What did I do wrong? - Navigating around another vessel

[thinwater]

JS, You are correct. But there is something you all seem to be missing. Why was the power boater pissed off?

• That the other boat existed at all? We can set that aside.
• The power boater was an idiot, because all power boaters are idiots. We can set that aside.
• Because he believed he was stand-on and did not expect the sailboat to cut in front of him by turning to port? Possibly.
• Because he believed he was give-way and was planning to avoid by going around to starboard when he got a little closer? Certainly, he was moving faster and could have easily done that.

It has to be one of these. In either case, he did not expect the sailboat to turn to port. It's a tough situation, when the two boats perceive the situation differently. You need to expect that the other boat may see it differently, that's all. See a similar case below, where professionals got this wrong. Note that the boat that was in the channel was faulted for turning to port. Seems counter intuitive, but there it is.

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Just one of many NTSB investigations of, in this case, a similar near miss. They even agreed over VHS to go starboard-to-starboard, and it was still criticized:

Case 4: Near Miss

While navigating in a two-way water route, a bulk carrier named "A" had a crossing course with another ship called "B". The route was monitored by a VTS and outside its limits, there are shallows. Contrary to Rule 15, the navigation officers agreed to pass starboard to starboard. To achieve this manoeuvring, Ship "A" had to turn its course on the left, passing from ship "B" to a distance of 0.5 nautical miles. As it is shown in the picture, the ship "A" could remain at its initial course and have a clear port to port pass from ship "B".

'Conflicting actions may occur in head-on or near head-on encounters where one ship takes avoiding action by turning to port and the other ship by turning to starboard. Rule 8 (a)

With the use of ECDIS the incident was examined by the DPA, who made the following observations:


Findings


1. Ship "A" changed course to the port side against Rule 15, which states to avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel. In a crossing situation, a ship must avoid crossing ahead of a ship on its starboard side if there is a risk of collision.


2. A VHF agreement cannot be made against a COLREG for any reason.


3. A safe distance from another ship cannot be less than 1 nautical mile on open sea. Otherwise, speed should be reduced Rule 8(d).


4. Rule 17(ii) (referred to as the 'stand-on vessel) should be read together with 17(c) that does not allow a ship to alter its course to port side to avoid collision with another ship crossing from its port side

 

[jssailem]

I agree with the way you identify the situation and the case citing you provide.

In the citing the description of the boats is “Head On”. The findings are that when two boats are approaching Head on they are required to pass Port to port.

Based on what I observe in the provided chart and the description by the OP

Eventually as I neared the mark I steered to port to make it obvious that I was changing course away from him, but also with limited room between myself and a large breakwater I didn't have a tonof space. We never came that close as neither of us adjusted our throttle and I was the only one to change course, but it was still awkward. As he passed the mark to his starboard he stepped out of his wheelhouse and shook his finger…….at me and yelled something.​

As both boats are under power for clarity I refer to them as Motor Boat (MB) and Sail Boat (SB). If the MB had rounded the mark to port and was now facing down the channel towards the SB the conditions would be similar to the situation identified in the citing.

In this case the MB deviated from proper passage of a green channel marker when returning from sea. The MB passed the mark to Starboard (cutting the corner). His actions made his intentions unclear as he is approaching the SB. To pass port to port the MB must cross the bow of the sail boat that is restricted in the channel. The SB’s change of direction was an indication to the MB that the SB was going to the channel marker intending to pass the mark to starboard. The SB made room for the MB to enter the channel on his present course.

It would have helped if both boats had used VHF and or Horn signal to clarify their intent. I believe the SB should have initiated the signal when deciding to turn port to avoid collision.

It is positive that both boats avoided collision. The wagging of a finger indicates to me that even then there was confusion in the mind of the operator.

It would be nice if the Corps of Engineers would shorten the channel by clearing more of the shoaling waters beyond the end of the Sand Island on the west side of the river. It would give both commercial and recreational traffic more space to maneuver out of this river mouth. It would also make the guards on the Navy Dock that forms the East side of the channel down to the Channel Marker an easier time of their guard duties. Alas no one has money for such infrastructure change.

 

[Siamese]

So, he was crowding you in the channel as I understand it. I don't think I would have turned to port for a starboard to starboard pass. If he was essentially putting me in a collision situation, five short blasts on the horn may have been my first response. Followed quickly by stopping my vessel as quickly as possible. I would not have accommodated him by leaving the marked channel.

Does he keep his boat in your marina? If so, it seems imprudent of him to give you the finger if you get my drift.

 

[thinwater]

BTW, my home marina has a VERY similar situation, with many boats leaving the channel early to starboard. Practically the same. So I have seen this play out many, many times. Normally, the sail boat stands on and the power boat avoids, often fairly last moment for some people's comfort. There has been one collision. It involved a power boat coming in, much the same, and the sailboat dodged to port just as the power boat dodged to starboard. No injuries, but two totaled boats. If the sail boat had either slowed or turned to starboard, no harm. Blame was split roughly 50/50 as I recall, since both could have behaved differently. One point that was made that although the sailboat was following the channel, it did not strictly need to and could have move to the right.

Of course, this is why the first rule is to make adjustments early. The simplest thing would have been for the powerboat to slow down earlier, so as to easily pass behind the sail boat. That is what I would do. Even if the powerboat might have been stand-on is such a situation, there is enough ambiguity, any time there is a channel, to slow down and avoid the problem. Although I'm not in full agreement with the sailboat's actions, the cause was a power boat that was in a rush. Hard to fix that. I would NEVER cut in front of a boat in a channel when I could simply slow down and wait my turn, as I have done many times.

I did feel it was safe to cross in front (enough room not to scare anyone) I would very much hope the boat in the channel either stayed straight or dodged starboard. If someone dodged to port, yes, I would have my hands in the air. That is the one thing I would not expect and which you should not do.