When right-of-way goes wrong

[Captain Andrew]

Right of Way

Folks,The only time a vessel has "Right of Way" is when the vessel is proceeding down-bound with a following current on waters designated by the "Secretary" of the Coast Guard.

 

[Ross]

When I lived in the high desert country the vehicle

coming down grade was the give way vehicle because it is safer to back up hill than to back down hill. I should think that in any situation that action the involves the least risk to all parties is the prefered action. A vessel moving up current can slow to the point of holding position while the vessel moving with the current can not slow to hold position.

 

[Ross]

When I lived in the high desert country the vehicle

coming down grade was the give way vehicle because it is safer to back up hill than to back down hill. I should think that in any situation that action the involves the least risk to all parties is the prefered action. A vessel moving up current can slow to the point of holding position while the vessel moving with the current can not slow to hold position.

 

[Maine Sail]

Captain Andrew..

Captain,Your point was made quite clearly in post #28 but no one cared. The term right of way is the WRONG term and new sailors, to this forum and boating, should not be learning incorrect terminology IMHO. I meet far to many sailors that really think there is such a thing as "right of way" and it scares the sh&t out of me how many are this clueless about the COLREGS.I feel we should be setting a better example on these forums and we seem to just bury our heads in the sand and accept the term "right of way"..

 

[Maine Sail]

Captain Andrew..

Captain,Your point was made quite clearly in post #28 but no one cared. The term right of way is the WRONG term and new sailors, to this forum and boating, should not be learning incorrect terminology IMHO. I meet far to many sailors that really think there is such a thing as "right of way" and it scares the sh&t out of me how many are this clueless about the COLREGS.I feel we should be setting a better example on these forums and we seem to just bury our heads in the sand and accept the term "right of way"..

 

[Rich (P303)]

Coast Guard

I took a couple of Coast Guard Aux. courses in Seamanship and Navigation. The Seamanship course showed a movie with boats on the water. Where ever that was shot, about 15 or 20 years ago... There is no way in hell I would ever try to manuever in those waters. It looked like something out of a Rodney Dangerfield movie!Not too much traffic here in Maine. You do have enough time to crack a book open to see what is what if in doubt. If in doubt... stand down... what the heck is the hurry.

 

[Rich (P303)]

Coast Guard

I took a couple of Coast Guard Aux. courses in Seamanship and Navigation. The Seamanship course showed a movie with boats on the water. Where ever that was shot, about 15 or 20 years ago... There is no way in hell I would ever try to manuever in those waters. It looked like something out of a Rodney Dangerfield movie!Not too much traffic here in Maine. You do have enough time to crack a book open to see what is what if in doubt. If in doubt... stand down... what the heck is the hurry.

 

[sailaway78]

Racing aside

I'm quite sure that racing has it's own interpretation of any and all rules concerning stand on/give way, right of way or whatever. As someone else asked the question about crossing in front, then turning a 90 and becoming stand on. That may be an acceptable racing practice. For the rest of us, I learned a very valuable lesson from TonyB when taking his boat home a while back. Just aim for the stern of the crossing vessel, and your safe. Don't matter whos stand on. If you hit another vessel, you loose.

 

[sailaway78]

Racing aside

I'm quite sure that racing has it's own interpretation of any and all rules concerning stand on/give way, right of way or whatever. As someone else asked the question about crossing in front, then turning a 90 and becoming stand on. That may be an acceptable racing practice. For the rest of us, I learned a very valuable lesson from TonyB when taking his boat home a while back. Just aim for the stern of the crossing vessel, and your safe. Don't matter whos stand on. If you hit another vessel, you loose.