Calling ships when crossing shipping lane?

[Rafiki]

I expect to be crossing Ramsgate to Calais on Monday, clearly very busy shipping lanes. I have AIS receive but not transmit.
I have never in the past attempted to call up any ships to confirm intentions but from comments on here and elsewhere I think others do so.
If that is your modus operandii, do you try and call them using their MMSI number gleaned from their AIS signal? or simply work out which ship is which from their AIS signals and then call on Ch 16.
I must admit that despite being on all the courses etc I've never actually used MMSI and get the impression that it takes some time to enter the number etc; Ch16 is surely quicker.
Also although my AIS info tells me that the Closest point of approach to large ship xxx doing 18knots will be 0.5M It doesn't tell me if that means I will be passing in front or behind it.

Any thoughts - what do you all do?

 

[Biggles Wader]

Unless there is an emergency there should be no need to call up other ships. Just ascertain if a risk od collision is present and act accordingly. I assume you will be crossing the TSS so ship movements are mostly very predictable. A hand bearing compass is good for telling if you will pass ahead or astern of a target if the AIS doesnt.

 

[Charlie Boy]

My experience is that they won’t reply anyway and they are highly unlikely to alter any aspect of their course, speed or direction, for a yacht. If in doubt, loiter and go behind.

 

[GHA]

and they are highly unlikely to alter any aspect of their course, speed or direction, for a yacht. If in doubt, loiter and go behind.

Not quite, lots can and do alter course to miss sailing and other vessels, plenty of ais evidence for that. But typically will have done so a long way away and factored the changes into missing all the other ships you can't see. The MCA would rather everyone stayed off vhf for collision avoidance and stuck to the irpcs--
http://solasv.mcga.gov.uk/m_notice/mgn/mgn324.pdf

 

[LittleSister]

I seem to recall there is advice specifically saying do not use VHF as a substitute for the Colregs, following a number of accidents caused by confusion introduced by VHF conversations. (GHA can type faster, and gives the link above!)

An AIS receiver makes crossing the shipping lanes much less fraught, and there shouldn't usually be any need to call up the ships.

Follow the rules (know them!) and don't faff about - e.g. heading at right angles to the lane; carry radar reflector; maintain constant speed/heading as best you can; make any changes of course/speed required early and obvious (not minor changes); don't impede the shipping; etc.

 

[ryanroberts]

One of those bloody great Maersk jobs called up and gave me a course correction rather than the other way round

 

[ithet]

I've often wondered about making an 'all traffic' information call in such circumstances, with the who, what, where and intentions- similar to when flying outside of controlled space. I.e. "All traffic this is Scatterbrain, 32ft yacht currently 5NM south of Ramsgate on heading 180 to cross TSS to Calais." Possibly adding "No known conflicting traffic identified". Gives any vessels a chance to reply if they spot any issues.

 

[Lucky Duck]

I'd rather you didn't

 

[sailaboutvic]

Ok guys maybe I am out of touch ,your sailing a 25/30/35/40 boat surly you don't call up ships and ask them to move or what's their intention ? Don't you alter course well in advance .
I have never called up a ship and never plain too .

 

[srm]

One of those bloody great Maersk jobs called up and gave me a course correction rather than the other way round

At what range?

If significantly less than five miles he was probably doing you a favour as his options for course correction could still have left a small CPA. A "bloody great Maersk job" does not handle like your boat and has to make even small alterations of course well in advance.

As a general rule merchant vessels will have identified potential close quarters situations at five mile range and made appropriate course corrections by 3 miles range from the 'target'.

Make sure you can be clearly identified by radar and/or AIS at five plus miles if you wish to avoid hairy close quarters situations.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I've often wondered about making an 'all traffic' information call in such circumstances, with the who, what, where and intentions- similar to when flying outside of controlled space. I.e. "All traffic this is Scatterbrain, 32ft yacht currently 5NM south of Ramsgate on heading 180 to cross TSS to Calais." Possibly adding "No known conflicting traffic identified". Gives any vessels a chance to reply if they spot any issues.

Oh dear .

 

[Norman_E]

VHF assisted collisions are not unknown, so its best to rely on following the rules and making sure you cross astern of ships using the TSS lanes.
The only time I have called a ship was when I saw one head on, close inshore and apparantly coming towards me. I did not want to pass between the ship and the coast but would need to tack if I was to pass more than about a cable or so outside. I called "Ship in position....." to ask intentions, and discovered they had broken down and anchored. As I got closer I saw the chain and the anchor ball being hauled up!

 

[prv]

Ok guys maybe I am out of touch ,your sailing a 25/30/35/40 boat surly you don't call up ships and ask them to move or what's their intention ?

I don't, but I hear a fair number of others doing so.

I think there's a place for it on rare occasions, but needing to do so probably suggests that you've already screwed up a bit.

Don't you alter course well in advance .

Not if I'm required to stand on. WAFIs jinking all over the place are an inconvenience rather than a courtesy.

Pete

 

[john_morris_uk]

My experience is that they won’t reply anyway and they are highly unlikely to alter any aspect of their course, speed or direction, for a yacht. If in doubt, loiter and go behind.

Wrong. Ships will invariably comply with IRPCS and are not in the habit of running yachts down. They do expect you to comply as well though.

I've often wondered about making an 'all traffic' information call in such circumstances, with the who, what, where and intentions- similar to when flying outside of controlled space. I.e. "All traffic this is Scatterbrain, 32ft yacht currently 5NM south of Ramsgate on heading 180 to cross TSS to Calais." Possibly adding "No known conflicting traffic identified". Gives any vessels a chance to reply if they spot any issues.

Please don't. Imagine if all of us did that as we crossed the channel.. It would be VERY confusing.

 

[john_morris_uk]

In a fair few years of sailing, I've only ever called a couple of ships up.

The last occasion was when I was motor sailing north across the channel and my motor sailing cone (don't laugh - I do put it up sometimes) was obscured by the Genoa. The ship coming from from my starboard side would have been give way if I was sailing, but because I was motoring he was stand on. I called him and explained that he couldn't tell that I was motoring and was turning to starboard to pass behind him. The Dutch Captain very politely thanked me for my consideration as he was just about to alter course for me as a sailing vessel.

 

[ashtead]

I always find such calls between a yacht and cargo vessel by others a good way of maintaining concentration during a channel crossing but have never been tempted to join in so far as if I see a large Mearsk or whatever trundling along at say15 knots it doesn’t seem to hard with ais to work out how to cross him astern . . The bigger issue to my mind are small fishing boats and unmarked pots which don’t show up and yachts on auto with crew below not transmitting on ais or the speed boat or condor approaching from astern. Just give the big boys a wide berth or as in the Solent scuttle into shallow water or hide by a fort etc

 

[Plum]

I've often wondered about making an 'all traffic' information call in such circumstances, with the who, what, where and intentions- similar to when flying outside of controlled space. I.e. "All traffic this is Scatterbrain, 32ft yacht currently 5NM south of Ramsgate on heading 180 to cross TSS to Calais." Possibly adding "No known conflicting traffic identified". Gives any vessels a chance to reply if they spot any issues.

I don't think that is a good idea.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[wizard]

If you have AIS the trick is to monitor the approaching ships carefully, especially there heading. If you notice a 1 or 2 degree change in all probability they have seen you and are taking early action - thus requiring only 1 or 2 degrees.

If unsure about them do the right thing and make your action early and obvious.

Simples.

 

[Charlie Boy]

My experience is that they won’t reply anyway and they are highly unlikely to alter any aspect of their course, speed or direction, for a yacht. If in doubt, loiter and go behind.

Wrong. Ships will invariably comply with IRPCS and are not in the habit of running yachts down. They do expect you to comply as well though.
Please don't. Imagine if all of us did that as we crossed the channel.. It would be VERY confusing.

John, I would not normally contemplate disagreeing with you but in the circumstances you might note that I say “in my experience”. As that is my experience then my statement is hard to argue with.
Also, ”if in doubt”; if you were in doubt about your vessels ability to cross cleanly in front of a vessel constrained by draft, would you charge ahead? Or loiter a while? Caution has kept my family alive so far, I won’t be changing that!

 

[jbweston]

Best just to follow the ColRegs.

I'd call only if I were not under command and thought a close quarters situation was looking likely to develop.