VHF - hailing an unknown ship (in the middle of the night)

[alant]

Back in August, with a couple of friends, I was crossing over to Sardinia from Tuscany, a distance of a little over 100NM. It was a beautiful night with no moon, just millions and millions of stars and the Milky Way to show us the way and of course shooting stars (so many we had to stop saying "wow!" and just watch them in silence).

We saw just 3 ships that night, all of them going North, appearing as a glow on the horizon and then nearly running us down an hour later. This happened twice. The third ship passed a mile ahead of us and her wake flung me out of bed. The first ship paid us no attention at all while we hove to to let it pass, but there was still enough twilight for us to see each other.

This is about the second ship - the Norwegian Epic (I think) we discovered was her name afterwards, but at the time we didn't know. We'd been watching her for about an hour and determined we were on a collision course. We were the stand-on vessel (under sail, approaching from the ship's starboard bow) but would have been happy to take avoiding action. We didn't know whether they had seen our puny navigation lights. So the first thing we did was turn on the foredeck light to illuminate the genoa. This got a response from their searchlight.

What to do now?

We didn't want to interrupt the cruise ship's passage and were happy to heave to for a few minutes to let her pass, so I grabbed the hand held and said something like "um, large, er... cruise ship, um, this is the sailing yacht [name] [name] [name]". No answer. Twice.

So we tacked, altered course 90° to port and sailed down a track parallel to hers in the opposite direction about half a mile off and tacked back onto our course again when we were clear of her stern. We noticed that she had stopped, which was a pity because we'd have been quite happy to keep out of her way and let her carry on without wasting all that fuel stopping and starting again.

While all this was going on, an Italian friend whose knowledge of English consisted of hello, goodbye and "large cruise sheep ..." was babbling into the radio trying to get a response. The response we got was "Sailing yacht what is your position?" but by then the ship was halfway over the Northern horizon and there didn't seem much point in drawing any more attention to ourselves.

We arrived off the Sardinian coast in broad daylight had a refreshing swim, a shower, a plate of spaghetti with mashed crabs for lunch in a bar whose name I can't remember and then caught the bus to Olbia and the ferry back to the mainland while the owners set off on their summer cruise.

Why I'm posting this here, is to see what you think about keeping out of the way of commercial traffic in the middle of the sea in the middle of the night and how a VHF can help?

In hindsight, it would have been better to radio the ship much earlier, using the big radio by the chart table.

What channel were you calling on, as "stand on vessel"?

PS, not sure in this situation, I would have been that brave.

 

[Zen Zero]

They were very quick to respond with the searchlight once we'd illuminated the sail, but I don't think they were aware of our presence until then.

We tacked whilst still illuminated, about half a mile away, and I expect they did see this manoeuvre by our nav-lights if by nothing else. In any case, I was certain that we had been seen at this point and I made the turn to port in a way that made my intentions (to pass astern) clear to the OOW and at a sufficient distance.

What I didn't do that I should have done was to give the OOW time to make his intentions clear.

I do wonder how effective our radar reflector is and what an OOW sees of a 10 m yacht on the radar screen from 10 or 5 miles away...

 

[Martin_J]

One thing though, it was very difficult to determine the exact track of the ship in the dark and we weren't sure if they had seen us until we were in their searchlight beam.

Zen.. Apologies if you worded that statement wrong, but you don't need to work out the exact track of the ship in either daylight or in the dark.

Using a handbearing compass, or compass within binoculars, whilst holding a steady course just see how the ships bearing changes. If it increases or decreases you should be clear.. If it stays the same you're on a collision course.

With no compass you can do the same if you sit in one place on your boat at the furthest side from the ship. Whilst the helm maintains a constant course, line the ship up with something like a stanchion and just wait.. and wait.. and wait.. and see how it moves.. if after a few minutes it's above the same stanchion then you're on collision course..

Alter course in the required direction (and hold that changed course) whilst you see the bearing (or part of the boat above which you see the ship) move.. and that's the side of your boat that the ship will be.. i.e. either ahead or astern of you..

Hopefully that is clear and that it's not a granny sucking eggs explanation... but you definitely don't need to know the ship's track or course for this to work.

 

[fireball]

I think PRV means that the case law was with respect to ships not yachts. There are various legal precidents set into distances and meaning of 'in good time' etc which may be different in the case of a small yacht.

ah

 

[Zen Zero]

With no compass you can do the same if you sit in one place on your boat at the furthest side from the ship. Whilst the helm maintains a constant course, line the ship up with something like a stanchion and just wait.. and wait.. and wait.. and see how it moves.. if after a few minutes it's above the same stanchion then you're on collision course..

This is what I usually do.

I'm trying to remember what happened in a boat on a beautiful starry night 2 months ago. I usually alter course to pass astern of fast big heavy things but we were close hauled (all night!) that's why I waited until I could see what was happening to tack and pass astern.

Let me assure everyone there was no danger, some comedy - Carlo blabbering Itanianglish into the handheld (I chose the handheld over the big radio on purpose to keep the range down and be sure we were only heard by the ship that was visible) - and a waste of fuel with some possible passenger discomfort onboard the liner due to its emergency stop.

 

[Peroo]

A friend drives survey vessels for a living - he's got lots and lots of stories about WAFI's and quite a few about the big commercial vessels as well - he would echo the view that you should :-

a:- Never try to negotiate by VHF - radio assisted collisions can and do happen and they are not pretty
b:- ColRegs always applies
c:- Get an AIS and use it religiously - if on a yacht seriously consider getting a transponder as you will definitely then be visible to the OOW, and test it regularly

 

[KellysEye]

I've called a number of ships on VHF and had no reply they presumably don't have the VHF switched on the watchkeeper is not doing his watch duty properly. The previous owner had the same problem and fitted a white strobe on the masthead. We only had to use it once after no reply to our VHF call, five seconds after swichting it on the ship turned away. I would highly recommend it.

We also had the opposite, a cruise ship near Bonaire called to say they would pass close close in front of us, which I acknowleged. A survey ship of the north of Trinidad called us to say they were towing a 3 mile array marked at the end by a white strobe and please go behind it. I acknowleged the call and pointed out the strobe wasn't on. He came back and apologised after switching it on.

 

[pmagowan]

A friend drives survey vessels for a living - he's got lots and lots of stories about WAFI's and quite a few about the big commercial vessels as well - he would echo the view that you should :-

a:- Never try to negotiate by VHF - radio assisted collisions can and do happen and they are not pretty
b:- ColRegs always applies
c:- Get an AIS and use it religiously - if on a yacht seriously consider getting a transponder as you will definitely then be visible to the OOW, and test it regularly

Although we do hear anecdote of small boat class ais being switched off to avoid clutter on the screen. I would prefer to have a decent radar reflector, active or passive to show my position, along with good lights etc and then to have equipment so that I can detect them. If I know who is there then at least I can do something irrespective of how aware or skilled they are.

 

[mjcoon]

There are two stages at which you're allowed to alter your course and speed - either so early that the risk of collision hasn't developed yet and the Colregs don't apply, or late enough that the other vessel should have manoeuvred and it has become apparent that she isn't. In between, you are obliged to continue so that the other vessel knows what to expect.

Even if you are headed so your original close-hauled course is no longer achievable? Or even the wind drops? Not everyone can or wishes to use an engine...

Mike.

 

[prv]

There is some case law, but as far as I know it all applies to ship vs ship encounters, not yachts.

PART A- GENERAL
Rule 1
Application
(a) These Rules shall apply to all vessels upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels.

- so that's everyone covered - although I think jetskis were exempted because they don't navigate?

I said "case law", as in Cockroft and Lameijer, not the regs themselves.

Pete

 

[pmagowan]

Even if you are headed so your original close-hauled course is no longer achievable? Or even the wind drops? Not everyone can or wishes to use an engine...

Mike.

2(b) In construing and complying with these rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these rules necessary to avoid immediate danger

 

[RichardS]

Even if you are headed so your original close-hauled course is no longer achievable? Or even the wind drops? Not everyone can or wishes to use an engine...

Mike.

You definitely don't want to start your engine as you suddenly might stop being the stand-on vessel!

(note smiley face)

Richard

 

[Mariner69]

If you make five (5) flashes at the vessel's bridge using a bright torch or Aldis lamp the OOW will know what you mean and be directed to take action. Not always quite what you may expect.

On watch on a 1946 built general cargo vessel passing through Biscay in heavy weather I spotted a yacht who indicated his whereabouts by shining a light on the sail. He was heavily reefed and basically hove to. The days before Transit let alone GPS.

I told the cadet to keep and eye on him while I checked the radar for another contact and adjusted the autopilot.

My alterations were not sufficiently large; since we were making quite a bit of leeway from the derricks and masts.

I walked back to the starboard side of the bridge to find the yacht closer than I (and no doubt the yacht ) wanted!

A moment of panic, wound more helm on by putting the secunny on the wheel and the hell out of the way by going due west.

I then spoke to the cadet (when I got my breath back) and said "I thought I told you to keep an eye on him?" he answered "I did. Look there he is right there".

I learnt a number of useful lessons there.

 

[RobbieW]

Lets chuck another thought in here: when on a yacht at night, irrespective of whether actually sailing or motoring, I usually assume I'm a PDV and make base decisions on that premise. Why ? because I find there's little chance of other ships knowing, on a dark night, that I'm sailing. Lights, unless using the proper masthead array, radar, even AIS dont actually say 'vessel under sail' so how is the other vessel supposed to know until they get good visual confirmation - at which time its often getting closeish. So when sailing I'd try to give myself maneuvrabiility and take it from there.

In the OPs case, it appears he would have been stand on as both PDV and sailing vessel. So when the other vessel makes no obvious maneuver you have to take your own avoidance action.

Edit: of course it should be the steaming light that gives the clue however the more we rely on AIS the less we actually look for light configurations.

 

[alant]

You definitely don't want to start your engine as you suddenly might stop being the stand-on vessel!

(note smiley face)

Richard

Small slow sailing vessel v large fast steel merchant vessel, who is going to argue that steam gives way to sail?

 

[RichardS]

Small slow sailing vessel v large fast steel merchant vessel, who is going to argue that steam gives way to sail?

Between the two of us Alant I think we might have opened that door that soon leads to someone posting a little ditty about some poor sap who was dead right.

If that happens I WILL KILL MYSELF!

You have been warned!

Richard

 

[jerrytug]

Small slow sailing vessel v large fast steel merchant vessel, who is going to argue that steam gives way to sail?

Me for starters, because I am in favour of every mariner on the planet obeying the Colregs.

edited to add, signed Billy Goat Jerry..

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Interesting thread.

I don't have AIS, but have heard many sailors mention who do use the VHF option with success crossing the North Sea. The ship watch-keepers seem
happy with it too. Perhaps this is due to shipping lanes rather than open water country.

 

[duncan99210]

FWIW the only time I've ever had a close encounter with a ship at night was on the approach to Cadiz a few years back. A cruise ship was also heading into the port (we were about 10 miles out) and her bearing wasn't changing. So I called the ship using the hail 'cruise ship entering Cadiz' and asked if she had me on the radar and what her intentions were. I got an immediate response from the bridge asking for my position relative to her: once that was established, the OOW acknowledged he had seen me and would be passing to our starboard side, which he subsequently did.

So what? Well, I used an easily understood reference to make sure that the ship would know I was calling them. I didn't make any suggestions as to their course of action, rather asked if they had seen me and what they were thinking of doing. There shouldn't be any negotiation of courses of action, simply getting an acknowledgement from the OOW that they have you on their plot and what action they intend to take.

 

[Richard10002]

You definitely don't want to start your engine as you suddenly might stop being the stand-on vessel!

(note smiley face)

Richard

I dont see anything wrong with making yourself the give way vessel, rather than the stand on, provided you do it in plenty of time, and show the right lights. You can then take control of the situation and, in a crossing situation, can go from showing a green to showing a red, to make it clear that you have made a significant alteration of course to starboard, and will be passing astern of the other vessel.

(I think I've got that the right way round.... it's a few years since I had to think about red, green and white).

If you reach the point where a passenger vessel has to make a crash stop, i'm not sure there was no danger, and dont think it is merely a bit of comedy, but I guess the action taken by the stand on vessel, (shining a light on the sails), was enough to prevent collision, albeit, not on its own.