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PART 303-REGULATIONS TO PROMOTE THE SAFETY OF LIFE ON NAVIGABLE WATERS DURING REGATTAS OR MARINE PARADES

Sec.

Sec.

303.4 Enforcement of rules; discretion. 303.1 Movements of vessels on or ad- 303.3 Signals to stop.

joining course.

303.2 Discretion of officer in charge.

Section 303.1 Movements of vessels on or adjoining course.-No vessel of any description shall be permitted to pass up or down the course, or to move in waters immediately adjoining the course, during the progress of a race in such a manner as to endanger participants in the regatta or the crews or passengers on board excursion steamers, yachts, or any other craft. This prohibition shall not apply to the racing craft or to such official boats as may be authorized by the United States officer in charge.1

302.2 Discretion of officer in charge. In order to promote the safety of life, the United States officer in charge is authorized to forbid movement on the part of any vessel on the course or in waters immediately adjoining the course for such reasonable time prior to the race or subsequent thereto as he may determine.

303.3 Signals to stop.-A succession of sharp, short whistles from a vessel patrolling the course under the direction of the United States officer in charge shall serve as a signal for vessels to stop. Pilots of vessels shall stop when directed to do so by the United States officer in charge or by his proper representative.

303.4 Enforcement of rules; discretion. The regulations in this part will be enforced subject to the discretion of the United States officer in charge so as not to obstruct unnecessarily the navigation of vessels of the merchant marine.

1 88 303.1 to 303.4, inclusive, issued under the authority contained in sec. 1, 35 Stat. 69: 46 U. S. C.; and Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1946 (11 F. R. 7875).

WAR DEPARTMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE DISPLAY OF SIGNALS ON, AND THE OPERATION OF, ALL CRAFT and Accessories Working on Wrecks, Engaged in Dredging, Surveying, or Other Work of Improvement, and the Use and Navigation of the Waters in the Vicinity, in the Great Lakes and Their Connecting and Tributary Waters as far East as Montreal, the Red River of the North, and the Rivers Whose Waters Flow into the Gulf of Mexico, and their Tributaries

THE LAW

Section 7 of the River and Harbor Act of August 8, 1917, provides as follows:

That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of War to prescribe such regulations for the use, administration, and navigation of the navigable waters of the United States as in his judgment the public necessity may require for the protection of life and property, or of operations of the United States in channel improvement, covering all matters not specifically delegated by law to some other executive department. Such regulations shall be posted, in conspicuous and appropriate places, for the information of the public; and every person and every corporation which shall violate such regulations shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction thereof in any district court of the United States within whose territorial jurisdiction such offense may have been committed, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500, or by imprisonment (in the case of a natural person) not exceeding six months, in the discretion of the court.

In pursuance of the above-quoted law, the following regulations are hereby prescribed to govern the display of signals on, and the operation of, all craft and accessories working on wrecks, engaged in dredging, surveying, or other work of improvement, and the use and navigation of the waters in the vicinity, in the Great Lakes and their connecting and tributary waters as far east as Montreal, the Red River of the North, and the rivers whose waters flow into the Gulf of Mexico, and their tributaries. The designation "floating plant" as used herein includes dredges, derrick boats, snag boats, drill boats, pile drivers, maneuver boats, hydraulic graders, and survey boats.

THE REGULATIONS

1. Rule for signals to be displayed by a towing vessel when towing a submerged or partly submerged object upon a hawser when no signals are displayed upon the object which is towed.

The vessel having the submerged object in tow shall display by day, where they can best be seen, two shapes, one above the other, not less than 6 feet apart, the lower shape to be carried not less than 10 feet above the deck houses. The shapes shall be in the form of a double frustrum of a cone, base to base, not less than 2 feet in diameter at the center nor less than 8 inches at the ends of the cones, and to be not less than 4 feet lengthwise from end to end, the upper shape to be painted in alternate horizontal stripes of black and white, 8 inches in width, and the lower shape to be painted a solid bright red.

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By night the towing vessel shall display the regular side lights, but in lieu of the regular white towing lights shall display four lights in a vertical position not less than 3 feet nor more than 6 feet apart, the upper and lower of such lights to be white, and the two middle lights to be red, all of such lights to be of the same character as is now prescribed for the regular towing lights.

2. Rule for steamers, derrick boats, lighters, or other types of vessels made fast alongside a wreck, or moored over a wreck which is on the bottom or partly submerged, or which may be drifting.

Steamers, derrick boats, lighters, or other types of vessels made fast alongside a wreck, or moored over a wreck which is on the bottom or partly submerged, or which may be drifting, shall display by day two shapes of the same character and dimensions and displayed in the same manner as required by the foregoing rule, except that both the shapes shall be painted a solid bright red; but where more than one vessel is working under the above conditions the shapes need be displayed only from one vessel or each side of the wreck from which it can best be seen from all directions.

By night this situation shall be indicated by the display of a white light from the bow and stern of each outside vessel or lighter not less than 6 feet above the deck, and in addition thereto there shall be displayed in a position where they may best be seen from all directions two red lights carried in a vertical line not less than 3 feet nor more than 6 feet apart, and not less than 15 feet above the deck.

3. Rule for dredges which are held in stationary position by moorings or spuds. Dredges which are held in stationary position by moorings or spuds shall display by day two red balls not less than 2 feet in diameter and carried in a vertical line not less than 3 feet nor more than 6 feet apart and at least 15 feet above the deck house and in such a position where they can best be seen from all directions. By night they shall display a white light at each corner, not less than 6 feet above the deck, and in addition thereto there shall be displayed in a position where they may best be seen from all directions two red lights carried in a vertical line not less than 3 feet nor more than 6 feet apart and not less than 15 feet above the deck. When scows are moored alongside a dredge in the foregoing situation they shall display a white light on each outboard corner not less than 6 feet above the deck.

4. Rule for self-propelling suction dredges underway with their suctions on the bottom.

Self-propelling suction dredges underway with their suction on the bottom shall display by day the same signals as are used to designate any steamer not under control; that is to say, two black balls not less than 2 feet in diameter and carried not less than 15 feet above the deck house and where they may best be seen from all directions.

By night they shall carry, in addition to the regular running lights, two red lights of the same character as the masthead light, in the same vertical plane and underneath the masthead light, the red lights to be not less than 3 feet nor more than 6 feet apart and the upper red light to be not less than 4 feet and not more than 6 feet below the white masthead light, and on or near the stern two red

lights in the same vertical plane not less than 4 feet nor more than 6 feet apart, to show through 4 points of the compass; that is, from right astern to 2 points on each quarter.

5. Rule for vessels which are moored or anchored and engaged in laying pipe or operating on submarine construction or excavation.

Vessels which are moored or anchored and engaged in laying pipe or operating on submarine construction or excavation, shall display by day not less than 15 feet above the deck, where they can best be seen from all directions, two balls not less than 2 feet in diameter, in a vertical line not less than 3 feet and not more than 6 feet apart, the upper ball to be painted in alternate black and white vertical stripes 6 inches wide, and the lower ball to be painted a solid bright red. By night they shall display three red lights, carried in a vertical line not less than 3 feet nor more than 6 feet apart and not less than 15 feet above the deck, and in such position as may best be seen from all directions.

All the lights required by these special rules for dredges, wrecking boats, lighters, etc., shall be of such size and character as to be visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere for a distance of at least 2 miles.

6. Rule for vessels which are moored or at anchor.

Vessels of more than 300 gross tons propelled by machinery when moored or anchored in a fairway or channel where traffic is liable to congestion or confusion shall display between sunrise and sunset on the forward part of the vessel where it can best be observed from other vessels one black ball or shape not less than 2 feet in diameter. 7. Lights to be displayed on pipe lines; floodlights.

Pipe lines attached to dredges, and either floating or supported on trestles, shall display by night one row of amber lights not less than 8 feet nor more than 12 feet above the water, about equally spaced and in such number as to mark distinctly the entire length and course of the line, the intervals between lights where the line crosses navigable channels to be not more than 30 feet. There shall also be displayed on the shore or discharge end of the line 2 red lights, 3 feet apart, in a vertical line with the lower light at least 8 feet above the water, and if the line is to be opened at night for the passage of vessels, a similar arrangement of lights shall be displayed on each side of the opening. The lights shall be of the same size and character as specified in rule 5 above.

All floodlights or headlights of which the light rays point directly toward an approaching vessel shall be switched off until the passing vessel has reached a point where such lights will not blind the pilot. 8. Passing signals.

(a) General.-Vessels intending to pass dredges or other types of floating plant working in navigable channels, when within a reasonable distance therefrom and not in any case over a mile, shall indicate such intention by blowing the passing signal prescribed in the local pilot rules for vessels under way, which shall be answered in the usual manner from said plant if the channel is clear and the approaching vessel may pass on the course indicated; otherwise the floating plant shall sound the alarm or danger signal and the approaching

vessel shall slow down or stop and await further signal from the plant. When the pipe line from a dredge crosses the channel in such a way that an approaching vessel, owing to excessive draft or for other reasons, cannot pass around the pipe line or dredge, a signal shall be given from the vessel by sounding 4 blasts of the whistle, which shall be answered by a like signal from the dredge. The pipe line shall then be opened for the passage of the vessel as soon as practicable; when the line is open ready for passage, the dredge shall so indicate by sounding the usual passing signal, and the approaching vessel shall promptly pass the dredge.

(b) Special passing signals applicable to the Mississippi River and its tributaries.-Vessels intending to pass dredges or other types of floating plant working in navigable channels, when within a reasonable distance therefrom and not in any case over a mile, shall indicate such intention by one long blast of the whistle and shall be directed to the proper side for passage by the sounding, by the dredge or other floating plant, of the signal prescribed in the local pilot rules for vessels under way and approaching each other from opposite directions, which shall be answered in the usual manner by the approaching vessel. If the channel is not clear, the floating plant shall sound the alarm or danger signal and the approaching vessel shall slow down or stop and await further signal from the plant.

When the pipe line from a dredge crosses the channel in such a way that an approaching vessel cannot safely pass around the pipe line or dredge, there shall immediately be sounded from the dredge or floating plant the alarm or danger signal and the approaching vessel shall slow down or stop and await further signal from the plant. The pipe line shall then be opened and the channel cleared as soon as practicable; when the channel is clear for passage the dredge or plant shall so indicate by sounding the usual passing signal as before prescribed. The approaching vessel shall answer with a corresponding signal and promptly pass.

When any pipe line or swinging dredge shall have given an approaching steam vessel or tow the signal that the channel is clear, the dredge shall straighten out within the cut for the passage of said steam vessel or tow.

9. Speed of vessels passing floating plant working in channels.

Steamers, with or without tows, passing floating plant working in channels, shall reduce their speed sufficiently to insure the safety of both the said plant and themselves, and when passing within 200 feet of the said plant their speed shall not exceed 5 miles per hour. While passing over lines of the said plant, propelling machinery shall be stopped.

10. Light-draft vessels passing floating plant.

Vessels whose draft permits shall keep outside of the buoys marking the ends of mooring lines of floating plant working in channels. 11. Aids to navigation marking floating plant moorings.

Breast, stern, and bow anchors of floating plant work in navigable channels shall be marked by barrel or other suitable buoys. By night approaching vessels shall be shown the location of adjacent buoys by throwing a suitable beam of light from said plant on the buoys until the approaching vessel has passed, or the buoys may be

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