Leighb
Well-known member
That is certainly much more informative, I agree that the "threat" graphic is somewhat OTT, perhaps simply flashing would be better?
Maybe if people were a little more "pedantic" about the ColRegs and a little less "you understood what I meant" then everyone's life would be a little less fraught.
People summarising it, or simplifying it in their heads, are creating danger of collision.
The two main reasons for people to disregard the Colregs are 1) ignorance of the rules in the first place, or 2) their own private set of rules which they consider superior, including considerations such as "he's working" or "ooh, it's awf'y big".
Pete
… people on the autistic spectrum who think most rules don't apply to them …
Can you explain the words “only to see“?
I presume this means Portsmouth harbour entrance, in which case you would've been able to see the yacht from quite a distance. This would imply that either the ferry wasn't keeping an adequate lookout, or wasn't proceeding at a safe speed. Or perhaps the master was exaggerating because he was angry.
Or did the yacht make a sudden unexpected course change out of the small boat channel?
Your story doesn't really give enough information to apply IRPCS.
Which rule(s) are you quoting there?
I know what the recommendations are, they have been discussed at length in various threads here, but VHF calls are not explicitly proscribed and sometimes they can be appropriate, asking for and giving intentions can only assist in some cases.
There always are exceptions to any rule, but I can just imagine a large ship going into a congested area of a sunny summer weekend when its full of boat owners excited about their fancy electronics, wanting to show off their nautical/ technical skills to wife / girfriend / kids. 30 boats all trying to talk to the phillipino radio operator. Recipe for confusion
I can understand how 1) arises
I struggle with how 2) can arise. - Maybe through arrogance and people on the autistic spectrum who think most rules don't apply to the
Quite often need to take some care with this 'big boat - small boat' issue, or the 'working v's pleasure' - have met a few (usually smaller) profesional, working vessels who also seem to subscribe to this. Nearly got run over by a smallish tug off Maplin a couple of years ago - skipper seated at the helm and would not budge from his course. Assuming he would alter course, I was hard on the wind and would have had to tack to get well out of his way. I could have passed a cup of tea to him he was so close. Also coaster small coming out of the Solent. Both of us stood on till I chickened out and tacked when it was obvious he wasn't going to move. At least that one gave me a thank you wave! Big ships (channel plus Thames) seem to be rather more on the ball and alter course far earlier than I expect.
If you need to work out who gives way, just imagine what light you could see. If it's red, you "stop", if it's green, you "go".
Its a reference to me coming to the bridge "only to see". What the bridge crew had seen and for how long I do not know. Nor do I know where that yacht appeared from. But what I was illustrating by this 8 year old event was that for all the common sense approach there might be to this sort of situation, you can still have a problem with a sodding great ferry coming up behind a careless yottie in the middle of a very narrow channel. The ferry simply couldnt have stopped even from his slow speed in the distance involved and there was nowehere for him to go either right or left..
Some cases? There always are exceptions to any rule, but I can just imagine a large ship going into a congested area of a sunny summer weekend when its full of boat owners excited about their fancy electronics, wanting to show off their nautical/ technical skills to wife / girfriend / kids. 30 boats all trying to talk to the phillipino radio operator. Recipe for confusion
Old timers will recall that manila rope shrank when wetted, rendering knots bloody difficult to undo.
This must be why people keep telling me to "dip the rope" when I'm helping them tie up?
I came across a situation recently where that rule of thumb does not apply while coming out of Belfast harbour. A tug was crossing me from my starboard side, but all I could see was green - he was going astern across the harbour. Bit confusing until I'd figured it out.
Fair point - was assuming the overtaken wasn't CBD and was keeping a good enough lookout all round to notice an overtaking CBD and move to one side out of the channel. But does raise the question of why there are size limits in 9. Why not just say that in a narrow channel, no vessel shall impede a vessel that is CBD. That wy the slow overtaken non CBD ship would have to give way to the CBD (or at least couldn't sit in the channel doing minimum speed)