Your quick-access guide to international and U.S. boating rules The U.S. Coast Guard requires every boat morethan 39-feet long to carry a copy of the nauticalrules of the road onboard. Here s one that is convenientand handy enough for quick reference on thewater. This bestselling guide includes the full text of the original rules, and Charlie Wing s clear, rule-by-rule translations make them easy to follow. It also includes a "One-Minute Guide Decision Tree" and a brief overview of the rules intent to give you a good idea of what to do in any common situation.