Radio and Radar Watches Are Required By Law
In the South Passage of Lake Erie near Kelleys Island, a 10,000-ton barge collided with a 20-foot recreational vessel operated by a family that had stopped to fish. The recreational operators had a VHF radio equipped but reported that they turned it off because they were tired of listening to it. This left no way to communicate with other vessels other than horns, shouting, and waving their arms. As a barge approached, some of these methods were tried but they were not enough: due to a miscommunication of intentions the barge rammed the recreational vessel, tragically killing two children aboard.
Boaters will sometimes tell you that “marine VHF radios are not required for recreational boats,” and you may have heard the same claim about radar. This is true–but it isn’t the whole story. Both marine VHF radio and Radar are not required to be installed in most recreational boats, but if they are installed they must be used when the boat is underway. And it is good practice to keep your radio on when anchored.
Most boaters are not aware of them, but the rules are very clear, stating that vessels “must maintain a watch” on VHF channel 16 and that “proper use shall be made of radar equipment” when underway.
There is one exception for marine VHF radios: if the DSC functions of the radio have been properly configured and are working, it is legal to turn down the volume of your marine VHF (even to zero) as long as your DSC-capable radio is left on. That’s because the radio is still “watching:” it continuously scans the DSC channel, also known as channel 70, for digital codes even if a different channel is shown on the radio’s display. No matter what the volume is set to, if a DSC call is received directed at your radio, the radio will beep audibly. It is l still prudent to leave the volume up, as many boaters do not understand how to use DSC features.
These rules also apply to some satellite telephones, which must be left on so that they can receive calls when the vessel is underway–this constitutes a “watch.”
Operating your radar and radio are not paper requirements that aren’t enforced in the real world. Recent news about boat collisions demonstrates that the Coast Guard and NTSB find fault after a boat accident when a radar or radio has been turned off–this includes recreational boaters. The radio/radar watch rules are particularly relevant in our AOR, as the Detroit River and Great Lakes feature active commercial shipping that mingles with recreational boaters. Commercial craft expect to be able to hail recreational craft on VHF radio. It is important that someone is listening and ready to answer.
Resources/Tools:
- Navigation Rules (See #7): https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/navRules/navrules.pdf
- Code of Federal Regulations on Radio Watches: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/80.310