Underway

Not anchored, not moored, not aground: the boat is in play, and the rules apply.

A boat is underway the moment it is not attached to the bottom or the shore, even drifting with the engine off. It matters because the navigation rules, the life jacket requirements for children, and the lights after sunset all switch on with that word.

"Underway, making way" adds motion through the water. Drifting is underway without making way, and you are still expected to keep a lookout and stay out of the channel while doing it.

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Put the words to work

Vocabulary is easier at the helm.

The free South Carolina boater safety course teaches all of this in twelve chapters with a sixty question practice exam, and when you are ready for the water itself, one form gets you rental quotes from local operators.

Take the Free Safety Course Check Pontoon Availability