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.

312.23 Vessels 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.

312.24 Lights to be displayed on pipe lines.-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 two 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 § 312.22.

312.25 Passing signals.-Vessels intending to pass dredges or other types of floating plant working in navigable channels, when within a reasonable distance there from 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.

312.26 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.

312.27 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.

312.28 Aids to navigation marking floating-plant moorings.— Breast, stern, and bow anchors of floating plant working 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 lighted by red lights, visible in all directions, of the same size and character as specified in § 312.22: Provided, That the foregoing provisions of this section shall not apply to floating plant working in the following waters of New York Harbor and adjacent waters; namely, the East River, the North River (Battery to Spuyten Duyvil), the Harlem River, and the New York and New Jersey Channels (from the Upper Bay through the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, Arthur Kill, and Raritan Bay to the Lower Bay).

312.29 Obstruction of channel by floating plant.-Channels shall not be unnecessarily obstructed by any dredge or other floating plant. While vessels are passing such plant, all lines running therefrom across the channel on the passing side, which may interfere with or obstruct navigation, shall be slacked to the bottom of the channel.

312.30 Protection of marks placed for the guidance of floating plant.-Vessels shall not run over anchor buoys, or buoys, stakes, or other marks placed for the guidance of floating plant working in channels; and shall not anchor on the ranges of buoys, stakes, or other marks placed for the guidance of such plant.3

312.31 Clearing of channels.-When special or temporary regulations have not been prescribed and action under the rules and regulations in this part will not afford clear passage, floating plant in narrow channels shall, upon notice, move out of the way of vessels a sufficient distance to allow them a clear passage. Vessels desiring passage shall, however, give the master of the floating plant ample notice in advance of the time they expect to pass.

312.32 Lights for rafts and other water craft operating by hand power, horsepower, or current.-Any vessel, except rafts and rowing boats under oars, navigating by hand power, horsepower, or by the current of the river, shall carry one white light forward, not less than 8 feet above the surface of the water.

Rafts propelled by hand power or by the current of the river, or which shall be anchored or moored in or near a channel or fairway, shall carry white lights, as follows:

Rafts of one crib and not more than two in length shall carry one white light. Rafts of three or more cribs in length and one crib in width shall carry one white light at each end of the raft. Rafts of more than one crib abreast shall carry one white light on each outside corner of the raft, making four lights in all.

The white lights required by the rules in this section for rafts and other water craft shall be carried, from sunset to sunrise, in a lantern so fixed and constructed as to show a clear, uniform, and unbroken light, visible all around the horizon, and of such intensity as to be

3 If it is necessary to prohibit or limit the anchorage or movement of vessels within certain areas in order to facilitate the work of improvement, application should be made through official channels for establishment of special or temporary regulations for this purpose.

visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere at a distance of at least 1 mile. The lights for rafts shall be suspended from poles of such height that the lights shall not be less than 8 feet above the surface of the water. (Art. 9 (d), 30 Stat. 98; 33 U. S. C. 178)

SIGNALS, DAY OR NIGHT, AT ANCHOR, OR UNDER WAY, UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY VESSELS

312.33 Special signals for vessels employed in hydrographic surveying. By day a surveying vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, under way and employed in hydrographic surveying, may carry in a vertical line, one over the other not less than 6 feet apart where they can best be seen, three shapes not less than 2 feet in diameter of which the highest and lowest shall be globular in shape and green in color and the middle one diamond in shape and white. (a) Vessels of the Coast and Geodetic Survey shall carry the above-prescribed marks while actually engaged in hydrographic surveying and under way, including drag work. Launches and other boats shall carry the prescribed marks when necessary.

(b) It must be distinctly understood that these special signals serve only to indicate the nature of the work upon which the vessel is engaged and in no way give the surveying vessel the right-of-way over other vessels or obviate the necessity for a strict observance of the rules for preventing collisions of vessels.

(c) By night a surveying vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, under way and employed in hydrographic surveying, shall carry the regular lights prescribed by the rules of the road.

(d) A vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, when at anchor in a fairway on surveying operations, shall display from the mast during the daytime two black balls in a vertical line and 6 feet apart. At night two red lights shall be displayed in the same manIn the case of a small vessel the distance between the balls and between the lights may be reduced to 3 feet if necessary.

ner.

(e) Such vessels, when at anchor in a fairway on surveying operations, shall have at hand and show, if necessary, in order to attract attention, a flare-up light in addition to the lights which are, by this section, required to be carried.

CROSS REFERENCE: For rules of the road, see page 1.

UNAUTHORIZED USE OF LIGHTS; UNNECESSARY WHISTLING

312.34 Rule relating to the use of searchlights or other blinding lights. Flashing the rays of a searchlight or other blinding light onto the bridge or into the pilothouse of any vessel under way is prohibited. Any person who shall flash or cause to be flashed the rays of a blinding light in violation of the above may be proceeded against in accordance with the provisions of section 4450, R. S., as amended, looking to the revocation or suspension of his license or certificate.

312.35 Rule prohibiting unnecessary sounding of the whistle.Unnecessary sounding of the whistle is prohibited within any harbor limits of the United States. Whenever any licensed officer in charge of any vessel shall authorize or permit such unnecessary whistling,

such officer may be proceeded against in accordance with the provisions of section 4450, R. S., as amended, looking to a revocation or suspension of his license.

312.36 Rule prohibiting the carrying of unauthorized lights on vessels. Any master or pilot of any vessel who shall authorize or permit the carrying of any light, electric or otherwise, not required by law, that in any way will interfere with distinguishing the signal lights, may be proceeded against in accordance with the provisions of section 4450, R. S., as amended, looking to a suspension or revocation of his license.

Sec.

PART 304-TOWING OF BARGES

Sec.

304.1 Tows of seagoing barges within 304.3 Hawser length; exceptions.
inland waters.
304.4 Bunching of tows.
304.5 Reporting violations.

304.2 Hawser length; general.

Section 304.1 Tows of seagoing barges within inland waters.Tows of seagoing barges navigating the inland waters of the United States are limited in length to five vessels, including the towing vessel or vessels.1

304.2 Hawser length; general. With the exceptions noted below, hawsers are limited in length to 75 fathoms, measured from the stern of one vessel to the bow of the following vessel; and should in all cases be as much shorter as the weather or sea will permit.

304.3 Hawser length; exceptions. In all cases where, in the opinion of the master of the towing vessel, it is dangerous or inadvisable, whether on account of the state of the weather, or sea, or otherwise, to shorten hawsers, hawsers need not be shortened to the prescribed length, except that hawsers must in any event be shortened to the prescribed length upon reaching the applicable locality named below:

(a) Tows from sea or Chesapeake Bay bound for Hampton Roads or beyond, before passing Thimble Light.

(b) Tows bound up the Chesapeake to the northward of Baltimore Light.

(c) Tows bound up into New York from sea, at West Bank.

(d) Tows bound up the Delaware, between Fourteen Foot Bank and Cross Ledge Lighthouses.

(e) Tows from sea to Narragansett Bay, before reaching Rose Island.

(f) Hawsers may also be lengthened in the same places, under the same circumstances when tows are bound out.

304.4 Bunching of tows.-In all cases where tows can be bunched, it should be done.

(a) Tows navigating in the North and East Rivers of New York must be bunched above a line drawn between Robbins Reef Lighthouse and Owls Head, Brooklyn, but the quarantine anchorage and the north entrance to Ambrose Channel shall be avoided in the process of bunching tows. In the discretion of the master of the towing vessel, when tows are entering Long Island Sound from the

488 304.1 to 304.5, inclusive, issued under the authority contained in sec. 14, 35 Stat. 428; 33 U. S. C. 152.

westward, hawsers may be lengthened out after passing Fort Schuyler, and when entering Long Island Sound from the eastward, hawsers need not be shortened to the prescribed length until reaching Fort Schuyler.

(b) Tows must be bunched above the mouth of the Schuylkill River, Pa.

304.5 Reporting violations.-Any violation of the regulations in this part shall be reported in writing as soon as practicable to the DISTRICT COAST GUARD OFFICER most convenient to the officer or other person who may witness the violation.

Section 302.1 Boundary lines of inland waters.-The following lines dividing the high seas from rivers, harbors, and inland waters are hereby designated and defined. Waters inshore of the lines here. laid down are "inland waters," and upon them the Inland Rules and Pilot Rules made in pursuance thereof apply. Upon the high seas, viz., waters outside of the lines here laid down, the international rules apply. The following lines in this part shall be effective on and after June 1, 1935.5

302.2 General rule for inland waters on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts of the United States.-At all buoyed entrances from seaward to bays, sounds, rivers, or other estuaries for which specific lines are not prescribed herein, Inland Rules of the Road shall apply

5 §§ 302.1 to 302.140, inclusive, issued under the authority contained in sec. 2, 28 Stat. 672; 33 U. S. C. 151.