The correct answer is D) toward the outside of the bend. When rounding a bend in a river, you should navigate your vessel toward the outside of the bend. This is because the deepest water is typically found on the outside of the river bend, where the current is stronger and has scoured out the riverbed. Navigating toward the outside of the bend ensures that your vessel maintains sufficient water depth and avoids running aground on the shallower inside of the bend. The other options are incorrect because: A) navigating in the river's center may not provide the necessary depth, B) changing course after the bend is too late, and C) navigating toward the inside of the bend would put your vessel in shallower water.