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From Active Captain:

Always have one radio on and listening to VHF 16 when underway. If
you're trying to conserve power, use a handheld. If you have a VHF of
any type, it is a US and international regulation that you must have it
on and monitoring VHF 16 when it is not being used to communicate on
another channel. Get into an accident where you're found to not be
monitoring VHF 16 and you're going to immediately have a strike against
you.

I rarely monitor Channel 16 anymore. I find the constant babbling annoying. But I didn't know that it was law you monitor Channel 16. I will be launching in Washington in a couple of weeks.
I wonder if it is also law in Canada?

I thought it was only a requirement that you monitor 16 if it's on. And I usually don't have either of them on.

Around where I am, there's hardly any traffic on 16, FWIW. I can sail all afternoon and never hear anyone. Not always, but often. Mostly, people seem to use other channels (69, 71), probably by prearrangement, and it's common for power boats to be rafted up in certain areas all the time. Lots of them.

On further investigation, it looks like you and Active Captain are right.

From the USCG Nav Center web site:

Radio Watchkeeping Regulations

In general, any vessel equipped with a VHF marine radiotelephone (whether voluntarily or required to) must maintain a watch on channel 16 (156.800 MHz) whenever the radiotelephone is not being used to communicate.

Source: FCC 47 CFR §§ 80.148, 80.310, NTIA Manual 8.2.29.6.c(2)(e), ITU RR 31.18, 52.244

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtWatch

Some stuff from Transport Canada, though it's not clear (to me) whether this applies to common private sailboats (enclosed vessels?).

Watches

42 (1) A ship at sea that is equipped with any of the following types of radio equipment shall maintain a continuous watch in accordance with subsection 15(2), paragraph 17(b), subsection 19(2) and paragraph 22(1)(b) on the frequencies specifically assigned for the transmission of maritime safety information appropriate to the time of day, the position of the ship and the equipment carried:

(a) a VHF radio installation;

(b) an MF radio installation;

(c) an MF/HF radio installation;

(d) an INMARSAT ship earth station;

(e) a NAVTEX receiver;

(f) enhanced group call equipment; and

(g) radio equipment capable of transmitting and receiving communications using NBDP.

(2) A ship equipped with an MF/HF radio installation may keep the continuous watch by means of a scanning receiver.

43 A ship shall keep a VHF radiotelephone watch in accordance with the VHF Practices and Procedures Regulations.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regu ... lText.html

Radio Watch

Vessels that must carry VHF equipment must begin radio watch on 156.8 MHz (channel 16) at least 15 minutes before getting under way, and continue until at anchor or moored. If you choose to carry MF (medium frequency) and VHF equipment, you should try to keep watch on both 2182 kHz (MF) and 156.8 MHz (VHF) (channel 16) when at sea, to ensure that distress, urgency or safety communications will be heard and answered by as many stations as possible.

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/t ... 0-3588.htm

I know down here if we have a VHF radio we are required to have it on and are required to monitor channel 16, this is the legal requirement and most sailors do it, most of the recreational fishos on the other hand dont think the law applies to them or just dont worry about it and just ignore the requirement much like they ignore the no wake zones and 5knts in channels rules

One feature I adore with those little semi-legal Baofeng programmable transceivers is that you can "monitor" that Channel 16 while actually listening to your favorite broadcast FM station. If there's any activity on 16 it breaks in.

Sure, I've got a proper Standard Horizon marine rig with all the trimmings in the cabin, but once the engine's burbling along, it's awfully hard to hear it. The Baofeng is just super handy in the cockpit, and for only about $30 or less it's pretty hard to beat...Besides which, regular marine radios don't do broadcast FM.

More details can be found here.
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I rarely monitor Channel 16 anymore. I find the constant babbling annoying.

Until that babbling is a MAYDAY from a sinking vessel with a family on board

I always maintain a 3 channel watch when out, I suppose we are lucky here in that you are required to have marine radio license to own and operate a VHF radio all the stink boaters seem to use 27Mhz as no license required. So not much traffic on 16 only Coast Guard, Port Authority, commercial ships and mostly responsible boaters and yachties

This is California where I am at and the Gestapo is EVERYWHERE so we have very little chatter on 16 in the So Cal area - the Coast Guard Radio Nazi's are right there and jump down on anyone using 16 to make small talk. About the worst we get is people always asking for a radio check and the moment they do the Radio Nazi comes on the air and reminds them that 16 is for emergencies only and they are not to do radio checks on 16.

We do monitor 16 here and there is very little traffic on the channel (due to the radio Nazi) so it's not a big deal.

My wife likes to listen when there is a boat in trouble - it's like a soap opera for her - there will be a guy who lost his motor or his battery went dead (it's ALWAYS a power boat that's in trouble) and they are calling for the Coast Guard or a tow boat to come rescue them. Sometimes a fishing boat will get it's net tangle in a whale and they will call other boats to come help them free the whale - my wife loves to listen to them get unstuck or get their boat towed or get a jump or whatever the crisis is. I try to tun the radio down and she says "wait! I was listening to that! I want to know what happens!" So I say, "okay" and I leave it on. If I had my way I would not have it on, but it is the law here so yeah, I have to listen.

I always have mine on and monitoring 16 when in salt water. Though, if the engine is running, I can't hear anything on it. Before I installed the RAM3 on the helm, I couldn't hear anything on it. I could hear talk but couldn't comprehend anything from the helm. Last time I used it the radio was pretty quiet unless I was near other vessels. I think my antenna or connections are having an issue affecting the range. I need to get it checked out.

I'm not sure if those regs refer to lakes or not but I never have it on when on the lake. I have everything plugged in and ready to go in case I need it but it stays off.

BOAT wrote:This is California where I am at and the Gestapo is EVERYWHERE so we have very little chatter on 16 in the So Cal area - the Coast Guard Radio Nazi's are right there and jump down on anyone using 16 to make small talk. About the worst we get is people always asking for a radio check and the moment they do the Radio Nazi comes on the air and reminds them that 16 is for emergencies only and they are not to do radio checks on 16. (snip!...)

Oddly enough, a Google image search of the term "Coast Guard Radio Nazi" will get you this picture of a rather primitive squelch device:

Yeah, in the People's Republic of California they are real and they take names:



They will actually come after you if you have an MMSI like I do so I try to not talk on the radio at all:

Here is US Coast Guard Station Gracie - it sits right next to the launch ramp I use at Oceanside Harbor to launch 'boat':




And here is a picture of Radio Nazi and his friends. They can pounce on you if you mis-behave on the radio:



Watch out! The friends of Radio Nazi have fast boats painted red! So you better not be naughty or they will come to get you.
Welcome to California.