Obviously I would have passed safely ahead had I pressed on . .

[ QUOTE ]

Try telling that to the skippers of some container ships on a tight schedule!

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, try telling it to the shipping company ashore and the agents ashore and the half a dozen other people who will be screaming down the satphone if the ship misses her berth(s) and is late into harbour(s)*




*This poster does not condone speading in fog /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Agreed - sailed with one skipper who slowed down in fog.... was pretty quickly demoted from container ships to general cargo up the Amazon or somewhere.
 
Thanks for that,

I have been reading this with interest, and a bit of frustration.

The rule's are the rules, are the rules, however common sense intervenes, and thus we have rule 8.

The interpretation of the rights and wrongs have been discussed in a manner which could lead to court action.

"If in doubt, come about!"

But hey that's me, Mr Compromise!

Safe trips to you all! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Al
 
[ QUOTE ]
To go back to the original letter-writer's quote, I now spot another ambiguity: "the ship gave a long blast on his hooter". The Colregs, of course (doesn't everyone know them off by heart) define the term "short blast" as a blast of about one second's duration, and the term "prolonged blast" as a blast from four to six seconds' duration . . . .


[/ QUOTE ]

You should finish the thought Mark - a long (or prolonged) blast does not indicate a turn to starboard.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, are you saying that you think that colregs state that sail is not the stand-on vessel in poor visibility?

Where do colregs say that?

[/ QUOTE ]

"Stand on" and "give way" vessels are described in paras 16 and 17, which come under Section II - Conduct of vessels in sight of one another. In restricted visibility Section III comes into play; it has only one rule (19) which makes no reference to "give way or stand on".

I believe that the instruction books issued with yacht radar should reproduce and emphasise Rule 19, since far too many people share your belief.

PS Comes of not realising that there was another page. But I still think the last paragraph is right.
 
[ QUOTE ]
a long (or prolonged) blast does not indicate a turn to starboard.


[/ QUOTE ]

Here on the Medway it tends to mean "I'm here - I'm coming - please move out of the way".

If the "offending" vessel continues to hold course then it's often followed up by 5 very quick short blasts - if the situation still doesn't seem to be resolving itself I've even heard 7-9 very very quick blasts - by that time the offending vessel has normally got the drift and gets out of the way /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Peter.
 
I cant recall what 1 long blast means..... unless it's foggy

IIRC 5 or more short blasts means "wake up", so 1 long blast cant mean the same, or can it?

Here we are:

http://www.sailtrain.co.uk/Irpcs/index.htm

Rule 34 d) When vessels in sight of one another are approaching each other and from any cause either vessel either vessel fails to understand the intentions or actions of the other, or is in doubt whether sufficient action is being taken by the other to avoid collision, the vessel in doubt shall immediately indicate such doubt by giving at least five short and rapid blasts on the whistle. Such signals may be supplemented by a light signal of at least five short and rapid flashes.

Rule 34 e) A vessel nearing a bend or an area of the channel of fairway where other vessels may be obscured by an intervening obstruction shall sound one prolonged blast. Such signal shall be answered with a prolonged blast by any approaching vessel that may be within hearing around the bend or behind the intervening obstruction.

Rule 35 In or near an area of restricted visibility, whether by day or night, the signals prescribed in this Rule shall be used as follows:

(a) A power-driven vessel making way through the water shall sound at intervals of not more than 2 minutes one prolonged blast.

Rule 36 Signals to attract attention.

If necessary to attract the attention of another vessel any vessel may make light or sound signals that cannot be mistaken for any signal authorised elsewhere in these Rules, or may direct the beam of her searchlight in the direction of the danger, in such a way as not to embarrass any vessel. Any light to attract the attention of another vessel shall be such that it cannot be mistaken for any aid to navigation. For the purpose of this Rule the use of high intensity intermittent or revolving lights, such as strobe lights, shall be avoided.
 
when you are racing in Solent and a container ship gives one long blast, you are in no doubt of their intention, believe me, and we gybed round the back, just as we were overhauling the first 2 boats. and it really hurt believe me
 
[ QUOTE ]
. . . the skipper of a Rustler 42 crossing the Channel equipped with an AIS receiver

[/ QUOTE ]


I am late on parade after a long drive back from the west of Wales.

1) A LONG blast does not mean altering course to Starboard. It means Get the FK out the way!!!!

2) The leasure craft goon was probably drawing only 4 feet and the commercial ship drawing 32 feet in a tight channel on a springtide ebb with very little room to manouver.

Sounds to me that this is the type of person who 'knows' the ColRegs and can quote them verbatum. Or the type of person who rides a 100cc motorbike on the motorway and will overtake a slower car in lane two by moving right out to lane three on his scooter because he knows not to overtake on the inside.

I also have spent many hours watchkeeping day and night under the white and laterly under a red ensign and nothin BUT nothing is more worrying to the watchkeeping personel that a small yatch or motorboat crossing busy sea lanes what ever the weather or right of way.

I am with Al_Jones all the way on this one.
 
I know what it means... I used to do it. Given some of the posts, (Freestyle & Cruiserb), I merely thought it would be useful to get the words from the horses mouth.

If it's not foggy, and there is no bend or obstruction restricting the view, I guess 1 long blast cant be confused with anything else, so means what it sounds like it means... although some may confuse it with a short blast?
 
[ QUOTE ]
You should finish the thought Mark - a long (or prolonged) blast does not indicate a turn to starboard.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, but I defer to the other contributors to this thread as to what it does mean. I am a firm disciple of the Al Jones school, and do my best to minimize encounters that oblige commercial vessels to take avoiding action.

When I started messing around in boats I was blissfully unaware of the Colregs, but one encounter forty years ago left me in no doubt what 5 short blasts meant. I had launched my Cadet at Moody's yard at Swanwick Shore, sailed down the Hamble in a nice steady northerly, and set the spinnaker for a crossing to Cowes. It was a fine summer's day and the only other vessels to be seen seemed to be miles away. However, I approached West Bramble, this monster could be seen approaching from the East:
SS_France_Hong_Kong_74.jpg


It was the SS France, which for 40 odd years was, at 316 metres, the longest passenger ship ever built. I was on a starboard tack, but if I figured that a little bit of "sailing by the lee" would take me astern of her. She was, of course, about to turn at West Bramble. No-one had told me what five short blast meant, but I did what would have been the neatest jibe of my life if I hadn't dropped the spinnaker pole overboard in the process. I'm still not sure which felt worse - being such a total plonker in failing to appreciate that if a large vessel enters the Solent, it is surely intending to proceed up Southampton Water; or having to leave behind my precious spinnaker pole.

There was some consolation. The northerly increased in strength to 4-5 and pinned me in Cowes for 2 days, which meant I had to stay with the charming young lady I had intended merely to drop in on. (Beat that, if you can, a sentence ended with two prepositions.)

The SS France later became the SS Norway and the vandals fitted a couple of extra decks, so perhaps it's not so sad that she has been beached of Gujarat for breaking up.

Mark
 
I can't see why a merchantman would use 1 long blast in place of 5 short - which is the de facto "get the fk out of the way" signal.
Whilst pondering all the foregoing thoughts, how about adding this: if there is no rule 18 distinction between vessels in restricted vis, then why is there a different signal for "hampered" vessels (see rule 35)?
 
Mark

Here are some pictures that I have taken, mostly in the Solent, that I now use as training aids. Open discussions while at anchor, help to outline colregs. There's a few!!

MayDay071.jpg


MayDay057.jpg


MayDay055.jpg


yachtprep018.jpg


MayDay022.jpg


tmb_Achilles2.jpg


AEN-0832.jpg


MayDay061.jpg


HappyDaysPrincessV42.jpg


When you push your luck!!!

Image027.jpg


They pinch your boat!!!
Image031.jpg


Al.

PS. Has anyone heard of six short blasts?

Taught and used in the Royal Navy, and those who are/were in the Andrew, please sit back and see if anyone else knows first.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Has anyone heard of six short blasts?

Taught and used in the Royal Navy, and those who are/were in the Andrew, please sit back and see if anyone else knows first.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure about the Andrew, but Harwich Harbour Byelaws specify 6 short blasts as meaning "I have run aground". Apparently it is intended as an immediate warning, quicker than getting out three balls, as well as being more noticeable.
 
Six short blasts are used for an 'Emergency Breakaway' during a RAS. (A replenishment at sea).

Once used for me when I fell off the front of a ship during a RAS, North East of the Faroes (sp?) Gap during a cold winter exercise!!! That hurt, Lots!!!!!!!!!!! 17 mins in the Ogin!!!
 
You were bl00dy lucky! What were you doing (on the fore-deck). It gets a bit rough between ships during RAS!!!

During RAS, I fired the Costain Gun-Line as I was a qualified marksman (303) I thought that only the the marksman was on the foredeck during this op? A towel inside the jacket helped the pain of the kick of the rifle butt, plus radar off on the recieving ship, was always told to aim for the rigging so it didnt slip over the side before it could be grabbed /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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