ColRegs

[chrisgil]

As a new boater I have tried to get to grips with the ColRegs. However, in practice have been concerned at least once. In one instance we were motoring into Mahon harbour (we are lucky enough to be based there) keeping to starboard side. A big Princess was coming out of harbour on our port side but heading slightly across our path on a collision course. I couldn't move to starboard as there was an island there! The Princess was still on a collision course and I was thinking about turning to port for fear of going aground when he realised and moved to his starboard so all was well in the end. Where would I have stood had I turned to port to avoid going aground and we collided?
Any thoughts, advice and comments appreciated

 

[Dave_Seager]

Turning to port is potentially dangerous as it is likely to put you in the path of the other boat if he takes avoiding action. I would probably be safer to alter speed while staying on the starboard side but it always depends on the circumstances and it is difficult to give specific advice.

Did you consider using your horn? You can give five or more blasts to indicate that his intentions are unclear to you (and to alert him to your presence).

 

[ancientsailor]

Most power-driven vessels with a vessel crossing from starboard will avoid collision by turning to starboard.

http://www.sailskills.co.uk/colregs/sailskills_steer_&_sail_vessels_in_sight_power-driven.html

and the ColRegs state that the stand-on vessel should avoid altering to port if circumstances allow

http://www.sailskills.co.uk/colregs/sailskills_steer_&_sail_vessels_in_sight_stand-on-vessel.html

 

[Doug_Stormforce]

Most power-driven vessels with a vessel crossing from starboard will avoid collision by turning to starboard.........and the ColRegs state that the stand-on vessel should avoid altering to port if circumstances allow....

I dont think this is really relevant as

A They were following a channel/fairway and
B The two craft were head on and
C Neither were the stand on vessel.

 

[hlb]

In realty, most small boats, including trawlers, dont take much notice of Col regs, well until the last second or two anyway, but lets face it, we can stop in a couple of seconds if we have to. Not happened yet.

I once had a time when my mate was at the helm and another boat coming the other way was forcing him into shallow water and rocks. No I did not have time to get the chart and tide times out.

Sharp to port, well in front of the other boat, sorted it out.

Just make your decision early, or stop, there are no white lines on the sea and you have no idea of the idiot coming the other way.

 

[rbcoomer]

Like you I'm new to boating so can't offer years of wisdom, but from what I've seen in 12 months, I'd say that perhaps 10% of water users either have no knowledge of colregs, interpret them very loosely or have decided they're exempt!

There was a long debate on here a few months back on the topic of 'application' of colregs and when they apply (or not), but the best advice I've since found was in Peter White's book "Powerboating". At the back under (in my view a slightly better written version of) 'Rules of the road', Rule 2 - "Responsibility"...

Rules shall not override commonsense. Remember the expression "Rules are made for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools". Responsibility rests with the skipper at all times and in order to be safe he may depart from the rules.

For me that says it all!

Whilst I'd expect another boat to follow the rules I would never assume so. Likewise I'd take any action required to safeguard myself and my crew and if that meant a direct conflict with colregs then so be it (sorry to the purists, but survival instinct prevails). Ideally the situation should never get that close and actions like sounding your horn as mentioned above should be sufficient if done in ample time. Colregs apply where there is a risk (or perceived risk) of collision - by taking action early you remove the risk of collision and thereby the application of colregs. (This is the commonsense bit I think... )

If the choice was between running aground however or a course change to port then I'd take the latter - not however at the last minute, as I believe that would increase the risk of a collision. (Other skipper not looking, realises last minute and makes instinctive course change to starboard...)

Many years ago I encountered similar on the road - two lanes of traffic in opposite directions, both traveling at around 40mph. A Rover car coming towards me veered across the road towards me and with a wall on my left, I swerved right onto the verge on the other side. The Rover hit the wall and the car behind me, whilst I hit nothing but wrecked a tyre on opposite kerb . It transpired that the elderly gentleman driving the Rover suffered a heart attack. Driving on the wrong side of the road was clearly the wrong thing to do, but in doing so I avoided an 80mph impact and gave the vehicles following me/him extra braking distance. Result was no-one killed and perhaps that would have been the outcome of a head on, but would it have been worth the risk? The old boy hit the wall at perhaps 40mph, and then the guy behind me at perhaps 30mph closing speed.

The point is you cannot be sure the other vessel will/can take avoiding action, has seen you etc. Colregs doesn't absolve you from taking action even if in the 'right' for that very reason. If, after attempting to attract attention they don't change course then it is your responsibility to avoid a collision also - even if your only exit is a change of course to port. My view is that's it's better to do so sooner rather than later so as to make your intentions clear (in line with colregs). I also have the view (right or wrong) that my vessel being small/fairly fast is much more capable of getting out of the way and therefore I do so wherever possible - be that utilising shallow water/edge of channel or even using port side eek. Familiarity with the water helps somewhat too. As an example, on the River Dart, there are sections where the channel is quite narrow and is required by quite large pleasure boats/passenger ferries - I move into shallow water out of the way to let these past, whichever side of them that may be. It's no hardship for me and the other skipper can clearly see my intentions.

I don't see any of my actions as contradictory to colregs, it's more a case of interpretation and commonsense as to which rule to apply when. If by taking action other that the 'preferred' course prescribed, you do so early, clearly and in doing so remove the risk of collision then the rules become inapplicable. I think the danger arises when either closing speed is high or visibility impaired - this is when deviation from the prescribed course is ill advised. However, colregs covers this under speed - i.e. if in doubt, slow down!

I'll go and get my flak jacket now...

 

[oceanfroggie]

While COLREGS apply to all vessels they were designed primarily with shipping and fishing fleets in mind. Small leisure vessels are highly manoeuvrable, can stop almost instantly, and turn on a sixpence, so common sense suggests there is lower risk of collision between our toy boats. 'Might is right', a sense of self preservation, and common sense suggest it's easy for small craft to avoid collisions. Humans manage to walk briskly through crowded streets without bumping into each other using grey matter and instinct, don't see the fuss with small vessels.

 

[timbartlett]

...all was well in the end. Where would I have stood had I turned to port to avoid going aground and we collided?

You and the other vessel both stuck to the rules, so there was no collision.

Depending on the details of the situation, any one of at least three rules were telling you not to alter course to port (Rule 9, or 14, or 15). If you had chosen to break whichever of those rules applied and had caused a collision by doing so, there is little doubt that it would have been your fault.

Funnily enough, Rule 2 does not give anyone carte blanche to ignore the rest of the rules! It even says so, in the unpopular and little-quoted first sentence where it says:
2. Nothing in these rules shall exonerate any vessel or the owner, master, or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen or by the special circumstances of the case.

 

[Kawasaki]

hlb, Froggie and rbcoomer have it right
Oh and that Peter White bloke and that Bartlett fella have written rather good tomes about the subject too
Worth a purchase both, if yer see em in a secondhand bookshop somewhere!!!

 

[gjgm]

As a new boater I have tried to get to grips with the ColRegs. However, in practice have been concerned at least once. In one instance we were motoring into Mahon harbour (we are lucky enough to be based there) keeping to starboard side. A big Princess was coming out of harbour on our port side but heading slightly across our path on a collision course. I couldn't move to starboard as there was an island there! The Princess was still on a collision course and I was thinking about turning to port for fear of going aground when he realised and moved to his starboard so all was well in the end. Where would I have stood had I turned to port to avoid going aground and we collided?
Any thoughts, advice and comments appreciated

Ultimately, you both have responsibility to avoid a collision.
Could you have stopped?

 

[mjf]

If in doubt slow down or stop.

 

[DAKA]

If in doubt slow down or stop.

Best advice Ive read, especially when entering a harbour, as many harbours have bylaws which give craft leaving the harbour right of way, they could also be under direction of the HM( Dover port control have directed me the wrong side of navigation marks @ best speed many times) .

seeing as most of us dont bother to read our own harbour bylaws never mind each harbour we visit it makes sense to give boats leaving an easy time especially in a busy harbour as you have to let them out before you can fit in !

 

[jfm]

Tricky, and depends on the detail. He must have been well off the correct course because Mahon isn't narrow (I've been in/out many times - nice place for you to be based)

I do find some boats correct their course and follow colregs very late, so you have to be ready for that. If it got really serious you could have stopped or sped up, or even U turned. Turning to port would be very last-resort and would need to be done early.

Last week I was leaving port and a 29footer approached my port side on a course 90deg to mine. Both of us doing about 5 knots. We carried on for a few seconds and I expected him to follow colregs, but he held course and shouted "Keep out of my way xxxxxx!. I stopped and let him pass in front, knowing that there was no point in a prang (and revenge is better served cold - outside the harbour there were big seas so I smugly overtook him at 20kts while he got tossed around at 12kts). Anyway, point is, as others have said above don't expect others to follow colregs.

 

[chrisgil]

Thanks all. I would have had time to stop so that would have been my best option plus 5 hoots on the horn. As ever, common sense should prevail.