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Collision rules

Western Australia follows internationally established rules of the road for boating.

The golden rules for boating include:

  • Look to the right, give way to the right, turn to the right and stay to the right.
  • Always keep right in channels.
  • Power boats should keep away from sail boats and any vessel involved in activities that may affect their manoeuvrability, such as fishing, dredging, and cable laying.
  • Always keep a lookout for other vessels and be ready to give way.
  • Everyone has a responsibility to avoid a collision. Even if the rules require another vessel to keep out of your way, you must be ready to take action yourself to avoid a collision.

Rules for approaching vessels

If a vessel approaches:

  • To port (left of the boat), maintain your course and speed with caution.
  • To starboard (right of the boat), keep out of its way. (This may not apply if one or both vessels are sailboats).
  • The stern (rear of the boat), maintain your course and speed with caution.
  • When giving way, do so early and make your intentions obvious to other vessels.
Port (left) Starboard (right) Stern (rear)

Rules for powerboats

Head on situation

When 2 powerboats are meeting head on, each vessel must give way to starboard (right) and pass well clear of each other.

When crossing the path of another powerboat, give way to the vessel on the starboard (right) side.

Boats can overtake each other on either side as long as it is safe to do so. However, the overtaking vessel (including sailboats), must keep well clear of the other vessel.

Rules for sailboats

Wind on different sides

When 2 sailing vessels meet, but have the wind on a different side, the vessel with the wind on the port side gives way.

A keeps clear of B

If a sailing vessel with the wind on port side cannot determine whether another sailing vessel has the wind on the port or starboard side, it should keep out of the way.

Vessel A and vessel B are on course to meet with the wind on the port (left) of vessel A and starboard (right) of vessel B. Vessel A will give way to vessel B.

Wind on the same sides

When 2 sailing vessels meet and both have the wind on the same side, the vessel which is in the flow of the wind (windward or up wind) should keep out of the way of the vessel which is against the wind (leeward or down wind).

B keeps clear of A

The windward side is defined as:

  • Fore-and-aft rigged vessel; the side opposite to that on which the mainsail is set.
  • Square-rigged vessel; the side opposite to that on which the largest fore-and-aft sail is set.
Vessel A and B are on course to meet with the wind on the starboard (right) of both boats. Vessel B is travelling in the flow of the wind and should keep clear of vessel A.

When power meets sail

In general, powered vessels give way to sail.

However, everyone has a responsibility to avoid collisions. Even if the rules require another vessel to keep out of your way, you must be ready to take action yourself to avoid a collision.