The term used in the Rules that includes seaplanes is:

• A. Vessel
• B. Seaplane
• C. Watercraft
• D. Aircraft

Answer: (A)

In the Rules of the Road, the term vessel is defined broadly to cover any waterborne craft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water. That broad definition explicitly includes seaplanes when they are on the water, since they are used as a means of transportation on water. Therefore, seaplanes fall under the term vessel for regulatory purposes. The other terms don’t fit this official definition: aircraft describes flying machines, and seaplane is just a specific type of aircraft, while watercraft is a descriptive category. The Rules specifically rely on the term vessel to encompass all such waterborne means of travel, including seaplanes.