jfm
Well-known member
Colregs question please. Context is narrow channels (eg Hamble), good viz, vessels in sight of each other, no overtaking going on, close quarters risk of collision between a yacht under sail not motor (say a dinghy, or a 10-15m sailing vessel) and a powerboat of 30m. I'm asking here on s'butt mainly to get input from cruising sailors and dinghy sailors/racers.
You then have the what-to-do rules:
FWIW, nothing in Hamble bye laws is relevant here - Colregs are not meaningfully altered by those bye laws.
I think it's clear from the above that Rule 9 trumps Rule 18 in these circumstances. Then what? Is it correct that the sailing vessel in my scenario is the give way vessel by virtue of 9b? Do sailors in general know/think/agree that? If navigating along the Hamble and there is a group of sailing dinghies, do they generally think are give way? I don't ever remember being taught that as a dinghy sailing/racing kid/teenager. Or is there some other interpretation or rule that I'm missing, that makes the motor boat the give way vessel?
Colregs are (imho, often stated in here on ybw) very imperfectly drafted, which is partly why I ask people's views on this
- Colregs 18 contains what we often call the "power gives way to sail" rule which is: "Except where Rule... 9 ... otherwise require[s ] (a) A power-driven vessel underway shall keep out of the way of: ... (iv) a sailing vessel."
- Colregs 9b, which if applicable takes priority over rule 18, says "(b) A vessel of less than 20 metres in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway"
- Colregs 9d says "(d) A vessel shall not cross a narrow channel or fairway if such crossing impedes the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within such channel or fairway."
- Colregs 8(f)(i) defines the shall-not-impede concept like this: "A vessel which, by any of these Rules, is required not to impede the passage ... of another vessel shall, when required by the circumstances of the case, take early action to allow sufficient sea room for the safe passage of the other vessel."
You then have the what-to-do rules:
- Colregs 16. Action by give way vessel. 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
- Colregs 17. Action by stand on vessel. (a)(i) Where one of two vessels is to keep out of the way the other shall keep her course and speed.
FWIW, nothing in Hamble bye laws is relevant here - Colregs are not meaningfully altered by those bye laws.
I think it's clear from the above that Rule 9 trumps Rule 18 in these circumstances. Then what? Is it correct that the sailing vessel in my scenario is the give way vessel by virtue of 9b? Do sailors in general know/think/agree that? If navigating along the Hamble and there is a group of sailing dinghies, do they generally think are give way? I don't ever remember being taught that as a dinghy sailing/racing kid/teenager. Or is there some other interpretation or rule that I'm missing, that makes the motor boat the give way vessel?
Colregs are (imho, often stated in here on ybw) very imperfectly drafted, which is partly why I ask people's views on this