All Boaters Must Know This! ~ How To Navigate the ICW | Boating 101 Navigation Tutorial

[@SFROutdoors]

In the ICW instead of trying to remember North-Green-Starboard (which is actually false on the west coast of FL) and a lot to remember even for me, I just remember that the red triangles always are on the mainland side of the channel. Red is dark and looks like sand/clay so it reminds me that red represents the mainland side of the channel and I should stay on the ocean side of that marker in the ICW. Green is a lighter color and the color of ocean up here in stuart sometimes so that represents the ocean side of the channel and I should be staying on the mainland side of that marker.

[@SFROutdoors]

The only place where you have to think twice about this otherwise rock-solid trick is in the keys where the 'mainland' is actually the everglades and not US1/civilization

[@ReelReports]

Winner! Please email Mike AT reelreports DOT com with your size and address.

[@bradcranford2264]

Square daymarker should be on your right side when traveling North.

[@boatrvme8478]

Some folks dont know what is starboard and which port. Remember port has 4 letters and left has 4 letters. I have talked to boat owners that dont know this! Scary!!!

[@makesumwake]

Red, you're dead

[@frankenjoe07]

Great video Mike- Here are some other tips- The Numbers on the markers indicate how close you are to open water. The lower the number, the nearer the open water is. So, for instance, if the first marker buoy that you encounter has a 44 on it, you should see numbers decreasing until you enter open water.- The green marker buoys should always have odd numbers on them and the red ones should have even numbers on them. These three factors - color, shape, and number - will tell you everything you need to know about navigating through a channel out to open sea and back again.

[@michaelsullivan2554]

Smarty-pants.

[@michaelgermanovsky1793]

Thank You

[@WRXXXual]

Much appreciated!!

[@tonyhudson8698]

Thanks from New Zealand, I see a large number of the videos, can't believe how many boats are aground, and the trucks that are DUNKED. NZ over & out. Ps we are off beach straight into surf / Ocean here. Deep water straight down...

[@BruceStott]

Hi Mike, one of the rules for returning is clockwise around North America. Therefore, North on the Pacific, east through the Arctic, south on the Atlantic and west bound in the Gulf of Mexico. Doesn't this also hold true for the ICW? Please don't teach Red Green, stay between. I teach in Sidney, British Columbia on Canada's Pacific coast. Coming north in Sidney channel, and direction of flood current, you will see a green buoy of your starboard and a red off your port. The two rocks are between the buoys. Keep red to starboard, green to the port to stay in safe water.

[@scalesandtailsoutdoors]

I built almost all of the channel markers during 2005-2009 while in the US Coast Guard.

[@william9922]

You’re a damn liar

[@richmeudt6439]

Thank U

[@tombrown7577]

I am really glad that you mentioned the fact about running over seagrass and how it harms the enviorment! Thanks

[@billydeewilliams9104]

How about harms your jet boat as well.

[@steves7873]

Traveling north the square green markers will be on your starboard side. It would be worth mentioning that the red triangle markers will always be on the land side of the ICW. Great video as always.

[@matthewperkins288]

Nice Video. The single sentence to remember, I've always used is.... Red, Right, Return and Clockwise. That's all of it. If you are going clockwise around the US Reds are on your right. South on the East Coast, West in the panhandle and North on the West Coast Reds are on your Right. Also that returning markers have precedence over ICW markers.

[@Inkedup128]

square goes on starboard side when heading north, which means according to your video when out in open water the square is always the furthest shape from land while the triangle is the closest which would by port side for your question. glad you made this video cuz i am in process of searching to buy my first boat and did not know how to navigate the markers. but i do now, thanks capt. keep up the how to and other vids

[@randy_powell3250]

Right on Mike, Red right return to texas is what they told us in capt school!

[@50buttfish]

So, leaving is Green- (right/starboard) go away from the bay.

[@rea8755]

Starboard! Very nice video. Next video...sober Captains !!!

[@daveodell3805]

Starboard side. Intercostal Red dirt / Green ocean. In the intercoastal red is always on the land side, green always on the ocean.

[@jakemccann3340]

Square on the right heading north! Awesome Vid.. Mike! Safe boating to all!!

[@sg15]

Traveling north, square marker to starboard. Triangles to port. I know this now thanks to this video, and have more confidence to navigate the ICW. Thanks

[@SFROutdoors]

be careful this is only in the ICW and only on the east coast. West coast of FL and the US is different. And while not in the ICW you can be going north (back into a marina, harbor, channel, etc) and have to follow 'keep the reds on your right wile returning to big land'

[@wesleycurrin1457]

Sqaure on the right when traveling north on the ICW. This was new information for me, thanks!

[@colleensaufley6803]

That was helpful and something new to learn . Going north from Miami keep the green on the right. Going South green on the left. Go, Green, Left / Red, Right, Return for most situations- Thank you

[@leerussel2033]

Thanks I recently moved to Merritt Island, FL. I knew the Red, Right, Return and understood what it means. When I would go up and down it Intercoastal I was always a little unsure as to what side the Red was supposed to be on. Great job pointing that out.👍

[@francus7227]

It is not a good phrase. Just like "1492 Columbus sailed the blue." I remembered, "1493 Columbus sailed the SEA." I also remembered, "Right, Red, RUNNING." Which is incorrect. The best method is awareness. The signs are NEVER going to magically "flip." And you're never going to be dropped by helicopter in your boat to an unfamiliar spot. Read the markers as you deport and return, paying extra special attention when leaving one body of water into another because the numbers start over.

[@leerussel2033]

@@francus7227 thanks 👍

[@jimmydamico50]

Heading north, the square/green channel marker should be on your starboard (right) side. My understanding is that the triangle/red marker is always on the inland (Continental US) side. Before I began spending my winters in Miami 4yrs ago, I never knew this. Thanks to the Intracoastal waterway, I sure as hell do now! Thanks for always further educating us Capt. Mike 👍

[@MrStandana]

And the Green is always on the ocean or Gulf side

[@AnDre-tq1xr]

ICW...Green is to the sea. Good reminders! Thanks

[@southflwildadventures]

Great video, wish there's more informational videos for beginner boater like myself. Thank You!!

[@raul_gonzalez305]

Right side, starboard. Thanks for the video. I never had paid attention to the stickers before. Thanks again, Captain

[@Mostlymuri]

Right side! Starboard.. I also learned the red will always be on the mainland side and the green to the water side when in the Intercostal!

[@nicklucero24]

As a towboat captain running both ICW and the LMR. Ohio river, tenn-tom this is on point to the fullest. We push 6pk from new Orleans to Brownsville, then 12 to 15 up north

[@d2thman]

You can also remember “ green ocean”. For no matter where you are in the intercostal waters going north or south the green maker is always on the ocean (Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico ) side of the boat. So now you have “red and green stay between “ , .”red right return” for entering and leaving a harbor and now “ green ocean” for traveling the intercostal water ways

[@PccomponentsCompany]

I tell people I teach To use Go Ocean. The G in Go reminds you Green markers. Green Ocean works too, so whichever you remember is best.

[@berndog3]

Just curious, where is the "intercoastal" waterway?

[@n40tom]

@@berndog3 it would have took you less time to Google it then it would have been to ask the question

[@berndog3]

@@n40tom You may have noticed that intercoastal was written in quotes because there is no intercoastal waterway. It was not a question. It was meant to point out that it is the -intracoastal- waterway. It's a common mistake. BTW, *took should be *taken.

[@n40tom]

@berndog3 Oh so you are just here to be the English professor. Well Teach Bight me . I'll take an f for this course and you can have an F U .

[@cpramberg]

NB ICW, sq day marker on the strbd side. Thank you, Mike, for this important message. A few years ago my family moved a boat down from NY to FL. The captain explained all this and a few times when I was navigating he would ask me, “is that our marker?” Sometimes it was yes, sometimes no. He was teaching me how easy it is to confuse the actual ICW when you get to crossing channels, using nav-aids and missing those little markers and how dangerous it can be to enter a non-ICW side channel thinking you’re in the ICW and you’re not and now outside the channel in a boat that drafts 5-ft. It woke me up quick.

[@scottroozen8941]

Square on the right/starboard side and f heading North. Thank you for teaching us this potentially lifesaving information.

[@halogod264]

That marker should be on your right (starboard side) of the boat. The way I remember for the ICW is that the red markers are always on the mainland side and the green are always on the ocean side.

[@andrewjernigan799]

I just remember red right returning

[@SFROutdoors]

Knew all of this before but came for the excellent ReelReports camera work and B-Roll as always. Beautiful day on the water, decent job on the video.

[@SJHUMPHREY]

Me and spouse are learning, thank you for taking time to make these videos.

[@colorocko1]

I would say starboard side going north. That was a great lesson. Thank you.

[@j.c.9256]

Starboard side. Appreciate all the great videos!! 👍

[@gregdano8668]

Freeking Awesome ! Glad i came across your channel. The square marker is on your right or starboard side. I will be passing this along for sure! Thank you 👍

[@reellove6710]

Hey Capt Mike. Nice video! Channel marker 15 with a yellow square (ICW Marker) located just S. of Broad Causeway. Because you are proceeding N. (towards NJ) in the ICW (yellow square on marker) you are "leaving" port. A Green buoy is to port when returning and to starboard when leaving. Marker 15 should be on your starboard as you pass. Although not in your video, it would be just about here where you would radio the bridge tender (Channel 9) to request the next scheduled opening of the drawbridge if your vessel is too tall.

[@davidfranklin4534]

Never knew they used triangles and squares for dayboards for colorblind. Great idea.

[@Helliconia54]

I am glad that you mentioned at the beginning that these navigation markers are for US waters Which are reversed elswhere. Many US channels do not. If ANY US sailor went overseas , they'd end up coliding with other ships Here in OZ? you enter a channel Starboard to green

[@bougie_kenny]

appreciate this video especially with the description of the channel markers along the greater seaboard.

[@lovinhouse374]

Traveling north from your inlet, green marker is on your starboard side 👍🏻

[@gb9926]

Just moved to Hobe Sound, love your channel!

[@eliassanmigueliii5152]

Awesome video brother. I remember riding with my Buddy and running into shallow water getting stuck, luckily I jumped out and wiggled the boat loose and back to the deeper water. It was a lesson learned once we got back to the Boston dock.

[@gracedbygod2854]

The square marker will be on your starboard side. Triangle on the port. Thanks!! Very helpful!

[@billcudd7844]

From a former UCSG AIDS to Navigation tech. PLEASE do not moor to any aids to navigation. It will throw the adjustment of the light out of calibration. Not to mention illegal. Nice video

[@jdiez6830]

Great information Mike, Thanks, Hooks regulation is a very important topic no body talks about, could be interesting some info about hook regulations in the south east area.

[@tomhealey8714]

That would be on your right side, just like if you are leaving port. Thanks for the info.

[@DustinKeating-yk3vq]

I have my 100 ton Masters license i run a crew boat in the Mississippi river i liked the video good info for people just starting boating

[@bg614]

Marker on the right starboard heading North. Thanks!!

[@JohnSmith-zo6ir]

In Australia it's the opposite. Coming into port the red markers are on the left (port) side and green on the right (starboard side).

[@frase1234]

Yep.... I thought the rules were the same world wide, THIS IS BAD !

[@maxburt7150]

In Australia dogs are laid back and cats Chase sticks

[@JohnSmith-zo6ir]

@@maxburt7150 😉😄

[@BaradineAllawa]

Not to mention the hilarity in... eg, the Gold Coast Seaway, where if you are coming from Moreton bay, and pass the Seaway, and head further down, as you pass the seaway you have to remember that you're now entering port, not leaving it, and the channel markers swap over

[@JohnSmith-zo6ir]

@@BaradineAllawa Yeah. That's correct.

[@koolone3791]

When you go north it will be on your right hand side starboard or on the east. When you go south it will be on the left hand side port or on the west. 👍

[@pakde8002]

That's fine as long as you're on the East Coast. Better to remember triangle looks like a mountain and (visible) mountains are on land. My all purpose mnemonic is stay in between the red and green and when meeting a bigger boat get tf out of its way.😂

[@drsabu]

Mike, a little hack I used to remember the ICW : RS = Red South - Red Right South And the abbreviation of Green - GRN = Green Right North.

[@MrSymbolic7]

Love those sprayed in skies !

[@boppyfournier4867]

Thank you. I'm just learning waterway naviagtion and this vid is just great for learning the basics.

[@reelcs]

Northbound marker should be Stbd side of boat ! Good video Mike thx for mentioning the potential damage on seabed important! Thx!

[@brianladyman6426]

After you come through industrial lock east of New Orleans the red and greens are switched around the mini Grand Canyon.

[@russnurse2b807]

Great video! Thanks for the info. I just found your channel so, I'm sure I'm late for the contest but I wanted to answer anyway. Heading North the channel marker should be on the starboard side to keep you inside the channel so you don't run-aground or tear up the grass.

[@darwingomez2695]

On the starboard side. Great video

[@arthuracuna7102]

Great video, my Dad taught me long time ago…. RED ,RIGHT ,RETURN!

[@mariojossorio1506]

I liked this video Mike very instructive.Thank you.

[@robwalser5646]

Thanks for the Nav educational tip - - “Starboard

[@racerxv6valvoline424]

Cptain Mike the green square should e on the right when traveling north. Thank you for this video.....

[@ANJA-mj1to]

Great how you mention all! Brilliant to mention shape and way and colour way not. This presents of yours condition of how to be unlikely to caused danger in navigation in port and how to built port with safety of navigation. As well as enchanged by a body of ruls coverting issue are like you present and also construction of ships but as well of port., i. c. Good presentation how to ima gine path of navigation and how to start constructing - for me is first to see general points in sea / ocean adding later offshore waves. Excelant to see in real ! 👍

[@GetOutTheHouseGoFish]

Traveling back North the square will be on your (right) starboard side. Great informative video 👍 #getoutthehousegofish

[@MarkandMel]

Thank you! Very informative video and short and easy ways to remember these main rules. And red, right return...so that green marker should be on the port side. This is Mel but i dont neee a gift, just an "atta girl" for paying attention. 😊❤

[@locoboy46]

Heading north square will be on your right Great video!

[@ryangabor2050]

ocean side, great video as to i am learning the icw myself

[@biggscull1444]

Hey Capt. Mike, 1st of all thank you for the video, it was well put together. Secondly, I'm a 100 tn. Master And just wanted you to reinerate the importance of daymarker's, slow zones, no wake zones and the differences between them.. Please explain to your viewers.. Boaters are terrible out there!!

[@OldPapaBear]

Great video for traveling the ICW. Clear explanation and easy to understand.

[@bennettoharriott]

Great video I want to get into boating. I haven't been on a boat since I was 15yrs old. Im now 52 I love fishing but never had a boat. They need boating school 😆 Ive seen a lot of craziness in FL water ways.

[@-Rowdy-]

Starboard side of the boat should be closest to the square marker while traveling north, put it on the port side while headed south. I didn’t realize the shape in the ICW meant something until seeing this. I just thought the Red markers were on the side of the mainland which was home port. Thanks for the new knowledge.

[@SFROutdoors]

No you had it right the first time, the starboard-north-green only works on the east coast ICW. You had it right the first time, red represents mainland in channels that are parallel to land.

[@-Rowdy-]

@@SFROutdoors Thanks for the clarification! Makes sense.

[@whiteymarauder4372]

Thank you for doing a video on this! Im new to boating and this is very helpful! Starboard side.

[@daddywaddy8781]

Very informative Capt Mike. Thanks.

[@luisadriandelgado5343]

awesome job!!!

[@keithcampbell4098]

Good information. Starboard side.

[@harvestor007]

when traveling north on the icw the green marker should be kept to your starbord

[@capt_perez]

Heading north in the icw; Starboard side!

[@gabepeterson4420]

I’m relatively new to boating. I have a smaller 25 foot vessel and I have a question about operations in the channel. I have noticed some boats coming from the oppposite direction creating a big wake. Is it not a courtesy to slow down when passing. Just curious. Great video

[@spudpie8751]

Thank you for the valuable information!

[@FishinWitBoogie]

That channel square should be on your starboard side going north, triangles are always inland and squares are opposite 😎👍🏼

[@SeaWindandNaia]

Starboard because you're traveling back home. Thanks I'm still learning a lot.

[@kristinagriffith3507]

Headed home from the keys green is on right because of the inner coastal water ways

[@PetClipdog]

Thank you. Too many CRAZY people driving Botes in MIAMI, it is CRAZY Situacion!!!

[@kawiman561]

Right side, because Capt Mike says so!

[@UrbanFisherman]

Great info 👍🏾

[@evanforst7272]

I like RRR but i also like "up is opposite down is definite." upstream, the markers match opposite side to your lights and downstream the markers match the lights definitely. you just gotta remember your port and starboard but i hope you've gotten that far :P

[@fishbluewater]

Great informative video for new boaters

[@kevinchapman334]

Bro this is exactly what I needed to see

[@jimmclaughlin5930]

Yep i had no clue what all those markers meant i spent years running my boats on the Connecticut river and Otis reservoir having almost no channel markers when i moved to fortlauderdale and gave the ICW a go it was nerve wracking and really no fun so i moved my boat over to my parents house in Punta Gorda and did my boating/fishing in Charlotte harbor so much more fun than that ICW in fortlaud.

[@bobmorgan9230]

Heading North the square (day?) marker should be on you right, or starboard. Great info. Been boating 20 yrs in the Great Lakes and always near home and never really had to apply the info. Now I live in the Keys and hit bottom first day just 200 yds from the launch. This info will be well used here in the keys. Thanks!

[@HE392MI]

Answer : starboard side, right side of the boat. Thank you for the videos captain, always good to share the knowledge. Tight lines!

[@mikebeasley553]

Right side of the boat if facing the bow.

[@LXBACK]

Red n green stay in between. Is that a international guide ? Is it the same in Australian waters ?

[@ashleywynn4923]

Red right returning south green to the sea. Easy to remember in usa waters though overseas its other way

[@johnx9318]

There are 200 countries on the planet. In 198, green is starboard for inward bound, red is port. In merica and the phillapines (due to dumbmerican influence), they are the other way around. The priority is for vessels that have been at sea and require the best information to navigate home. What does 'international' mean in the mirriam webster dictionary?

[@berndog3]

Generally good information, however, you should remember that on the Intracoastal waterway (ICW), the boater follows the yellow color markers - not the color (red or green) of the channel marker. There are channel markers and then there are ICW channel markers. ICW channel markers always have a yellow rectangle or square, and in the event two markers offer conflicting directions, the yellow colors supersede the colors of the actual red or green marker on which they appear.

[@lunkerlon]

So, for Red, Right, Return, how do you know what your "home port" is, and thus which starboard side is the correct side... :)

[@joelstanhope7231]

The little stickers are reflective for night time . Pointed cones are red , square top are green for you color blind folks . Dont hug too close to the bouys because some are actually in shallow water so leave some space from them . Also bad storms can shift bouy locations a considerable distance , so watch your charts after a bad storm

[@larrylaczko375]

On Starboard (right) when traveling north. Lars

[@gb9926]

@7:35 what makes the different water color? Salinity or shallow sand banks creeping up?

[@chrisweeks9683]

Took Power Squadron here. Couple little tricks I learned. In addition to red, right, return.....should be red, right, return, rising. If you are on the wrong side of the red marker, and it's on your right and going down in numbers...you are on the wrong side. Also, those little reflectors (yellow) on the markers actually will change. Meaning if you have a crossing channel going perpendicular to the ICW, rather than adding a conflicting marker, the symbol that is yellow and either a triangle or square, can be opposite. So a green marker could have a triangle on it, if that marker is in a spot at a crossing channel where a red marker would be.....so the green becomes a red when it falls in along the line of where a red marker would be on a crossing channel. Make sense? Although I am here in the Fort Myers area, I haven't seen an example of this, but it was in the class and on the test.

[@johnlobue834]

North bound the square green color markers should be on the starboard side.

[@TheNaterDogg]

That maker would be to your starboard side (right).

[@MikeSmith-nu9wt]

Im always in deep water , my boats name is in too deep , then later i saw someone elses boat with the same name ..and that guy made some good videos about fixing up a big liveaboard

[@cyberknight18069]

So, what if you're on the West Coast are the triangles and the squares still the same side of the boats while heading south or north as opposed to what they might be on the East Coast going south and north?

[@JohnSmith-fc2ze]

So I am on the great loop heading south from Chicago to Mobile on the Gulf - is there a nav aid to show me where the colours change?

[@pbutler-nalin8654]

Heading north in the ICW, keep triangles on the left!