"I have found that new and old boaters alike more easily remember that One for Port and Left (both short words) and that Two for Starboard and Right (both longer words) is easier to remember than One means steer to Starboard or right and Two means steer to Port or left." I am sure it is of little use to non-USN/USCG experienced people, but I always remember the number of whistle blasts to sound in meeting and overtaking situations inland and when in sight of another vessel in international waters as they relate to hull compartment numbering systems. Compartments to starboard of centerline end in an odd number while those to port end in an even number - odd to starboard and even to port. If I am required to move my rudder right, I am heading toward the odd side, meaning one whistle. Opposite for port. Here are a few good points to remember: Many of us cross the Demarcation Line between Inland and International COLREGS regularly. Loopers coming to either the Gulf or the Atlantic coast from inland rivers need to pay close attention. In INLAND waters these one and two blast meeting signals are not required for distances between vessels of more than 1/2 mile; it's "within sight" in international waters. The one and two blast signals in Inland Rules indicate INTENTION while the same signals indicate ACTION in International rules. Three blasts in Inland Rules indicate astern MOVEMENT of the vessel while the same signal indicates the arrangement of the machinery in International rules (big vessels take a long time to actually move astern, but steerage is quickly lost once the prop, especially single screw vessels, starts rotating astern). So a large vessel in Inland waters may have a significant delay between shifting to astern propulsion and the actual sounding of the three-whistle signal indicating he is actually moving astern. When overtaking signals are sounded in Inland the agreement is supposed to come back as the same signal. When the overtaken vessel in International waters agrees to be overtaken, the signal is prolonged-short-prolonged-short (Morse for "Charlie"). Oddly, the Inland rule does not mention narrow channels (the 1/2 mile rule mentioned before remains in effect) while the International rules does. Nowhere have I found the Inland rule of 1/2 mile for sounding passing signals defined as either a nautical mile or a statute mile. Rich Gano Calypso (GB42 Hull # 295) Panama City area, FL