Being the operator of a boat makes you a member of an ancient and respected group.

Humans have been fascinated by boats since the first person cobbled a raft together. Over the ages, boaters have developed ways of operating their crafts that allow them to get where they want to be while respecting others on the water. The boating experts at GIII Boats, manufacturers of aluminum and fiberglass fishing boats, recommend that new skippers spend a little time this winter learning the nautical “Rules of the Road” and how to safely navigate a boat for a more enjoyable time on the water.

There are traffic rules on the water just as on the road. Boat traffic is counterclockwise around a body of water, and the buoys are like traffic signals. Here is what various buoys are telling you:

• An orange diamond around a cross means boats are prohibited.
• The buoys with orange rectangles contain information such as fish habitat, marina, etc.
• A buoy with orange-and-white or red-and-white vertical stripes means that there is an obstruction and you should not pass between the buoy and shore.
• An orange diamond means danger with the specific type of danger usually written inside the diamond. It may be some obstruction that can do damage if you pass over it.
• A buoy with an orange circle means that the area past the buoy is a control area. It may be no wake, no skiing, no water vehicles, etc. There will be more information written inside the circle.
• A round buoy with a blue line around the circumference is a mooring buoy, while red and green buoys are channel markers.

A good boater wouldn’t dream of piloting his craft while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Make sure there is a life jacket onboard for every passenger and have children wear them at all times, even when the boat is not underway.

Boating at night requires special considerations. Lights on boats let other boaters know at a glance where other boats are and which direction they are facing. Common sense is the basis for most of the rules of the water. Sailboats under sail generally have the right of way because they can’t maneuver as quickly as a motorboat. A wise pilot realizes that the same is true of barges and keeps well out of their way. The barge pilot’s blind spot can extend for hundreds of feet in front of the vessel, and once they are lined up and committed to a lock, it’s almost impossible for them to stop. A barge can create turbulence hundreds of yards behind them, so give them a wide berth.

To learn the rules of the water, take a Coast Guard Boating Course. They’re usually free. You will learn invaluable towing and boating safety tips, and you may qualify for a reduction on your boat insurance once you pass the course. Contact your local Coast Guard Auxiliary or your Game and Fish Department for information on courses in your area. You can visit www.boatus.com for an online boating safety course.

And while you’re surfing the net, visit GIII Boats online at www.g3boats.com to see the latest in value-priced aluminum and fiberglass fishing boats.