Tag: Navigation and Safety

Navigation Aid, buoy, in the fog. Photo by Andrew Marek/Shutterstock

Navigation Markers Targeted for Removal by U.S. Coast Guard — Here’s How to Weigh In

5/7/2025 - Coast Guard proposing the removal of 350+ navigation aids (NY to Maine). Public comment deadline: June 13, 2025 By US Harbors The U.S. Coast Guard has proposed eliminating more than 350 navigational aids—buoys, daymarks, and lights—along the Northeast coast, from New York to Eastport, Maine. These changes are part of… SEE MORE

Most Dangerous Inlets in the United States for Boaters

4/29/2025 - By Kevin Falvey. These 18 waterways require special US Coast Guard equipment and personnel due to the perilous conditions throughout the year. The title of my article makes a bold statement. I’m basing it on the US Coast Guard requirements for establishing what’s called a Surf Station. Surf Stations are… SEE MORE

Aerial view of a powerboat running in shallow water.

Safely Navigating Unfamiliar Waters

3/6/2025 - By Pete McDonald. Boating in new waters can be a rewarding experience. Here are three tips to help you stay safe in unfamiliar places. Early on in my boat-testing career, I learned the hard way about what can happen when boating in unfamiliar waters. The boat company set up our… SEE MORE

Navigating Safely Around a Boat Being Towed

2/20/2025 - By Jim Hendricks. A vessel under tow presents a unique boating safety situation. Learn what you should, and should not, do if you encounter it. A floating traffic jam quickly developed as we joined a line of other boats, not unlike a solemn funeral procession, through a narrow channel behind… SEE MORE

AI-Powered Marine Camera for Navigation and Safety

12/5/2024 - By Carli Stewart. Look out, an artificial intelligence (AI) pioneer in marine safety, revolutionizes marine navigation by launching the LOOKOUT camera system, designed to detect hazards beyond human capability. Built by a team of leading AI researchers, video game developers, 3D designers, and hardware engineers, the LOOKOUT camera system uses… SEE MORE

Understanding Navigation Aids: Buoys and Markers

3/24/2024 - By takemefishing.org. Lateral Markers These navigation aids mark the edges of safe water areas: for example, directing traffic within a channel. The markers use a combination of colors and numbers, which may appear on either buoys or permanently placed markers. Red Colors, Red Lights and Even Numbers These mark the… SEE MORE

CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48043

Ship Captain Believes ChatGPT Told Him To Change Course

Boating

3/23/2023 - By John Konrad (gCaptain). gCaptain has obtained a troubling report from an American captain, who claims that a shipowner utilized an AI bot, potentially ChatGPT, to suggest modifications to the ship’s voyage plan. While the captain chose not to adhere to the recommendations, they are concerned that others may not… SEE MORE

https://www.canals.ny.gov/navinfo/index.html

Navigating Locks Safely on Your Boat

8/7/2022 - Joseph Carro, USCG Boating Safety Locks are more common in some areas than others, so navigating the intricacies of “locking” isn’t something you’ll encounter every day. Still, it’s a reality you’re likely to come upon at one time or another, so it’s important to understand the basics. Navigation locks are… SEE MORE

We Honor the Coast Guard in August

7/15/2022 - By National Day Calendar. National Coast Guard Day on August 4th celebrates and honors the courageous work of the service members of Coast Guard. The United States Coast Guard is one of the six US Armed Forces. While this maritime service is a branch of the military, they are a… SEE MORE

F1jmm, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Boating 101: How to Communicate on a Marine Radio

7/10/2022 - By Boat US. To use your VHF, turn it on and pick a channel, set the squelch to the point where you don't hear any white noise, and begin talking. Things to remember when you are on the radio: Monitor channel 16 when you are not actively in conversation with… SEE MORE