New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 18 - TRANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAYS
Chapter 17 - NAVIGATION AND BOATING
Part 2 - BOATING OPERATION AND SAFETY
Section 18.17.2.15 - TRAFFIC CONTROL
Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 6, March 26, 2024
When a person operating a vessel meets, overtakes or crosses another vessel's course, the operator shall take the appropriate action.
A. Meeting: When two vessels approach each other head-on or nearly so, each vessel shall steer to the starboard (right) so as to pass port (left) side to port side.
B. Passing on parallel courses: When the courses of two vessels approaching one another are so far on the starboard side of each other as not to be meeting head-on, the vessels shall pass on the starboard side of each other.
C. Overtaking: When one vessel is overtaking another, the vessel overtaking shall keep clear of the vessel being overtaken.
D. Crossing: When the courses of two vessels are such that their courses, if continued unchanged, will cross, the vessel approaching from the left shall give way by altering course, slowing down, stopping or reversing.
E. Power driven vessels: A power driven vessel shall yield the right-of-way to a non-power-driven vessel except when the non-power-driven vessel is passing the power-driven vessel from behind the power-driven vessel shall maintain course.
F. Vessel departure/arrival: A vessel leaving a pier or dock has the right-of-way over a vessel approaching a dock.
G. Distance: Vessels shall keep 150 feet away from swimmers, water skiers, fishermen, diver flags and others not participating in the same activity.
