Aids to Navigation Program

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Session VIIVerifying Private Aids to Navigation
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Private Aid Definition

• Any signal placed in the navigable
• waterways of the United States by any
• person or institution other than the U.S.
• Coast Guard or other branch of the
• Armed Forces is considered to be a
• private aid to navigation.

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NAVIGABLE WATERS

• Coastal Waters below Mean High Water
• Waters subject to tidal ebb and flow
• Inland waters used for interstate or foreign
  commerce
• Inland waters that with reasonable cost
  improvement could in the near future be used for
  commerce

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USCG Authority

• In accordance with subpart 66 of Title 33 CFR,
  no person, public body or instrumentality not
  under the control of the Commandant, exclusive of
  the Armed Forces, shall establish and maintain,
  discontinue, change, or transfer ownership of any
  private aid to maritime navigation without first
  obtaining permission to do so from Commandant.
  This authority is delegated to the District
  Commander.

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PRIVATE AIDS

• Must be maintained in good working order and
  painted with no expense to the Coast Guard
• Must provide 30 days notice to the District
  Commander before removal
• District Commander can order removal of aids that
  are no longer needed

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PRIVATE AIDS

• Aids are subject to inspection at any time
  without prior notice.
• New aids should be verified for accuracy, soon
  after they are established.
• Discontinued aids should be inspected for proper
  removal.

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Private AtoN Regulations

• Failure to Comply
• When repair is unreasonably delayed the
• CO/OinC of the inspecting unit may
• request, in writing, that CCGDONE
• revoke the owners authorization to
• operate private aids and to order the
• removal of the aids.

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UNAUTHORIZED PatoNS

• Unauthorized PatoNs are subject to a fine of up
  to 100 per offense
• Each day an unauthorized aid is in operation is a
  separate offense
• If more than one aid marks a waterway, each aid
  is also a separate offense

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Tools of the Trade

• Binoculars
• Sounding Device
• Hand-bearing compass
• Nautical charts
• Coast Pilot
• Light List
• LNM
• Tide Book
• Watch/Timing device

• Digital Camera
• Note book
• Dividers
• Plotter
• Pencils and pens
• GPS set
• Forms

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Observe as if a Stranger

• Pretend you have never been on this shore before.
• Look at things from different locations.
• Note what most impresses you or is unique to the
  area.
• Look for changes in the skyline and check them
  out from seaward.

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Document what is Important!

• The person who will read your report has never
  seen the area.
• Imagine this person without your vast knowledge
  and report clearly and totally.
• Never assume local knowledge.

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Documentation

• Be explicit!
• Include tide, currents, Lat/Lon, depths,
  chartlets, graphs, drawings, photographs.
• Tell a complete story in a few words.

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Private Aid Classifications

• Class I
• Class II
• Class III

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Class I Private Aids

• Class I Private Aids are aids to navigation
• on marine structures, including bridges or
• other works for which the owners are legally
• obligated to establish, maintain and operate
• as prescribed by the United States Coast
• Guard.
• Permanent aids are listed in the Light List and
• charted.

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Class II Private Aids

• Class II Aids to Navigation exclusive
• of Class I, are located in waters used by
• general navigation.
• Permanent Aids are listed in the Light List and
• chartered.

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Class III Private Aids

• Class III Aids to Navigation exclusive
• of Class I and Class II are located in
• waters not ordinarily used by general
• Navigation.
• Usually not found on charts or in the Light List.

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Private Aid DiscrepanciesUnauthorized
Establishments
Will not show in any official publication or on any list. Report on Private Aid Verification form or 7054 form.
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• DOs and DONTs
• for
• Aid Verifiers.

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The Dos for Aid Verifiers

• Aid Verifier should always
• Report unauthorized aids.
• Redirect private aid questions to the Operating
  Unit (ANT--Group).
• Report discrepancies at anytime regardless of the
  primary mission activity or while on a
  recreational outing.

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The DONTs for Aid Verifiers

• An Aid Verifier must never
• Attempt to move or fix a private aid.
• Enter private property (trespass), even if to
  only visually verify an aid.
• Contact a private aid owner.
• Contact the ANT Unit. Follow chain of
  communications
• Originate correspondence to a private aid owner.

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The CG Auxiliary Job of Reporting PatoNs!

• Your job of reporting discrepancies to the
  Coast Guard should be completed within 24 hours
  from the time and date of the observation (both
  initial report and follow-up)
• Dont bother to send outdated discrepancy or
  verification reports since they have no value and
  will be discarded.

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• ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO REPORT PATON
  VERIFICATIONS TO THE COAST GUARD?

Remember that you still have to get credit for your PatoN activity in AUXDATA.
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Verify the PatoNs position
GPS, DGPS, or WAAS
Degrees-minutes-seconds
Seamans Eye
Local Knowledge
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PatoN Verifications Check List

• Does it conform to the PID List (Harbormaster)
• Does it conform to the Light List
• Does it conform to the Charts
• Does it conform to the IALA-B System
• Does it conform to the Coast Pilot
• Are there any Discrepancies
• Is it an USCG authorized
• Is it WATCHING PROPERLY

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Criteria for On Station
1. Fixed PATON, within 25 feet
2. Floating Lateral PATON, within 50 feet
3. Regulatory PATON, within 500 feet
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What is the definition of a verification?
A verification of an aid means that you
have applied all of your acquired knowledge of
discrepancies on aids to navigation, while
observing the aid, and you did not find any
problem.
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End
of
Session VII