SeaTalks about Rules of the Nautical Road

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Posted 2017, Aug 26 18:29
The sail boat (in this situation, a power vessel) should avoid passing in front of the power boat, right? Shouldn't it turn hard to starboard? Regarding explanation and image on "12- Rule 15: Crossing Situations"
Posted 2018, Apr 16 01:19
Red over Green, vsl is sailing White over Red, pilot ahead Red over White, fishing at night Green over White, trawling at night Red over Red over Red, vsl is dead I learned these way back in the early 80s...still sticks. r/ Mike
Posted 2018, Nov 10 15:38
I know a number of places where ferries behave as if they could not alter their courses and they Stand On no matter what. I think they base this on the fact that they are like trams or trains, their designated courses are mapped on the chart and they can not deviate. Similarly, some passanger boats in general tend to do the same, claiming that because they have an official schedule, they can not afford altering their course or speed. Some examples are hydrofoil passanger boats in Italy, Jadrolinija boats in Croatia, ferries on the Balaton lake in Hungary. Of course in practice you know this and you do what you must avoid them, but I would be interested how COLREG should really be interpreted in this case.
Posted 2019, Jan 04 19:47
both boats are on port tack and the boat at the top of the picture is windward and therefore has to give way. The question is what action should it take. I put tack which would turn the boat away from the other boat. The answer stated that I should gybe which is a more dangerous maneuver than tacking and would involve turning towards the other boat. How is this the correct answer?
Posted 2019, Jul 06 17:39
A vessel that has good reason to be avoided must let other boats know. For example a tug boat with barges may consider itself able to maneuver and change course to avoid a sailboat. Then be very upset if the sailboat thinks it must give way and does not hold course. At night exceptional vessels have colored light signals and daytime various shaped things that signify their ability to maneuver. The Christmas Tree Rule: if you see unusual colored lights at night or ornaments in daytime they are exceptional. Call them on the radio if there is any question of how to avoid them.
Posted 2020, Jan 05 13:35
Just in case anyone else, like me, doesn't immediately know what this means: "Astern propulsion (as applied to a ship) is a maneuver in which a ship's propelling mechanism is used to develop thrust in a retrograde direction. ... The equivalent concept for an airplane is reverse thrust. In a sailing ship astern propulsion can be achieved by the appropriate manipulation of the sails." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astern_propulsion
Posted 2020, Jan 23 10:15
In some European canals, it is against the law and a fineable offense to sail or motor on the "wrong" side of the canal, even if there is no approaching or following traffic.
Posted 2020, Jun 13 04:17
I assume a boat at anchor qualifies as "not under command"? The reason I ask is because when I did the free course, I had a mistake whereby a boat "adrift" apparently did NOT qualify as "not under command". This surprised me, because when I hear "adrift", I think that either the boat got loose and has no crew or something is wrong (like rudder missing). So I don't understand why that boat would be give-way under the rules.
Posted 2020, Jun 20 15:03
To me it is easier to remember vessel on the right (starboard) has the right in a power crossing situation than “Is there any RED PORT LEFT?”
Posted 2020, Sep 02 21:43
Do you have to be under power in a narrow channel or can you be under sail?
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