Navigating the Narrow: A Guide to Boating on the Narrow River

Many residents and visitors to the Narrow River enjoy kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and boating.  These are some of the best ways to enjoy the watershed. Narrow River Preservation Association (NRPA) works to preserve, protect, and restore the natural environment and quality of life for all communities within the Narrow River (Pettaquamscutt Estuary) and Watershed. This includes those who utilize the watershed in boats and personal and paddle watercraft. 

Thanks to those who joined us for Navigating the Narrow Watercraft Safety Event on Saturday April 6, 2024 at Mettatuxet Yacht Club, 36 South River Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882.

Navigating the Narrow will provides information to boaters, kayakers, paddle boarders and all who simply love the Narrow River about safely and responsibly enjoying this amazing natural resource. 

We provide informational displays and a panel of local experts to lead a discussion about safe boating and ways that boaters can protect the delicate local ecology. We hope you will join us at a future event.

Navigating the Narrows Video by Parker McGregor

This video addresses basic boating safety for the Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River. Many thanks to Parker McGregor for making this informative video for his senior project.

NRPA Supports and Encourages Safe and Responsible Boating on the Narrow River! 

The Narrow River is a beautifully unique waterway tidal estuary that flows from its headwaters in North Kingstown to the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the serene and calm environment, the dynamic nature of the waterway presents many risks to boaters. Wind direction, travel direction, and tide height need to be considered every time you go out on the water. 

Navigating the Narrow River is under the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), and three local municipalities of Narragansett, North Kingstown, and South Kingstown.  Each municipality has their own harbor master who is responsible for rule enforcement. Safe and responsible boating requires the proper attention and education of boaters.

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Navigating the Narrow: Safe & Responsible Boating

1. Be Prepared — Plan for your trip!
   • Plan: Create a Float Plan (an overview of a boat excursion that can give authorities a head start in looking for a boater if he or she fails to reach his or her destination) and stick to it.
   • Boat: Perform a Safety Check and verify the boat is in good working order.
   • Weather: Watch for inclement weather and be aware of changing conditions.
   • Passengers: Verify your passengers know the proper safety procedures in the event of an emergency.
2. Life jackets are essential!
   • Always wear a life jacket and make sure it fits properly.
   • BY LAW kayaks, canoes and paddle boards require life jackets.
   • Children under 13 must always wear a life jacket on motorboats.
3. Know the River. Make sure you know where you are going and how you are getting there.  The Narrow River changes season to season and with significant weather events.
   • Tides: High tide or low tide, time your trip accordingly.  Be aware of low tide obstructions such as sandbars. Click this link for the Narrow River Tide Chart.
   • Know where the No Wake Zones are and obey speed restrictions.
   • When traveling under a bridge, check the direction of the current and adjust your speed so you can control your boat in the tight area. 
   • When beaching your boat, always go against the current so you have steerage at low speed and always have a stern anchor to keep the boat aligned.
4. Follow the Boating Rules:
   • Be courteous to others on the water (people, waterfowl, and animals).
   • Power driven vessels ALWAYS give way to non-powered vessels
     (sail boats and human powered watercraft)
   • Don’t overload the boat with people or equipment.
   • Treat your fueling operations with care.
   • Practice proper boat propeller safety.
   • Check for harmful fumes.
   • Follow proper anchoring procedures (do not anchor in protected areas or in the navigable channel).
   • Follow proper docking procedures.
   • Follow proper lighting for night navigation.
   • Know your boat’s maximum passenger capacity.
   • Ensure your boat is properly maintained and serviced.
5. DO NOT DRINK AND BOAT. In Rhode Island, it’s illegal to operate or drive any watercraft while under the influences of drugs or alcohol.
6. RIDEM (Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management) and USCG (United Stated Coast Guard) websites have many resources to reference.
7. Exercise good judgment and use common sense on the water.

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Frequent Asked Questions

Who should I call if I witness a boating accident or other emergency on the river?

Call 911 for all life safety and significant emergencies. An RIDEM Rhode Island Boating Accident Report must be filled out by the owner/operator of any vessel that is involved in a boating accident–on the inland waters and the coastal waters contiguous to this state–that meets the following criteria:

1. Loss of life or disappearance from a vessel.
2. Injury to any person that requires medical treatment beyond ordinary first aid. If you go to the emergency room or call a rescue, it is beyond first aid.
3. Property damage in excess of $2,000 (combined damage to both vessels, if more than one vessel is involved.)
4. Complete loss of a vessel.
5. If more than one vessel is involved the owner/operator of all vessels must fill out and file a boating accident report.

Reportable accidents must be submitted within five (5) days after the incident on forms provided by the department. Accidents must be reported to the state authorities where the accident occurred.

What should I do if I witness a boater breaking the law?

People who spot boaters making a wake or otherwise breaking the law are encouraged to call the Municipal Harbormaster.  If a boater is doing something particularly egregious, you are encouraged to photograph the boat (including identification numbers) and email the photo and a description of the offense to the  Harbormaster:

Narragansett Harbormaster:  (401) 640-1038 or harbormaster@narragansettri.gov

South Kingstown Harbormaster: (401) 783-3321 ext.104 or harbormaster@skpd.org

North Kingstown Harbormaster: (401) 294-3316 ext. 8255 or harbormaster@northkingstown.org

What do I need to be aware of regarding preservation of the river?

NRPA has many ongoing water quality and watershed preservation programs.  Boaters should be respectful of the natural habitats therein and do their best not to disturb them. 

Studies on water quality and clarity found that boats did have a noticeable impact. The presence of vessels seemed to increase the growth of algae and kick up sediments, both of which obstruct sunlight and spoil the water.

Additionally, deposits left from boats can change the water’s chemistry and a decrease in water quality is bad for both wildlife and humans.  A large amount of impairment to wildlife is also caused by smaller, less noticeable aspects of boats. Chemicals used to clean, protect, and run watercraft often leach into the water, severely impacting the environment and weakening or killing the wildlife. Aquatic plants and animals have specific requirements for light, temperature, pH level, etc. Toxins from detergents, paints, petroleum products, batteries, and metals have disastrous effects on wildlife’s ability to survive and thrive, including cancer, mutations, birth defects, and outright death.

NRPA suggests measures such as the following to help mitigate any negative impacts people or watercraft may have on the river and its inhabitants:

• Observe No Wake Zones: proper speed control in No Wake Zones will help preserve the habitat in these areas by reducing the amount of erosion of the shoreline.
• Maintain boat engines so they do not leak fuel into the river.
• Safely dispense of fuel and oil to prevent any leakage into the river.
• Use environmentally-friendly cleaners and rinse thoroughly away from the river, if possible.

What should I be aware of regarding the river’s flow, tides and dynamics?

The Narrow River is in constant motion.  The daily tides affect the river’s flow, shoreline and salinity levels.  They are influenced by lunar and seasonal fluctuations and weather events. 

The Narrow River is not a navigable waterway.  Its boating channels are not professionally maintained.  Depths at low tide can be as low as one foot in the boating lanes, with sandbars surfacing above the water level.

Clearance under the Middle and Lacey/Bridgetown Bridges varies with the tides and weather conditions.  The clearance can be as low as four feet.

High and low tides are caused by the moon. The moon’s gravitational pull generates something called the tidal force. The tidal force causes Earth—and its water—to bulge out on the side closest to the moon and the side farthest from the moon. These bulges of water are high tides.

Two high tides and two low tides happen every 24 hours and 50 minutes.  Their time varies throughout the year.  Click this link for the Narrow River Tide Chart.

The flow at the mouth of the river allows the ocean water to come into the river.  The Narrow River has salinity well into the upper reaches above Lacey Bridge (Bridgetown Road). At dead low tide it looks like the river is blocked off from the ocean. The river has been blocked by sand at its mouth during extreme weather conditions.  These events are temporary, and Mother Nature finds way to return the river to its normal conditions.

What are the boating certification requirements?

The following are Boating Certification Requirements:

1. All boat operators born after January 1, 1986.
2. All operators of personal watercraft (jet ski), regardless of age and regardless of residency
3. Out-of-State Residents operating a vessel (other than a Personal Watercraft-see above), must meet the requirements of their home state in order to operate in Rhode Island Waters. For questions, contact DEM/Environmental Police at (401) 222-3070.
4. Click this link for Mandatory Boating Safety Education Information About the Law

What are the boating rules and are they different for different parts of the Narrow River?

The Narrow River is under the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), and three local municipalities (Narragansett, North Kingstown, and South Kingstown).  Each municipality has their own harbor master. RIDEM and the USCG websites have many resources to reference.

The rules for boating are not different in different parts of the river, but each area has its own topography. Safe and responsible boating requires proper attention by boaters in all areas. The lakes are open deep areas with some shallow areas, the narrows are tight areas and mostly No Wake Zones, the beach area is more affected by the tide and has more varying sand bars, and the mouth of the river is difficult to navigate.

How can boaters and kayakers best interact?

Motorboats must to yield to paddle craft and maintain control of their boat at all times. Just because there is a local channel that boaters use due to the water depths, motorboats must still operate with due care around paddle craft regardless of where they are.

Paddle craft should be courteous by staying clear of the areas that are better suited to power boats whenever possible. Paddle craft should be respectful of motor boat channels, watch for moving boats, and minimize their time in the motor boating lanes. These channels are narrow and fast moving and motor boats do not have much room to maneuver within them, especially during low tide.

What are No Wake Zones and where are they?

“No Wake” means operating a boat at the slowest speed necessary to maintain steerage and that reduces or eliminates waves that appear as white water behind the boat.

Current laws stipulate no wake under bridges, around mooring fields, near docks and near swimming areas, and, although the inlet to the river is not marked as a No Wake Zone, is a safe practice to observe there. While the motor boating channel cannot be better marked at this time, the speed limit must meet the above definition.

South Kingstown Ordinance 4-5.4 states the following for No Wake Zones on the Narrow River: “No vessel shall be operated in excess of five (5) miles per hour and/or create a wake within the area from Hahn Avenue to four hundred (400) feet north of Radial Drive, in the Narrow River.” If you witness someone making a wake in a No Wake Zone, contact the Municipal Harbormaster.

As for the speed limit outside of No Wake Zones, boaters need to be safe and responsible.  R.I.G.L 46-22-9.5 Speeding regulates speed on RI waters as follows, unless local regulations are more restrictive: “(a) No person shall operate any motor-boat or vessel in any harbor or inlet or any pond or other confined body of water in this state in excess of forty-five (45) miles per hour during the hours from sunrise to sunset and twenty-five (25) miles per hour during periods of darkness or other periods of restricted visibility; provided, however, nothing herein shall prohibit the posting of lesser speed limits where deemed necessary by the appropriate state or local authority.”

Access to the River-There is no limit of the number of boats or paddle craft allowed on the river. Boaters and paddlers should always take care when navigating the river, especially when it is being heavily used. 

Recreation users riding the tide such as large inflatables (inflatable ducks, swans, alligators, frogs, creating a human chain, without steerage/paddle power) should use extreme caution and must also follow safe navigation practices and be courteous of the boaters and paddle craft.

What are best practices for fueling a boat?

When fueling a boat, you should observe the same rules as when fueling a vehicle combined with a few additional precautions specific to the water:

1. No matter where you are refueling, always clear the area of anyone not directly involved with fueling the boat.
2. Put out all smoking materials and secure your boat to the dock.
3. Turn off engine(s) and electronics, and extinguish all open flames.
4. Fueling your boat with a portable container can take time, make sure your container is comfortable to carry, hold and balance.
5. Portable containers and Jerry Jugs can be spill prone so go slowly, pour deliberately and watch you container (especially the nozzle mechanism) for signs of wear.
6. Keep the nozzle in contact with the edge of the fill to prevent build-up of static electricity and sparking.
7. Don’t top off your tank. Know how much fuel your tank holds and fill it to about 90%. Fuel expands as the temperatures rises.
8. Clean up fuel spills immediately with an oil-only absorbent pad. Wipe down the bilge or any interior parts that may have come in contact with fuel.
9. Treat your fueling operations with care. Never use hands-free clips and avoid any distractions while fueling.
10. On the dock, put an absorbent pad under the container.
11. Consider using a funnel. A filtered funnel will help prevent contaminants from entering the fuel tank.
12. Ensure the nozzle stays in contact with the tank opening.
13. Always store portable fuel tanks out of direct sunlight and keep in a cool, dry place to minimize condensation.
14. Click this link for more on boat fueling tips.

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References

Recent Boating Incidents Involving Fatalities

“Woman Dies in Kayak Accident in Narragansett”

“DEM Identifies Victim of Kayaking Fatality”