Coastal, tidal, ICW, and offshore

Orientation only. Verify current rules, charts, and Notices to Mariners with USCG and state marine patrol before departing. See Waterway Rules hub for jurisdiction overview.

• USCG authority: all navigable coastal and offshore US waters. COLREGs seaward of demarcation lines (33 CFR Part 80). Inland Rules landward of lines: most harbors, bays, sounds.
• State waters: 3 nm offshore generally (9 nm for Texas and Florida Gulf). State registration, PFDs, no-wake zones apply alongside federal requirements.
• COLREGS demarcation lines: charted on NOAA charts. The applicable ruleset (COLREGs vs Inland) controls right-of-way, light requirements, and sound signals. Know which side you're on.

• ICW: Atlantic ICW about 1,200 miles, Norfolk to Key West; Gulf ICW adds about 1,300 miles. Federal navigation channel, Army Corps maintained. Inland Rules govern. Commercial traffic shares the channel.
• ICW markers: yellow triangles (starboard traveling in AICW direction) and yellow squares (port) overlaid on standard red/green laterals. Both marker systems apply simultaneously.
• No-wake zones: strictly enforced in residential areas, marinas, and Florida manatee zones. Slow well before entering; wake from speed produces damage before your boat enters the zone.
• Shoaling between dredging cycles: verify depth in shoal-prone areas with current Notices to Mariners and local marina reports. Charts may lag actual conditions.

• Tidal navigable waters are public waterways even where surrounded by private land. Below the mean high water (MHW) line, tidal waters are generally public in most US states; the public right of navigation applies. However, state laws on access to the beach below MHW vary. In most East Coast states, the MHW line is the public/private boundary. In several western states, the public trust doctrine extends further.
• Anchoring in tidal waters is generally allowed on navigable water, but with limits. You may anchor in navigable tidal waters unless a specific restriction applies (no-discharge zone, federal anchorage regulation, local ordinance, or posted prohibition). Time limits on anchoring in specific areas are common in populated tidal areas. Check local ordinances and USCG federal anchorage designations (33 CFR Subchapter E) before extended anchorage in a tidal waterway.
• Tidal range creates real hazards for grounding. A boat anchored in a tidal area that dries at low tide will be hard aground. In areas with significant tidal range (Bay of Fundy, Puget Sound, portions of the Maine coast), the tide can drop 12 to 20+ feet. Verify the low tide depth for any anchorage or moorage spot before committing, particularly when arriving near high tide.

• MHW line: public/private boundary in most East Coast states. Public right of navigation on tidal navigable water. Western states may extend public access further under public trust doctrine.
• Anchoring in tidal navigable water: generally permitted absent specific restriction (NDZ, 33 CFR anchorage regulation, local ordinance). Time limits common in populated areas.
• Tidal grounding: verify low tide depth before anchoring in tidal areas. Large tidal ranges (Bay of Fundy, Puget Sound, Maine coast) can expose significant bottom between tide cycles.

• Safety equipment requirements increase with distance offshore. The USCG safety equipment requirements for recreational vessels are the minimum, not the recommended standard for offshore work. A vessel operating more than a few miles offshore should carry EPIRB (emergency position indicating radio beacon) registered with NOAA, a life raft or immersion suits appropriate for the water temperature, and a substantial supply of pyrotechnic and electronic distress signals. These are not legally required in all cases, but they reflect real risk management for offshore conditions.
• EPIRB registration is required for it to work. An EPIRB is only useful if it is registered with the NOAA SARSAT database with your vessel name, vessel description, and your contact information. An unregistered EPIRB triggers a USCG response, but without registration data, search crews may not know what they're looking for or who to contact. Register your EPIRB at beaconregistration.noaa.gov and update the registration if your boat or contact information changes.
• Offshore passages require more thorough float plans. For passages beyond VHF range, a float plan with a shoreside contact who understands what to do (and when to call the USCG) is essential. Include the vessel's MMSI number (the marine radio identification number), EPIRB ID, and planned waypoints, not just a destination. SSB radio or a satellite communicator provides communication capability when VHF doesn't reach.

• Beyond nearshore: EPIRB (NOAA SARSAT registered), immersion suits or life raft (temp-appropriate), pyrotechnic and electronic distress signals. Not legally required in all cases; risk management standard for offshore.
• EPIRB registration: required to be useful. Register/update at beaconregistration.noaa.gov with vessel name, description, and current contact info.
• Offshore float plan: include MMSI number, EPIRB ID, planned waypoints. Shoreside contact must know the threshold and process for calling USCG. SSB radio or satellite communicator for beyond-VHF passages.

• NOAA Office of Coast Survey (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov): Free nautical charts, chart viewer, Notices to Mariners, COLREGS demarcation lines, ICW depth data
• NOAA SARSAT Beacon Registration (beaconregistration.noaa.gov): EPIRB, PLB, and ELT registration, required for useful SARSAT response
• USCG NAVCEN (navcen.uscg.gov): COLREGs and Inland Rules full text, demarcation lines (33 CFR Part 80), VTS requirements
• NOAA Marine Forecasts (weather.gov/marine): Coastal zone and offshore marine weather, small craft advisories, storm warnings, buoy data