§ 162.134 Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; traffic rules.

(a) Detroit River. The following traffic rules apply in the Detroit River:

(1) The West Outer Channel is restricted to downbound vessels.

(2) The Livingston Channel, west of Bois Blanc Island, is restricted to downbound vessels.

(3) Between Fighting Island Channel South Light and Bar Point Pier Light 29D, no vessels shall meet or overtake in such a manner that more than two vessels would be abreast at any time.

(4) Between the west end of Belle Isle and Peche Island Light, vessels may only overtake vessels engaged in towing.

(b) River Rouge. In the River Rouge, no vessel shall overtake another vessel.

(c) St. Clair River. The following traffic rules apply in the St. Clair River:

(1) Between St. Clair Flats Canal Light 2 and Russell Island Light 33, vessels may only overtake vessels engaged in towing.

(2) Between Lake Huron Cut Lighted Buoy 1 and Port Huron Traffic Lighted Buoy there is a zone of alternating one way traffic. Masters shall coordinate their movements in accordance with the following rules;

(i) Vessels shall not overtake.

(ii) Vessels shall not come about.

(iii) Vessels shall not meet.

(iv) Downbound vessels which have passed Lake Huron Cut Lighted Buoy 7 have the right of way over upbound vessels which have not reached the Port Huron Traffic Lighted Buoy. Upbound vessels awaiting transit of downbound vessels will maintain position south of the Port Huron Traffic Lighted Buoy.

(v) Vessels transiting the zone shall coordinate passage by using communication procedures in § 162.132.

(vi) Transiting vessels shall have the right of way over moored vessels getting underway within the zone.

(d) In the waters described in § 162.130(a), the District Commander or Captain of the Port may establish temporary traffic rules for reasons which include but are not limited to: channel obstructions, winter navigation, unusual weather conditions, or unusual water levels.

(e) The requirements of this section do not apply to public vessels of the U.S. or Canada engaged in icebreaking or servicing aids to navigation or to vessels engaged in river and harbor improvement work.

(f) The prohibitions in this section on overtaking in certain areas do not apply to vessels operating in the nondisplacement mode. In this section, “nondisplacement mode” means a mode of operation in which the vessel is supported by hydrodynamic forces, rather than displacement of its weight in the water, to an extent such that the wake which would otherwise be generated by the vessel is significantly reduced.

[CGD 78–151, 49 FR 18302, Apr. 30, 1984; 49 FR 26722, June 29, 1984, as amended by CGD 09–95–002, 60 FR 35701, July 11, 1995]