[Rickysa]

Yes there are rules...

The right of road heirarchy is:

Not under command
Restricted by manuverablity (like a barge)
Constricted by draft
Fishing (commercial w/ nets ect. while fishing)
Sailboat
Power boat
Seaplane

It seems that the "Duck Boat" may have been without power and unable to move...the barge may have not had time to arrest forward movement or turn to avoid...although not knowing the location and the amount of time the barge had, I can't believe radio contact between the two couldn't have averted this disaster.

ETA: those barges create an amazing "sucking" force that would pull anyone in the water under the barge...really amazing the fatality count wasn't higher