Rules of road

[Quoddy]

I was on starboard tack with our H260 in no particular hurry. A small sailboat off the port bow on port tack is on a collision course for 5 minutes or more. As he get closer I see the boat is a sailfish type and all I can see of the captain is his legs, he clearly can’t easily see me without making a effort. I believe I have the right of way under two circumstances, I am on his right and I am on starboard tack. I wait and he makes no course change. I finally fall off a bit and pass behind him. He appears to be unconcerned with me so close to him.
In retrospect I think I may have done the wrong thing, as a turn by both of us at that moment would have made things worse and that’s why the vessel with the right should maintain its course and speed and let the other vessel figure it out. But you have to take evasive action if a collision is immanent. This is kind of like the tanker verses the sailboat only on a smaller less disastrous scale. Maybe I should have just let him be the fly on the windshield, but I don’t tend to think that way.
What would you have done?

 

[alexco38]

You've done the right thing. ColReg (Collison Regulation) still hold you responsible even you are right. Keep a horn handy. May be he just see you or inexperience.

There are so many idiots

 

[Liam]

All vessels should take action in a timely manor to avoid collision.
Yelling "starboard" and then running into someone is poor seamanship.

If you are watching a vessel on constant bearing and the range is decreasing, change course so that it is no longer the condition.

It is impossible for another boat to "sneak up on you" or in any way surprise you if you are keeping watch.

The Coast Guard refers to this as "situational awareness". Any vessel involved in collision has lacked situational awareness. Any vessel that lacks situational awareness is at fault.

 

[Todd Smith]

You should have gotten his attention. Before you get too close. Call out to him or use an air horn. If he sees you and does not react, then you have to maneuver to avoid him, like you did.

 

[Don12364]

We usually hail "STARBOARD"
Other sailors understand this as a wake up call and don't take offence as they might otherwise do if you sound your horn.
Of course if they still do not respond then five rapid hoots is appropriate.

 

[Warren Milberg]

In your situation, I'd let go with 5 blasts of my air horn in enough time to take safe evasive action if that danger signal was ignored. The worst of all situations is waiting too long, in the hope the other vessel will "do the right thing," and reduce your options once the vessels get too close.

I always assume that other boaters do not understand, or will not comply, with the Rules of the Road. As such, I always take evasive action early, even when I'm the stand on vessel. This "Rule" of mine has never failed me.

 

[Winkfish]

You did the right thing. You being on his right, as a crossing situation is irrelevant as the crossing rule ONLY applies to 2 powerboats. You had the right of way as the starboard tack boat. While yelling "starboard" may have alerted the other boat causing him to change course, that is not a part of the rules. You absolutely did the right thing.

 

[OldCat]

Hailing Starboard

Sailors usually hail "STARBOARD"
Other sailors understand this.

Voice has limited range - an air horn or something louder than a voice should be used, even a whistle, IMHO, is inadequate, and a horn should be required. While you think that other sailors *should* understand "starboard", the guy could have been an uneducated noob. Generally, the OP was right to take their own action to avoid ramming the small boat.

The other sailor could have been deaf (literally).

Given the OP's description, maybe a larger or earlier course change could have been considered.

When it appears that the other guy is not doing the right thing, go with a big course change well away from a collision course and 5 blasts of the horn...

OC
tich tor ang tesmur

 

[BarryL]

Hello,

I believe that you did the right thing. First you observed the other boat in a timely manner and monitored the situation. As the stand on vessel you held your course. When you realized that the other vessel was not changing course you changed heading to pass safely.

My only question is what took you so long? By your own admission you were not in any hurry. You also observed that the other skipper was not paying attention. If I were in your situation, I would have immediately changed my course to pass behind the other vessel. Situation resolved.

Now, if you were indeed headed in a particular direction, or had a reason to stay on your course (other vessels, nav aids, shoals, obstacles, etc.) that's another story.

If I am out for a casual day sail, and I see a boat on a collision course, if I can't see that the other skipped is aware I am there, I will just make a minor course change and leave it well enough along. If I am cruising somewhere I will maintain course and speed and continue to monitor the situation, being prepared to make a big course change later. I may send 5 blasts or try hailing the other vessel by voice. Note that I have never had to do that (fortunately there is lots of water in my home port.

Good luck,
Barry

 

[jibes138]

The best example of communications I observed was near the south channel into the chesapeake bay just west of the bridge tunnel. A Navy destroyer was coming into port and a power boat was screaming down the channel right towards them. The captain blew five blasts, still coming. Next step was to man the 50 caliber on the bow and prepare to blow him out of the water. 5 more blasts he was still coming, but now with a 50 cal trained on him. Finally the captain of the destroyer used a very high powered amplifier to talk to the boat and warn them they were about to be "destroyed" and to immediately reduce speed and change bearing. The power boat very rapidly reduced speed.

In this case 5 blasts on an air horn would be appropriate but early enough to leave time for evasive action. If no response maybe we should all keep a megaphone on hand to warn the other boat?

I have a good friend who makes cannons you can mount on your bow and this will definitely get the attention of the non-compliant boater.

 

[Stu Jackson]

You did the right thing. You being on his right, as a crossing situation is irrelevant as the crossing rule ONLY applies to 2 powerboats.

Uhmm, they're the same thing. Think about it...

 

[Winkfish]

Uhmm, they're the same thing. Think about it...

In this situation they were the same thing, but if the wind had been coming off Qoddy's port side, so he's on port tack, and the other boat was approaching on his port bow, on starboard tack, Quoddy would still be on the other boat's right, but the other boat would be on starboard tack and so would be the stand-on boat. The crossing rule is not what you look to unless there are 2 power driven boats. It's right there at the very beginning of the rule.

Quoddy was the stand on boat, not because he was on the other boat's right side, but because he was on starboard tack and the other boat was on port tack.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Two boats both going upwind. One on starboard, one on port tack.

EVERY time the starboard boat would be on the right of the port tacking boat. Period.

There is a certain consistency in the rules, isn't there?

 

[Winkfish]

EVERY time the starboard boat would be on the right of the port tacking boat. Period.

No. Go back to my example above. If Quoddy is heading north, the other boat, off Quoddy's port bow, is heading east, and the wind is coming from the southwest, Quoddy would be on port tack, the other boat would be on starboard tack, and Quoddy's boat is to the right of the other boat. Quoddy has to give way.

The crossing rule, Rule 15(a), only applies to 2 power driven vessels.

Here is a link to the actual rules in the United States Code. The rules clearly delineate when they apply to power driven boats, when they apply to sail driven boats, and when they apply to both.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/33/usc_sup_01_33_10_34_20_I_30_B.html

 

[Richard19068]

"EVERY time the starboard boat would be on the right of the port tacking boat. Period."


Not if you are going down wind.

 

[Ross]

Rule number one: Don't presume that the other guy knows or cares about the rules.

 

[Winkfish]

Rule number one: Don't presume that the other guy knows or cares about the rules.

Absolutely!!!

 

[Stu Jackson]

"EVERY time the starboard boat would be on the right of the port tacking boat. Period."


Not if you are going down wind.

No kidding. I did underline upwind in that post, Luck #13. Thanks for noting it.

 

[rgscpat]

agree on horns

Sounding the danger warning is the one thing I agree the OP should have done; it might have contributed to the education of the rule-breaking skipper and lessened the chance of him putting himself in grave danger in the future.

 

[dscribner]

Quoddy,

Here in Maine any intellectually challenged individual can jump on a lump of styrofoam and head out with no training. Try dodging boats in Casco Bay sometime. This will be changing shortly. If I understand the situation he was the stand-on vessel. Notice, I didn't say that he had "right-of-way". Nobody does. In a collision, percentage of fault is assigned so had you struck this fellow, it might have been 75% your fault and 25% his. Simple rule, assume the other fellow is as blind as you had wish your second grade teacher was during the chaulk incident of '73 and as bright as those guys you read about on the Darwin Awards. Give courtesy more often that take it. You're there to sail, not get someplace fast. Truthfully, I did get "certified" thru the USCGA and I still have to stop and say, "Now, that's the right side so I'm on a port tack. Port has four letters like "give" as in "give way" so I guess he's the stand on vessel" Now, let's factor in the coefficient of size . . .

Fair Wind!


Don,

Saco/OOB