USCG Aux Boating Skills 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The concept of the stand-on privilege is crucial for ensuring safe navigation on the water. A vessel that is overtaken has the right to maintain its course and speed because it is being passed by another vessel. This privilege is established in the navigation rules, specifically those regarding situations of overtaking, where the overtaking vessel is required to keep clear of the vessel it is overtaking.

When a vessel is overtaken, it is important for it to continue on its path without altering course, as the responsibility lies with the overtaking vessel to avoid it. This principle supports maritime safety by providing clarity on which vessel maintains its navigation rights in such situations.

Other vessels, such as a sailing vessel or a power-driven vessel, do not automatically have the same stand-on privilege in all circumstances. For instance, sailing vessels typically need to give way to power-driven vessels in narrow channels, and give-way vessels must yield to stand-on vessels as mandated by specific rules depending on the navigational context. Understanding these roles is key in ensuring safe operations and interactions among different types of vessels.