The International Navigation Rules changed as of November 29th, 2003 (listed below).  Most of the alterations deal with the inclusion of Wing-In-Ground Craft in the definition of "vessel".  Currently there are no plans for re-printing the Navigation Rules book with the new International Rules.  Changes are notated in bold for ease of reading. Links are provided to the corresponding insert page in Adobe Acrobat format.

Changes and Typographical Errors:

INTERNATIONAL Rule 1(c) Insert the word "or" after "convoy, " and in Footnote 1 change "Part 707" to "Part 706" and "(32CFR707)" to "(32CFR706)."  

INTERNATIONAL Rule 3(a) is amended to read as follows: (a) The word "vessel" includes every description of water craft, including nondisplacement craft, WIG craft and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.

INTERNATIONAL Rule 3(m) is added as follows:

(m) The term "Wing-In-Ground (WIG) craft" means a multimodal craft which, in its main operational mode, flies in close proximity to the surface by utilizing surface-effect action.

INTERNATIONAL Rule 8(a) is amended to read as follows:

(a) Any action to avoid collision shall be taken in accordance with the Rules of this Part and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be positive, made in ample time and with due regard to the observance of good seamanship.

INTERNATIONAL Rule 18(f) is added as follows:

    (f)
        (i) A WIG craft shall, when taking off, landing and in flight near the surface, keep well clear of all other vessels and avoid impeding their navigation;
        (ii) a WIG craft operating on the water surface shall comply with the Rules of this Part as a power-driven vessel.

INTERNATIONAL Rule 23(c) is added as follows, and the old Rule 23(c) is renumbered as 23(d):

(c) A WIG craft only when taking off, landing and in flight near the surface shall, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule, exhibit a high intensity all-round flashing red light.

INTERNATIONAL Rule 24(d) Change "Rule 23(a)(i)" to "Rule 23(a)(ii)."

INTERNATIONAL Rule 31 is amended to read as follows:

Where it is impracticable for a seaplane or a WIG craft to exhibit lights and shapes of the characteristics or in the positions prescribed in the Rules of this Part she shall exhibit lights and shapes as closely similar in characteristics and position as is possible.

INTERNATIONAL Rule 33(a) is amended to read as follows:

(a) A vessel of 12 meters or more in length shall be provided with a whistle, a vessel of 20 meters or more in length shall be provided with a bell in addition to a whistle, and a vessel of 100 meters or more in length shall, in addition, be provided with a gong, the tone and sound of which cannot be confused with that of the bell. The whistle, bell, and gong shall comply with the specifications in Annex III to these Regulations. The bell or gong or both may be replaced by other equipment having the same respective sound characteristics, provided that manual sounding of the required signals shall always be possible.

Please note that the bell is no longer required on a vessel 12 meters or more but less than 20 meters in length.

INTERNATIONAL Rule 35(i) is added as follows, and the old Rule 35(i) and (j) are renumbered as 35(j) and (k), respectively:

(i) A vessel of 12 meters or more but less than 20 meters in length shall not be obliged to give the bell signals prescribed in paragraphs (g) and (h) of this Rule. However, if she does not, she shall make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than 2 minutes.

INTERNATIONAL Annex I, Section 2(d) "prescribed in Rule 23(c)(i)" should read "prescribed in Rule 23(d)(i)" due to the added 23(c).

INTERNATIONAL Annex I, Section 13 is amended to read as follows:

13. High-speed craft*

(a) The masthead light of high-speed craft may be placed at a height related to the breadth of the craft lower than that prescribed in paragraph 2(a)(i) of this annex, provided that the base angle of the isosceles triangles formed by the sidelights and masthead light, when seen in end elevation, is not less than 27 degrees. 

(The words "with a length to breadth ratio of less than 3.0" were removed.)

(b) On high-speed craft of 50 meters or more in length, the vertical separation between foremast and mainmast light of 4.5 meters required by paragraph 29a)(ii) of this annex may be modified provided that such distance shall not be less than the value determined by the following formula:

y = (a+17Y)C +2
          1000

where: 

• y is the height of the mainmast light above the foremast light in meters;
• a is the height of the foremast light above the water surface in service condition in meters;
• Y is the trim in service condition in degrees;
• C is the horizontal separation of masthead lights in meters.

* Refer to the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, 1994 and the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, 2000

INLAND Annex I, § 84.05(d) Second sentence, change "exhibit on" to "exhibit one"  

INLAND Annex I § 84.17 Note to Paragraph (c) Change "1.28 meters appart" to "1.28 meters apart" (.pdf, 12.9 KB) 

NTERNATIONAL Annex II, Section 2(a) and (b) Change "may exhibit" to "shall exhibit". 

INTERNATIONAL Annex III, section 1, paragraphs (a) and (c) are amended to read as follows:

1. Whistles

(a) Frequencies and range audibility
The fundamental frequency of the signal shall lie within the range 70-700Hz. The range of audibility of the signal from a whistle shall be determined by those frequencies, which may include the fundamental and/or one or more higher frequencies, which lie within the range 180-700Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of 20 meters or more in length, or 180-2100Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of less than 20 meters in length and which provide the sound pressure levels specified in paragraph 19c0 below.

(c) Sound signal intensity and range of audibility
A whistle fitted in a vessel shall provide, in the direction of maximum intensity of the whistle and at a distance of 1 meter from it, a sound pressure level in at least one 1/3rd-octave band within the range of frequencies 180-700Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of 20 meters or more in length, or 180-2100Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of less than 20 meters in length, of not less than the appropriate figure given in the table below.

Length of vessel in meters	1/3rd-octave band level at 1 meter in dB referred to 2X10-5N/m2	Audibility range in nautical miles
200 or more 75 but less than 200 20 but less than 75	143 138 130	2 1.5 1
Less than 20	120*1 115*2 111*3	0.5

*1 When the measured frequencies lie within the range 180-450Hz
*2 When the measured frequencies lie within the range 450-800Hz
*3 When the measured frequencies lie within the range 800-2100Hz

INTERNATIONAL Annex III, section 2, paragraph (b) is amended to read as follows:

(b) Bells and gongs shall be made of corrosion-resistant material and designed to give clear tone. The diameter of the mouth of the bell shall be not less than 300 mm for vessels of 20 meters or more in length. Where practicable, a power-driven bell striker is recommended to ensure constant force but manual operation shall be possible. The mass of the striker shall be not less than 3 per cent of the mass of the bell.

The words "and shall be not less than 200 mm for vessels of 12 meters or more but of less than 20 meters in length" were removed.

WATERS SPECIFIED BY THE SECRETARY: 33CFR89.27(b)(1) change "Dupont Fixed Badge" to "Dupont Fixed Bridge" and 33CFR89.27(b)(11) change "Christl" to "Christi".

VESSEL BRIDGE-TO-BRIDGE RADIOTELEPHONE REGULATIONS: amends the introductory paragraph to read: The Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge Radiotelephone Act is applicable on the navigable waters of the United States which include the territorial sea, internal waters that are subject to tidal influence, and, those not subject to tidal influence but that are used or are determined to be capable of being used for substantial interstate or foreign commerce (see 33 CFR §2.36); at 33 CFR § 26.02 - Definitions, between "Power-driven Vessel" and "Towing Vessel" inserts: “Territorial sea” means all waters as defined in §2.22(a)(1)* of this chapter;"; adds a quotation mark (") after "Towing Vessel; and, the following footnote: * 33 CFR §2.22(a)(1) "Territorial sea" means the waters, 12 nautical miles wide, adjacent to the coast of the United States and seaward of the territorial sea baseline…"

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