No one has the "Right of Way"
Please...Paaaaleeze stop using the term 'Right of Way"!
No one on the water has the right of way. There is the "Stand on vessel" and the "Give way vessel". Both have responsibilities needed to avoid collision.
The "Give way vessel" has the responsibility to take early and substansive action to avoid a collision. Get it? Put simply he has to turn, slow down or stop to avoid the collision.
The "Stand on vessel" has a RESPONSIBILITY (not a privilage) to maintain course and speed unless you are in NH where they cloud things up by saying maintain course and a speed appropriate for the situation. This is important.
Say you are in a power boat and have an other power boat coming at you from your port side. At night he would see your red running light and you would see his green running light. Of course during the day you see his starboard side, he would see your port.
He is the give way vessel, you are the stand on vessel. Think of the running lights as stop and go lights.
Now he as the give way vessel should sound one short blast on his horn (about one second) and turn to starboard to pass behind you. He expects you as the stand on vessel to maintain course and speed. If you start turning or slowing down you are confusing the maneuver and nobody knows what is going on!
Now if this guy doesn't turn (prefered) or slow down YOU as the stand on vessel have the responsibility to deviate from the rules and take what ever acton is necessary to avoid the collision. This is a good time to sound five short blasts from your horn, the "Danger Doubt signal". Both guys in the vidio screwed up.
There is an acromym to help us remember who is the stand on vessel when approaching another vessel of an other type, say the Mount Washington.
New Reals Catch Fish So Purchase Some Often
N= Vessel Not under command. That is due to some reason the vessel can
not maneuver. Say the propeller fell off or the rudder is stuck.
R= Vessel Restricted in it's ability to maneuver. Say the Mount heading into
the Weirs docks.
C= Vessel Constrained by draft. Say the Mount passing Eagle island.
F= Vessel engaged in Fishing. This is large commercial vessels. Not two
buddies trying to catch lake salmon by Timber island.
S= Sailing vessel. This is self explanitory except that when two sailing
approach each other there is an other set of rules.
P= Power driven vessel. Probably you.
S= Seaplane.
O= Vessel Overtaking another vessel. ie. If you are being passed by a
sailing vessel he is the give way vessel.
I don't mean to preach (well maybe a little) but understanding the DUTY of the Give way Vessel is vital.
This was one of the contributing causes to the collision between the Stockholm and the Andria Doria.
Misty Blue.
|