The rules of the road are vastly different from the rules of the water. Boaters must be aware of what’s going on within a 360-degree radius. A boat could come toward you at any time, from any direction.

But just as you should be courteous in your car, practicing good boating etiquette – safe boating – can make your day on the water enjoyable.

“The golden rule applies on the water as it does everywhere else,” says Scott Spivey of Charlotte, a retired Coast Guard officer with Lighthouse Marine Service, a nonprofit organization offering boating safety classes.

“You don’t want to cut anyone off,” Spivey continues. “If you cut real close in front of someone, on the water, it is easy to misjudge distance.”

Awareness and anticipation are key, he notes. “Remember, on a boat, you have no brakes. You have to anticipate.”

A big part of boating etiquette is the observation of no-wake areas.

Capt. John Campbell agrees. He is a district supervisor with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, working with 20 officers in 10 counties.

“Pay attention in the no-wake zones,” Campbell says. “It’s one of the places where etiquette and the law meet.”

He adds, “You don’t want to send a wake that’s going to cause someone damage.”

No-wake zones typically appear under bridges, and this is definitely a place etiquette does come into play. You don’t want to create a wake that may disrupt fishermen in the area, Campbell says.

“It’s best to keep a safe distance,” he notes. There’s time and space for everybody to use the water.”

The two experts are also in accord when it comes to entering the water at boat ramps.

“You should wait your turn when you launch and retrieve your boat and be proficient about it,” Campbell says.

Spivey concurs.

A lot of preparation for launching the boat can be done in the parking area, he says, not at the boat ramp. When you launch, take your trailer back to the parking lot and immediately return to your boat, especially when others are waiting.

“You want to minimize time at the ramp itself,” Spivey says.

Around marinas and moving in and out of slips is another place to practice common courtesy in no-wake areas, he adds.

Boats with motors should be courteous around canoes, kayaks and sailboats, again, not disrupting their time on the water with large wakes.

Boaters should also be on the lookout for owners of personal watercraft. These folks love to jump the wakes of bigger boats, Spivey says.

If you operate a PWC, he says, take care not to get too close to a boat – the boat operator may not see you.

“Boating accidents aren’t pretty,” Spivey points out. “There are no airbags and no seatbelts.”

With boats on the waterways, one should not follow too closely to another.

In particular, if you’re following a boat with skiers or tubers, Spivey says, maintain a safe following distance. “Leave some space in case someone falls.”

Out on the waterway, the passing boater takes the right of way and should take care in passing, Campbell says. “There are no specified speed limits. We do our best to educate people. Most people abide by the rules.”

He adds, “We encounter a lot of alcohol on the waterways and we target that.”

Spivey says that boats on Lake Norman like to raft up together, with one boat anchoring and others tying up and partying together.

That practice was squelched somewhat after residents complained, he says. “It is not too cool to drink and boat.”

Campbell points out that stressors such as hot weather and wind can increase the effects of alcohol.

“It takes less alcohol out on the water to impair your mental and physical faculties,” he says. “We train our officers extensively on alcohol detection on the water.”

The difference in the law is that while no one in a motor vehicle may possess alcohol, passengers on a boat may do so.

“It’s not a violation to have it, it’s just a violation for the operator to be impaired,” Campbell explains. “As a direct result of our enforcement, we are seeing more and more designated operators.”

After Labor Day, the peak boating season ends. Campbell and his officers will then turn their attention to dove season and deer season.

“Whatever the activity is, that’s where we try to be,” he says.

On the water, he says, “We are not out there to spoil anyone’s fun. We’re there to make a law enforcement presence in order to make the waterways safer. We want everybody to have fun but be safe.”

One way to be safe is to take a boating safety class. As of May 1 in North Carolina, all operators of boats ages 26 and under must take a safe boating class.

Spivey offers classes, as does the wildlife commission. Both men advocate boaters taking such classes.

Campbell says that the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s classes cover all boating safety requirements and etiquette.

“The classes let you know what you’re supposed to do when,” Spivey says. He goes over equipment and what to do in different emergency scenarios.

Spivey says that he has an even mix of men and women – boaters of all ages – who take his courses.

“No matter how much boating you’ve done, you will learn something,” Spivey says.

“When I was putting this course together, I learned some stuff.”

For more information about boating safety classes offered by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, visit www.ncwildlife.org or call 919-707-0031. For more information about boating classes offered by Lighthouse Marine Service, visit www.lmservice.orgor call 704-361-2991.