Oars or sails right of way?

[Matador]

We have a new and keen rowing section in our club and there has been some liveley discussions in the bar about who has the right of way, a vessel under sail or a gig/flashboat/skiff propelled by oars? Being a sailor I reckon they're under power and should give way. They tend to disagree,of course. What do people reckon? Cheers.

 

[macd]

The Colregs don't mention vessels under oars at all in the sections dealing with give way/stand on status. The only reference is Rule 25 d (ii) A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed in this rule for sailing vessels, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.
This suggest that at night, at least, a rowing boat has the same status as a vessel under sail if lights are shown...and perhaps by implication that they enjoy similar status by day.


This thread from five years ago addressed the same question (and no doubt arrived at the same conclusion this one will ): http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?172731-ColRegs-Vessels-under-oars
If nothing else, it throws up a few local bye-laws on the subject. Maybe there are some in your neck of the woods?

 

[Seajet]

Not sure about the colregs to be honest, but as the gig/ skiff is harder to manouvre - and a great sight to see, there are some around my club too - I'd give way and keep clear as a simple courtesy.

 

[onesea]

We have a new and keen rowing section in our club and there has been some liveley discussions in the bar about who has the right of way, a vessel under sail or a gig/flashboat/skiff propelled by oars? Being a sailor I reckon they're under power and should give way. They tend to disagree,of course. What do people reckon? Cheers, Chris W.

Sounds daft but depends on how much wind there is? Light winds I would expect the oars to move as it has power. Once the wind is up I would leave them safe passage...

 

[jwilson]

Sailed once in a club which had a club rule (no local bye-law) that said rowers had right of way over sailing yachts. Some of them got cross if a bunch of becalmed racing sailing boats did not move out of their way. Usually though sense prevailed.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Q why do 'rowers' face away from where they are going??

is it because they asume a 'right of way'??

A sailing boat might just require more 'water'or enough 'wind' etc to manouver effectivily, wheras a 'gig' etc will float on practically no water! and (unless racing) can alter course /stop quickly by comparison!

on certain 'inland' rivers that i've sailed on, the/ our Mobo / Yacht club asked members to give way to the local 'rowing club' as usually the 'rowers' were in training or competition when on the river.

re the Nav lights stated above - doubt that it gives Sail / Oar any preference in Standing On / Altering course etc only recognition at night as to there size / propulshion method /restrictions etc for the Motor Boats / Ships in the vicinity!

 

[Scillypete]

Simple, a vessel being rowed is under power and should give way to sail, unless of course they happen to be fishing and showing the right shapes/lights

 

[Neil_Y]

I also give way to gigs, the thought of a very heavy boat with a pointy bow and seven angry rowers may contribute more than colregs.

I can usually turn much quicker than they can. But I think somewhere in my distant colregs past oars should give way to sail.

 

[prv]

Q why do 'rowers' face away from where they are going??

Because it's easier to pull than to push.

is it because they asume a 'right of way'??

No.

Pete

 

[sailorgirl]

We used to race dinghies on the Thames in a stretch popular with rowers. In a regatta upstream of Hampton Court one of our friends sliced the front 30 cm or so off a boat (an eight?) that decided to row through through the race fleet just after the start on a very windy day. The insurance companies found in favour of the sailing dinghy. The rowing boat didn't sink which we were all amazed at.

 

[prv]

Simple, a vessel being rowed is under power and should give way to sail

Except it's not under power (or, strictly speaking, "propelled by machinery").

Last time this came up, someone asked the RYA for their view. Their pet lawyer wrote back to say that the Colregs simply don't cover it. Surprising for such an otherwise ingeniously-comprehensive set of rules, and not very satisfactory, but that's the situation.

The rowing coach in his motorised dinghy who deliberately positioned himself in front of me as I was trying to tack out the river was definitely in the wrong though

Pete

 

[Lakesailor]

May I be the first to mention Right of Way/Stand On.


Doesn't bother me but it gives me the chance to be first.

 

[Blueboatman]

Well if I were in a rowing boat I would probably keep out of the way of a racing smack with everything up and an 18 foot bowsprit kissing the water at speed....
Actually gigs perhaps cannot turn as adroitly as a large ruddered sailing vessel. Common sense?

 

[michael_w]

The Port of London Authority considers RoBos to be power driven vessels. I used to race dinghies on the tidal Thames and we had constant aggro from the numpties who can't look where they're going.

On one memorable occasion a coxed four managed to impale an Enterprise straight through the transom flap. The Enerprise swung round on the tide and neatly snapped the bows off the four.

 

[Romeo]

I advise rowers in my club to behave as if they were a powered vessel and give way to sail. I advise sailors in my other club, that rowers may be constrained in their ability to manouvre and should be treated as such. Three years of happy co-existance without any collision or cross words. Touch wood that continues.

 

[nortada]

Sounds daft but depends on how much wind there is? Light winds I would expect the oars to move as it has power. Once the wind is up I would leave them safe passage...

No, sounds like common sense!

 

[Salty John]

According to the 'Boat owner's highway code', a joint publication of the RYA and PBO, 'oars usually give way to sail'. So that's clear then.

 

[Bilgediver]

We have a new and keen rowing section in our club and there has been some liveley discussions in the bar about who has the right of way, a vessel under sail or a gig/flashboat/skiff propelled by oars? Being a sailor I reckon they're under power and should give way. They tend to disagree,of course. What do people reckon? Cheers, Chris W.

This is a good one and Google searches are not much use as even various local councils cannot agree and make up conflicting bylaws with
some saying yachts the give way vessel and some say oar propelled the give way vessel on their parks. Searching clubs is predictable with sailing clubs saying
oar propelled are give way and rowing clubs saying yachts are giveway vessel. The Rules for Rowing Clubs in one city in Scotland even instructs rowing boats to keep left at all times on their river?????? Just adds to the confusion when the rowers meet interlopers who have not heard of these rules. Yep most unclear

I read this as one other poster in that as far as the colregs go they share equal status however no matter where you sail or row you can be assured that
no one else will agree.

 

[Evadne]

May I be the first to mention Right of Way/Stand On.


Doesn't bother me but it gives me the chance to be first.

I always take Rule 2(a) to mean "Use your common sense and try and avoid hitting things, whether it's your fault or no."
Works for me...

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I always take Rule 2(a) to mean "Use your common sense and try and avoid hitting things, whether it's your fault or no."
Works for me...

+1

Having had a foot in both rowing and sailing camps, I'm not surprised at the amount of controversy the 'give way' - with common sense principle, still generates.

S.