Private Aids to Navigation (PATON)

Non-governmental markers (e.g., placed by yacht clubs or marinas) that must be approved by the Coast Guard or state agency; help guide local traffic or mark hazards.

Related Terms

Navigation Rules

The “rules of the road” for waterways, dictating right-of-way, overtaking procedures, and collisi...

Federal Regulations

Boating rules set by the US Coast Guard or other federal entities (e.g., EPA for marine pollution...

Buoy System

The arrangement of lateral or non-lateral buoys indicating safe channels, hazards, or controlled ...

Aids to Navigation (ATON)

Structures or markers (e.g., lighthouses, range lights) guiding boaters through safe channels or ...

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