My Own Colregs

[Warren Milberg]

After many years of sailing, and only a few close calls (but no collisions) with both sail and power boats, I've developed my own set of collision avoidance rules:
Rule No. 1: Always assume the worst. That is, I always assume the other boat doesn't know or care about the rules of the road, is on auto-pilot, or maybe the captain isn't even on deck, etc. ;
Rule No 2: Bigger boats always have the right of way;
Rule No. 3 (the most important one): I always get out of the way, I do it early, and I do it clearly.
These rules have worked for me.

 

[JamesG161]

These rules have worked for me.

Me too.
Rule No 4. When passing or crossing courses, give a nudge in your current heading to indicate your intensions on passing.

Rule No. 2: part a) Smaller boats have right of way too.

Jim...

 

[Jackdaw]

Nice list. If you read the COLREGS section 'Conduct of Vessels in Sight of One Another' you'll see that all of those are actually codified.

 

[Rick486]

After many years of sailing, and only a few close calls (but no collisions) with both sail and power boats, I've developed my own set of collision avoidance rules:
Rule No. 1: Always assume the worst. That is, I always assume the other boat doesn't know or care about the rules of the road, is on auto-pilot, or maybe the captain isn't even on deck, etc. ;
Rule No 2: Bigger boats always have the right of way;
Rule No. 3 (the most important one): I always get out of the way, I do it early, and I do it clearly.
These rules have worked for me.

Well said Warren. Exactly my thoughts and practice after many years as well. No collisions but two cases where we were nearly run down by larger power boats. Those two were early in my sailing life and shaped my concept of operations underway. The first one was exactly as you described. A large motor yacht on autopilot and no one at the helm.
Rick

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Nice list. If you read the COLREGS section 'Conduct of Vessels in Sight of One Another' you'll see that all of those are actually codified.

Not entirely accurate. But not going to argue the finer points.
All others don't have the right of way, and size doesn't matter unless the size is a factor limiting maneuverability. The term "stand on vessel" is used to clarify and expressly to avoid confusion. If the stand-on vessel gives way, it creates confusion and is frowned upon unless the circumstance is to avoid imminent collision.
@Warren Milberg wrote above: "I do it early, and I do it clearly" and that's OK so long as it really is early and clearly enough to make it a non-question.
Edit: If the stand-on vessel always gives way, and everyone created their own rules and/or acted as if they were the give-way vessel there would be much more chaos, confusion and accidents. (As you can tell, I'm not a fan of such an overly cautious philosophy)

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

I can't stand this thread! People make up their own rules and others cheer? There is only one COLREGS if you want to be safe learn them.

 

[jwing]

I can't stand this thread! People make up their own rules and others cheer? There is only one COLREGS if you want to be safe learn them.

If I could thumbs-down post #1, I would.

 

[JRT]

Well said Warren. Exactly my thoughts and practice after many years as well. No collisions but two cases where we were nearly run down by larger power boats. Those two were early in my sailing life and shaped my concept of operations underway. The first one was exactly as you described. A large motor yacht on autopilot and no one at the helm.
Rick

There must be a special large motor yacht on autopilot assigned to test the new sailors as I had the exact same event last year happen.

 

[Jackdaw]

Not entirely accurate. But not going to argue the finer points.
All others don't have the right of way, and size doesn't matter unless the size is a factor limiting maneuverability. The term "stand on vessel" is used to clarify and expressly to avoid confusion. If the stand-on vessel gives way, it creates confusion and is frowned upon unless the circumstance is to avoid imminent collision.
@Warren Milberg wrote above: "I do it early, and I do it clearly" and that's OK so long as it really is early and clearly enough to make it a non-question.
Edit: If the stand-on vessel always gives way, and everyone created their own rules and/or acted as if they were the give-way vessel there would be much more chaos, confusion and accidents. (As you can tell, I'm not a fan of such an overly cautious philosophy)

You're right. I assumed that was was tongue-in-cheek. The others actually are rules.

The 'do it early' one is worded : 'Every vessel which is directed to keep out of the way of another vessel shall, so far as possible, take early and substantial action to keep well clear'

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

You're right. I assumed that was was tongue-in-cheek. The others actually are rules.

The 'do it early' one is worded : 'Every vessel which is directed to keep out of the way of another vessel shall, so far as possible, take early and substantial action to keep well clear'

The "'Every vessel which is directed to keep out of the way of another vessel shall," is the give-way vessel. It is NOT the stand-on vessel. That would create confusion, and should not be done by the stand-on vessel unless the give-way vessel fails to give way.

 

[thinwater]

I can't stand this thread! People make up their own rules and others cheer? There is only one COLREGS if you want to be safe learn them.

The OP has a point, but the REAL purpose of COLREGS is predictability. I need to know what you will (should do). If you are stand on, I want you to. If you respond, I want you to do it in a predictable way. Scarier that a person who is not looking but is steady, is a boat that is unpredictable.

One of my pet peeves, sail and power, is that people often forget the option we use most often in a car; just slow down. Often there is no need to tack away, only to let the main right out for a minute and pinch a little. Under power, let off the gas.

The other thing some are missing (not so much on this thread) is that this is only in part about sail vs. power. What it is really about is speed and maneuverability. I can't duck powerboats that are going 3x my speed, and trying to may only confuse things. On the other hand, when I'm sailing along at 15 knots I know I have a common sense obligation to avoid sailboats that are going 6 knots. For one thing, I can slow down! For another, I can turn much faster. Finally, even another sailor might have trouble judging my motion, particularly if I am bearing of in the puffs, for example. So I need to keep clear. But others days I'm ghosting like everyone else.

 

[Dave Groshong]

I've always referred to it as the Law of Gross Tonnage.

 

[capta]

I can't stand this thread! People make up their own rules and others cheer? There is only one COLREGS if you want to be safe learn them.

Actually, I am familiar and have worked with TWO sets; the International ColRegs and the US inland ColRegs. There are significant differences between the two. There are also several sets of buoyage systems.
I'm quite sure there are many others for inland waters of other countries.
I wholeheartedly agree with those above who stated that if you are the stand on vessel, then it is your responsibility to do exactly that. Thinwater said it well; predictability! Choosing to do things freestyle can lead to unnecessary confusion and collisions.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

@capta the differences between international and inland don’t affect who has right of way. I recently passed my USCG exam (OUPV 100ton) and while I’d need to use Google to cite chapter and verse, and won’t brag about my score, the minimum passing score is 90 and it’s still pretty fresh in my mind.
Whether inland rules or international, it’s all about clarity and safety. An essential element of laws and “standards” is widespread agreement that we will all behave accordingly, and in the case of navigating there is increased safety when everyone is operating on a shared understanding.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

@capta I just checked your web site. Hats off to you, Captain. It appears that you’re living your dream.

 

[capta]

@capta the differences between international and inland don’t affect who has right of way. I recently passed my USCG exam (OUPV 100ton) and while I’d need to use Google to cite chapter and verse, and won’t brag about my score, the minimum passing score is 90 and it’s still pretty fresh in my mind.
Whether inland rules or international, it’s all about clarity and safety. An essential element of laws and “standards” is widespread agreement that we will all behave accordingly, and in the case of navigating there is increased safety when everyone is operating on a shared understanding.

Actually, there are differences that do indeed affect which vessel is the stand on vessel or has the "right of way", a term no longer used in the international ColRegs.
Congratulations on passing your 100 ton give away USCG multiple choice exam. Thanks for the heads up on the minimum passing score on the USCG test, but I do believe I have some familiarity with the USCG licensing proceedures, as I have held my own give away 200-ton master's certificate (definitely not OUPV), on which I have earned my living for over 35 years.

 

[catalanc]

There was a "story" about a husband quizzing his wife on right of way:

H: "OK, does that boat bearing down on us have right of way or do we?"
W: "They do"
H: "Why do you say that?"
W: "Because I am going to give it to them .. "

when in doubt ....

 

[Will Gilmore]

My interpretation of Warren's original post is that he has a set of personal guidelines, ColRegs or not, that means always pay attention and do everything you can to not get into a situation that might lead to a conflict. Act before one needs to consider a situation of right-of-way. I doubt, and Warren can correct me on this, that he is proposing that everyone, in a situation of potential collusion, give-way without organization.
However, I think the points made about the stand-on vessel acting as the stand-on vessel to avoid ambiguity of movement is an excellent point.
As a 10 year old sailing my pram around Clearwater Bay, I never, in 4 years of going wherever I wanted, had a close call. I attribute that to staying clear from an early assessment of the situation combined with an innate belief that when I changed course, I wanted the other captain to have no doubt about what I was doing. I never adjusted to just cross behind another boat, I aimed to be far behind by the time I crossed his wake. At 10, I had no concept of the ColRegs. All I knew was that you passed port to port and powerboats were suppose to giveway to sailboats. I also knew that was great in theory, but it didn't always work that way, so I tried to cross a powerboat's path only after he was past. A pram has no chance against another boat, period. Same with a hobie 18. There is nothing there to protect you in a collision. You won't get a scratch, a hole or a broken mast, you'll lose a boat and likely a life.

In the mid 80's, early gps navigation, a sextant was still necessary and more accurate, you plotted your course and sailed your heading and tried not to deviate until the channel you were aiming for was in sight.
I was sailing with my father from Ireland to Portugal when the radar showed a strong signal, about ten miles out, on an interceptor course . It was night, of course. We watched the signal and spotted the nav lights. At 5 miles, still on an intercept course.
My father tried three times to hail the ship, describing ourselves as the sailing vessel, 'Absolute'. It was a large freighter out of Italy. This was open ocean, no channels, no restriction to navigation. When the captain finally responded to a request to change his heading, he announced on the radio, "OK, I change course 3 degrees to starboard, NOW!" Almost like he was saying, "Synchronize watches, NOW!"
I don't remember what tack we were on and I don't remember If it was 3 degrees or 4 degrees or 5 degrees. I'm not even sure it was starboard, but the point is, it seemed like a small change, he was maybe 1/2 mile out by the time all this finally happened. The substantive alteration of course in order to make it clear what your intent was, includes the radio. The captain made his intent clear without making more than a few degrees of alteration to his course.
Now I think it's kind of silly to ask the captain of a 500' plus freighter to alter course for a 50' sailboat, but that wasn't my call. We didn't collide, so that was good.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Stu Jackson]

Will's analysis of Warren's intentions are quite well stated.

Perhaps another way to say it would be: Warren positions himself beforehand that there should be NO DOUBT that any chance of collision is imminent or possible.

This is wise.

Please remember, the Colregs we have been discussing in this and the other posts these past few days prescribe the behavior of two vessels who are in a position to have a collision.

Avoiding being in that position in the first place makes a lot of sense.

However, remember, if you DO that, logically, there exists no condition where stand on or give way activities ever become necessary.

This is not a "My Own Colregs," it actually is exactly Colregs.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

When it comes to ROW, the best I ever heard it put: The regs don't actually give anyone any rights, only responsibilities.
--Peggie