If I am hove to on my yacht with the wind from Starboard to the main where do I stand in terms of my rights and responsibilites under the col regs/racing rules.
If you're windward of anyone on starboard tack you have to keep clear, but if they're on port tack then the "Opposite tacks" rule takes priority and you stand on.
Racing Rules only apply to vessels that are racing. But the preface to Section 2 (if I remember correctly) says that if either vessel is not racing then IRPCS applies. I suspect that a lot of racing skippers don't remember that bit of the IYRU Rules!
A vessel hove-to remains under way (i.e. not made fast to the shore, not at anchor and not aground) so there is no change to IRPCS. If you take a RYA coastal skipper practical course you should be taught to always heave-to on starb'd tack for this very reason. Don't know about racing rules, however.
"Restricted in ability to manoeuvre" means unable to keep out of the way due to the nature of its work e.g. cable layer, flying off or taking on aircraft, engaged in underwater operations, etc.
"Not under command" is unable to keep out of the way due to an unforeseen circumstance, e.g. rudder dropped off, engine failure in a power driven veseel, etc
Neither of these applies to a sailing vessel deliberately hove-to.
The definition of not under command is given in Rule 3(g). In full, it reads:
'The term "vessel not under command" means a vessel which through some exceptional circumstance is unable to manoeuvre as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.'
Being hove-to would not be counted as being an exceptional circumstance, and anyway should not prevent a boat from manoeuvring since it should be possible to come out of the hove-to position. The critical points are:
a) "exceptional circumstance"
b) "unable to manoeuvre as required by the Rules"
c) "unable to keep out of the way of another vessel".
Don't you think that going sailing without at least a working knowledge of all the Colregs is a bit like driving on the motorway without knowing the basics of the Highway Code?
We all do it, and wish we had more sense!
We'll never stop a determined Englishman going to sea. Nor should we try. It's to be hoped that said bufoon will refect on his miserable abilities and through fear or vanity sign up for a course of instruction.
Herein lies the strength of our nation. Colregs come somewhat further down the line, two balls or three.
Surely you are only "not under command" if you are down below or engaged in something which distracts your attention, eg having a meal, sleeping etc. The fact that you are "hove to", just means that you have chosen to stop the boat and as long as you are on deck and alert, then surely the boat is still "under command", even although you are "hove to".
Not sure I follow your 3 balls remark, but ask anybody who has been faced with a huge (and I mean HUGE) fine for not following Colregs what was the next thing they did. Examples of yachtsmen being fined include going the "wrong" way in a Traffic Separation Scheme (I think it was Grant Dalton) through ignorance of Colregs and crossing TSS at anything but at right angles (the late Angus Primrose). Fines were several thousands of pounds, and no excuses.
It won't be long, if Prescott gets his way, before we will all have to have a certificate of some sort to be allowed to put to sea and that will include a working knowledge of Colregs, I guess.
I don't think that eating or sleeping would be recognised as "exceptional circumstances". And anyway, a situation such as you describe would contravene Rule 5:
"Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision."
This all sounds rather academic. Last weekend the Yarmouth-Lymington ferry would have sliced me in two if I hadn't spun around 180deg whilst on a straight run under full genoa. It wasn't that he hadn't seen me.....he made several 'course corrections' he just made them in the wrong direction! At the last moment he piled on full forward revs which would have compounded the problem if I had not taken action. The passengers waved !. suppose I should have reported it.
Are you seriously suggesting that the IOW ferry should have given way to sailing 'pleasure' craft?
Rule 18 (a) (iv) may apply - "steam gives way to sail".
Also, though they may not be "within a narrow channel or fairway" Rule 9b - you were not on the bridge to make this judgement Rule 18 (b)(ii), the Yarmouth/Lymington ferries also have a problem with the tides, which oblige them to manouvre up tide. Forcing them to stop or slow down every time a pedantic yachty stands on, not only affects their schedule, but could force them or another yacht into a difficult position - Rule 8 (a).
Surely it's good manners to not make nuisances of ourselves when commercial traffic is around.