Cay book.  For that matter, what makes
Paradise Cay's publication "official"?  I'm not
criticizing what they do, but what makes a publication OK?

I've been trying to contact anyone at USCG MSO Chicago
without any results so far.  What I think we need to know
is 1) Is this (or any non-GPO printing of the Rules)
'legitimate'?  2) What makes it so?  3) Where does it
say so?  4) If it is OK, how do we make sure that those
who carry it won't get ticketed?  I agree that a change
in the requirements is not appropriate - I just want
to know the rules of the game (so to speak).  8^)

In my (sometimes not-so-humble) opinion, we as boaters
are better off with a copy of the Rules that gets used
(read this as READ) rather than one that gets abandoned
or set aside because it can be difficult to use.  I'm
dedicated and curious enough to want to know things, and
have read the Rules and dug into CFR and USC to find out
arcana, but I don't expect the average J. Boater to be
that way.

The VSC program is supposed to be educational as an
adjunct to the safety aspects.  If we can do both
(and maybe help YOUR squadron make a few bucks), aren't
we ahead of the game?

Let's see what we can find out.

Dave Donkers, SN
General Factotum
Unofficial Gadfly
Dedicated Logician
Inveterate Free-Thinker


Dave Donkers wrote:
> Greetings  --
> 
> OK - this is a bit long, but bear with me.....
> 
> I have just come across the USPS Guide, "The One-Minute
> Guide to the Nautical Rules of the Road", by Charlie Wing,
> published by McGraw-Hill and available through USPS.
> 
> I have found it to be an excellent guide to the rules,
> written in plain language and giving clear descriptions
> of what the rules mean to recreational boaters.  It's an
> "easy read" - you can pick it up and start anywhere and
> get something useful out of it.
> 
> It has a section that has the Rules in full (with some
> explanatory material added).  No, I haven't proofed it to
> check that it's accurate word-for-word.
> 
> The reason I'm writing this is not as a book review, but
> because the book states on the cover that it "Satisfies
> Coast Guard requirements for carrying the rules on board".
> 
> 33CFR88.05 states "The operator of each self-propelled
> vessel 12 meters or more in length shall carry on board
> and maintain for ready reference a copy of the Inland
> Navigation Rules."  Hmmmm...  No mention of having to carry
> the International Rules, but I'm sure that's in there
> somewhere.  8^)
> 
> As Vessel Examiners can we accept this book instead of the
> traditional red/white/blue bound COMDINST M16672xxxx?
> 
> Almost more importantly, if we pass a vessel that is only
> carries this book and they get inspected by the USCG, will
> the USCG accept it?  I don't want to put a boater in a
> position where they might get a ticket for something we
> accept - they've got our name and phone number on the form.
> 
> I know the argument that "If you've got the money for a boat
> XX feet long, spend the money for a 'regulation' copy...".
> Let's face it, money is tight, and I'd rather suggest a copy
> of the rules that gets used that having one that sits in a
> locker getting moldy.
> 
> By the way, the book lists for $18.95 on the McGraw-Hill
> website, but your SEO can order them for $13.50.  If they're
> acceptable, sell them for 15 or 16 bucks and let your
> squadron make some money.
> 
> Any advice, approvals, comments etc.?
> 
> Dave Donkers
> VSC Chair
> Education Officer
> DuPage Power Squadron
> _______________________________________________
> ve-l mailing list
> ve-l at usps.org
> http://www.usps.org/mailman/listinfo/ve-l