Boat traffic and the Collision Regulations

As a paddler you are the smallest unit on the water. A kayak rises only a few tens of centimetres above the surface, gives no radar reflection to speak of, and is almost invisible from a boat travelling at moderate speed. It is a position that demands you think like the smallest one — you should never count on others seeing you, and you should rarely insist on your right of way even when you have it in law.

Most boat traffic in Norwegian waters is harmless to the paddler if you plan and stay away from the fairways and junction points. But there are some patterns worth knowing, and some situations where knowing the rules makes the difference between an easy trip and an unpleasant one.

The Collision Regulations — the short version

The Collision Regulations (formally the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, called COLREG) are international rules for how vessels are to meet and pass one another. They apply in Norwegian waters too, and to kayaks as well. For a paddler there are four rules that are useful to know:

Rule 1: The main principle is to avoid collision. No give-way rule gives you the right to force a dangerous situation on others. The give-way rules tell you who is primarily to give way — but everyone has a duty to avoid collision.

Rule 2: Larger vessels with limited room to manoeuvre are the stand-on vessels. A ferry, a cargo ship, a fishing vessel with gear deployed, a tug with a tow — all have either little or no ability to give way. You keep clear.

Rule 3: Between vessels of equal standing the give-way rules apply. In practice a kayak is an “other vessel” and pleasure craft are “other vessels”. Both formally have equal status, but in practice a motorboat will almost always be the one able to manoeuvre. The paddler should nonetheless know the rules:

A boat coming from starboard (the right-hand side) is the stand-on vessel; you give way
A boat overtaking another has a duty to give way
Boats meeting head-on should both give way to starboard

Rule 4: Fishing vessels have a special standing. A vessel engaged in fishing with gear deployed is the stand-on vessel over most others. Inshore along the coast that means prawn, gillnet and longline boats. Keep your distance.

In practical situations: stay away from the fairways and main channels, paddle near land where possible, and do not cross the fairway if you can see a larger boat coming. The give-way rules are not a reason to hold your course if there is any discomfort — they are a reason for others to make allowance for you, given that they see you.

The most important thing: visibility

Visibility is the single factor that matters most for your safety. A kayak is hard to see even at 100 metres — from a motorboat doing 30 knots it is harder still.

Practical things that increase visibility:

Bright colours on the boat or the paddler — yellow, orange, white. A black kayak on a grey sea is almost invisible.
Reflective tape on the blades of the paddle — moves as it moves, catches the light
Lights on board after dark — formally required, and a practical good idea
Keeping groups together — several kayaks gathered are easier to see than one alone
Keeping clear of the fairways — that is where the traffic is

Pyrotechnic distress flares, a signal whistle and the mirror-back of a knife are typical things that sit in a paddler’s kit bag. You will never use 95% of it, but the 5% is worth it.

Types of traffic in Norwegian waters

Different types of boat traffic behave differently and carry different hazard potential:

Ferries run fixed routes at fixed times. Speed 10–18 knots. Little room to manoeuvre under way, but they stop at the terminal. Check the ferry timetable — it is not hard to avoid the ferry’s track if you know when it runs. Most critical: do not cross a ferry route just before or after it passes.

Cargo and oil tankers run along the coast on fixed fairways. Speed 12–22 knots. Categorically no room to manoeuvre for you. Stay outside the fairway.

Fishing boats range from an open sjark (a small Norwegian inshore fishing boat) to 30-metre trawlers. In summer Norway in the fjords you most often meet prawn fishers and gillnet/longline fishers. They are the stand-on vessel when fishing. Keep your distance from the gear (marked with buoys).

Pleasure craft are the category that varies the most. From quiet sailing boats to speedboats at 40 knots. Speedboats are the underlying greatest risk — they come fast, see poorly over the bow, and have rarely prepared for a kayak in their field of view.

Cruise ships are rare in the inner fjords, but known for making powerful stern waves. If you see a cruise ship — turn the bow towards the waves and take them as nearly perpendicular as possible, not broadside.

Speedboats with water-skiing are a local problem in certain areas, especially on lakes and in popular skerry-belts. They come fast, circle, and are hard to predict.

Where to paddle — and where not

Practical geographical choices:

Paddle freely:

Near land, especially where it is low-lying and clear to see across
In the inner skerry-belt where traffic is limited
In bays, coves, and within natural sheltered areas
Early morning before the traffic gets going

Paddle with explicit planning:

In narrow sounds with ferry traffic — check the timetable
On fairways that cross between islands — know where you set off and where you will land
Near tourist destinations in high season — more pleasure craft on the water

Better not to paddle without expert help:

In the main channel between Bergen and Stavanger or other large coastal routes
In fjord mouths with heavy traffic and tides
In unfamiliar waters without local knowledge

Crossing a fairway

If you have to cross a fairway (for example to reach an island on the other side), do it systematically:

Assess before you set off. Check the AIS app, see where the boats are, weigh up the time window.
Choose the crossing point with sight lines in mind. Preferably where you can see a long way in both directions.
Cross at a right angle (90°). That minimises the time you are in the fairway.
Paddle together if there are several of you. Do not spread out over several hundred metres.
Check along the way. A boat can come out from behind a headland.
Keep up the pace. No pauses in the middle of the fairway.

For a typical narrow fairway a crossing takes 1–3 minutes for a paddler. That is a manageable amount of time if you can see it is clear, and a dangerous amount of time if you cross without checking first.

When something goes wrong — emergency procedures

If you end up in the water, or in a situation where you need help:

Emergency number 113 for sea (the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, Hovedredningssentralen) — for life-threatening situations at sea
Emergency number 112 for life-threatening situations in general
VHF radio channel 16 if you have it — the international distress channel

For paddlers a VHF radio is rarely standard, but a mobile phone in a waterproof bag is. The number 113 is the medical emergency number (AMK), staffed 24/7; for sea rescue the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (Hovedredningssentralen) coordinates, located in Bodø and at Sola near Stavanger, with the capacity to coordinate rescue operations using rescue helicopters, rescue boats and a rescue diver.

Practical preparation: tell someone where you are paddling and when you are expected back, carry a phone with battery, and know the emergency number.

Etiquette on the water

As a paddler you also contribute to a culture that the recreational boating community carries on. That includes:

Greeting from the sea — it is still common to greet from boat to boat in Norway
Helping others if you see someone in difficulty (to the extent that you yourself can)
Keeping your distance from moored boats and jetty berths that are not your own
Respecting the fishing grounds — do not paddle through set gillnets or longlines

There is a small, social community on the sea. As a paddler you are the smallest unit, but you are still part of it.

Next steps

For anyone paddling close to the coast regularly: get used to checking the AIS app and the ferry timetable as a matter of routine. It takes 30 seconds and gives you a completely different picture of the waters.

For anyone wanting to paddle in busier areas: consider a VHF radio (requires a certificate — a short course with the NPF or others) and think through the preparations your route requires. The Norwegian Canoe Association (Norges Padleforbund, NPF) offers courses in sea-sense rules for paddlers.

For longer trips: sea kayak and tides in Norwegian fjords build on the same foundation and stretch the understanding further.

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).