All Boaters Must Know This! ~ How To Navigate the ICW | Boating 101 Navigation Tutorial
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Published 2022-01-22
1. **Understand the ICW**: The Intracoastal Waterway is a network of canals, bays, rivers, and sounds that provides a navigable route along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. It is marked by a series of channel markers to guide boaters along the route.
2. **Consult Navigational Charts**: Before setting out, obtain up-to-date navigational charts of the area you will be traveling through. These charts will provide essential information such as water depths, navigational aids, hazards, and other important details for safe navigation.
3. **Learn the Channel Marker System**: The ICW is marked by a system of red and green channel markers, similar to those used in traditional navigational aids. Red markers are kept to the right (starboard) when traveling in the direction of increasing milepost numbers, while green markers are kept to the left (port).
4. **Understand the Meanings of Channel Markers**:
- Red markers typically indicate the starboard (right) side of the channel when heading in the direction of increasing milepost numbers.
- Green markers typically indicate the port (left) side of the channel.
- Square markers denote junctions or turns in the channel.
- Triangular markers with a point facing up indicate that the preferred channel is to the right of the marker.
- Triangular markers with a point facing down indicate that the preferred channel is to the left of the marker.
- If two channel markers are close together, it indicates the center of the channel.
5. **Observe and Follow the Markers**: While underway, maintain a lookout for channel markers and navigate accordingly. Keep red markers on your right (starboard) side and green markers on your left (port) side. Use caution when passing markers and be aware of any changes in the direction of the channel.
6. **Monitor Depth and Tidal Conditions**: Pay attention to water depths, especially in shallow areas, and be mindful of tidal currents that can affect navigation.
7. **Use Navigation Aids**: In addition to channel markers, use other navigation aids such as buoys, lights, daymarks, and GPS/chartplotter systems to assist in navigation.
8. **Maintain Safe Speed and Distance**: Operate your vessel at a safe speed, especially in congested or narrow areas, and maintain a safe distance from other vessels, structures, and navigational hazards.
9. **Stay Informed and Updated**: Keep abreast of any changes or updates to navigational aids, hazards, or regulations affecting the ICW.
By understanding the channel marker system and following safe navigation practices, you can navigate the Intracoastal Waterway in Florida safely and efficiently. Additionally, consider taking a boating safety course to enhance your navigation skills and knowledge of local waterways.
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All Comments (21)
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In the ICW instead of trying to remember North-Green-Starboard (which is actually false on the west coast of FL) and a lot to remember even for me, I just remember that the red triangles always are on the mainland side of the channel. Red is dark and looks like sand/clay so it reminds me that red represents the mainland side of the channel and I should stay on the ocean side of that marker in the ICW. Green is a lighter color and the color of ocean up here in stuart sometimes so that represents the ocean side of the channel and I should be staying on the mainland side of that marker.
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Great video Mike- Here are some other tips- The Numbers on the markers indicate how close you are to open water. The lower the number, the nearer the open water is. So, for instance, if the first marker buoy that you encounter has a 44 on it, you should see numbers decreasing until you enter open water.- The green marker buoys should always have odd numbers on them and the red ones should have even numbers on them. These three factors – color, shape, and number – will tell you everything you need to know about navigating through a channel out to open sea and back again.
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Traveling north the square green markers will be on your starboard side. It would be worth mentioning that the red triangle markers will always be on the land side of the ICW. Great video as always.
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I built almost all of the channel markers during 2005-2009 while in the US Coast Guard.
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Starboard! Very nice video. Next video...sober Captains !!!
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I am really glad that you mentioned the fact about running over seagrass and how it harms the enviorment! Thanks
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You can also remember “ green ocean”. For no matter where you are in the intercostal waters going north or south the green maker is always on the ocean (Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico ) side of the boat. So now you have “red and green stay between “ , .”red right return” for entering and leaving a harbor and now “ green ocean” for traveling the intercostal water ways
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From a former UCSG AIDS to Navigation tech. PLEASE do not moor to any aids to navigation. It will throw the adjustment of the light out of calibration. Not to mention illegal. Nice video
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Right on Mike, Red right return to texas is what they told us in capt school!
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square goes on starboard side when heading north, which means according to your video when out in open water the square is always the furthest shape from land while the triangle is the closest which would by port side for your question. glad you made this video cuz i am in process of searching to buy my first boat and did not know how to navigate the markers. but i do now, thanks capt. keep up the how to and other vids
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Great video, wish there's more informational videos for beginner boater like myself. Thank You!!
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Starboard side. Intercostal Red dirt / Green ocean. In the intercoastal red is always on the land side, green always on the ocean.
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Never knew they used triangles and squares for dayboards for colorblind. Great idea.
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Square on the right heading north! Awesome Vid.. Mike! Safe boating to all!!
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Me and spouse are learning, thank you for taking time to make these videos.
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That was helpful and something new to learn . Going north from Miami keep the green on the right. Going South green on the left. Go, Green, Left / Red, Right, Return for most situations- Thank you
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Freeking Awesome ! Glad i came across your channel. The square marker is on your right or starboard side. I will be passing this along for sure! Thank you 👍
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That marker should be on your right (starboard side) of the boat. The way I remember for the ICW is that the red markers are always on the mainland side and the green are always on the ocean side.
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Nice Video. The single sentence to remember, I've always used is.... Red, Right, Return and Clockwise. That's all of it. If you are going clockwise around the US Reds are on your right. South on the East Coast, West in the panhandle and North on the West Coast Reds are on your Right. Also that returning markers have precedence over ICW markers.
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Sqaure on the right when traveling north on the ICW. This was new information for me, thanks!
