Rules of Road Question

Yes, exactly, hence it's my personal rule. I have once been on board with an instructor on school boat A, who ordered the helm to fall off the wind instead of passing behind, and suceeded only in reaching onto a converging course with boat B (in the end we gybed round ourselves to avoid side-swiping him). There was a lot of shouting between yachts then, too.

Anyway, I considered myself duly 'instructed' and ever since, always luff up to pass behind. As far as I can tell, pretty much everyone else does too. It's clearly not the right answer under ColRegs but frankly, as OzzyB intimates, on a summer's Sunday on the Solent, there's so much traffic that 20 metres clearance (three times my boat length) is less of a near miss than a perfect calculation resulting in rule 12 not even coming into play.
 
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Both Yachts are sailing

Wind is SW 3-4.

Boat A is steering approx 180 on starboard tack spots Boat B off Stb'd bow approx 400m away.

Boat B is running approx 070 also on starboard tack, if they both hold there course there is risk of collision.

They get close enough to shout, who should give way?

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The fact that you ask the question suggests that you are conscious it was a close shave, and that you are looking for reassurance that you did the right thing, or some advice as to what you might do differently next time... so here goes:

If they both know the rules, ( and it is possible that either may not), B should take action to avoid a collision, and such action should be early and obvious to the other vessel.

There arent really any ifs, buts or maybes and, if you are at shouting point, then B almost certainly hasnt acted early enough, or decisively enough.

If a collision is unavoidable without action from the stand on vessel, then they must both take action.

The very best action to take if you are the give way vessel, in a crossing situation, is to show a different aspect, or at least head behind the stern of the stand on vessel, (not sure if you can do one without the other?). A controlled gybe in plenty of time, (or even late on), shouldnt be a big deal.

Alternatively, you can reduce speed, or stop.

IMHO, what B did was probably the least obvious action and, if the gap was only 20m, pretty much a near miss. In addition, B doesnt necessarily know whether A took some avoiding action during the last seconds.

Solent or not, i dont think it needs to be that close.

In busy waters, where a large course alteration is likely to create another collision situation with another vessel, slow down/stop is possibly the preferred action - an action which few sailors seem to want to use.

For A to take avoiding action, it must be well before any risk of collision arises, or a collision must be unavoidable without their action, (it is for A to make this call either way).

e.g. if A saw B in the distance, and recognised that a collision risk may develop, and decided that they were prepared to help the potential give way vessel avoid a gybe, they could tack, slow down, or head somewhere else completely.

Hope this helps, and you are not offended.

Cheers

Richard
 
Seems a bit late to me. I was always taught to turn early and at least 'point the stern' of the "stand on" so they could see that I had seen them AND was taking appropriate action.

Brought up sailing in Solent. Moved to East Coast, took my boat back there in 2005 and spent a week singlehanding - hated it - too many boats not showing they have a clue what to do. Hope East Coast doesn't go that way too.
 
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