RYA Quiz: Sound signals when overtaking

laika

laika

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From the Autumn RYA magazine quiz:
An overtaking vessel wishes to make it clear its intention to pass to starboard. What sound signal should it make and how should the other vessel respond?
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Now regardless of the lack of mention of "in sight of one another in a narrow channel or fairway", this seems like a Rule 34 (we stress of the colleges, not of the Internet) question

Flicking to the Answers I find:
The overtaking vessel should sound two long blasts and a short. The overtaken vessel acknowledges with a long, short, long blast if they agree, and five short blasts if they do not agree with the intention
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Well aside from the grammar here (If it's "the overtaken vessel" rather than "the to be overtaken vessel" then it's a little late to indicate agreement or not)
  • Rule 34c(ii) clearly states that agreement is morse Charlie ("yes"), ie long short long short
  • Five blasts indicate lack of understanding of intentions, not disagreement.
TBH I have always thought that responding to an overtake in the negative was morse November ("no"), ie long short, but looking at online copies of the colleges it seems this case isn't listed in rule 34 at all.

Is it me or the quiz setter in error, and did I just dream up the "N" for disagreement or is it listed in some text that I don't currently have to hand (my seaman's guide to the rules of the road is on the boat and I am not)?
 
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While they may have missed a short blast off the end of Charlie, it seems they're not wrong about the five blasts: Rule 9 references 34c(ii) (Charlie) for affirmative and 34(d) (5 blasts) "if in doubt". Although..."In doubt"? Obviously these rules were made up by the British. If we're darned sure that something shouldn't overtake us to starboard, perhaps because we've noticed an obstruction in the water there which will cause the manoeuvre to end badly, should we really be saying "I'm not really sure about that old chap" rather than "no"? (and for the avoidance of doubt, no I'm not advocating making up my own rules, even if I'm surprised by this approach and disappointed in myself for having been wrong about it, even if I have never have wanted to deny a request to overtake in a narrow channel)
 
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Rule 34(c) doesn't specifically say what sound signal a to-be-overtaken vessel should make if they do not wish to be overtaken for whatever reason as you've observed. Rule 34(c) relates only to overtaking in a narrow channel. Rule 34(d) however is much more general and applies to any one of a number of circumstances when the actions of another vessel are not understood or could possibly increase the risk of collision etc. The "at least five short and rapid" gets the message across. I think in the case you cite then it's perfectly reasonable even if the narrow channel rule does not specify it. It gets the message across to the overtaking vessel. I'm not sure having another distinct sound signal just for that case is really warranted. It shouldn't cause confusion in the mind of the overtaking vessel's crew. I would take it simply as saying I don't think that's a good idea (and therefore "doubt".)

So, as the overtaking vessel I'd just keep clear.
 
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