Challenge: Ship, Out of the Fog, Dead Ahead ... Now What?

[SvenG]

In a recent discussion I think I saw a statement that any vessel on a collision course, in a position to have to avoid a collision (regardless of who was initially the stand-on vessel), was required to turn to starboard.

Is that really correct ?

If it is correct and I suddenly see a boat on a collision course coming out of the fog slightly to port, then I'd have to turn to starboard even if turning to starboard only helps avoid the collision if the other skipper is also awake and also turns to his/her starboard ?

IOW, turning to port with no action on the part of the possibly sleeping skipper would avoid the collision, but turning to starboard with the possibly sleeping skipper doing nothing does not avoid the collision.

I can certainly understand how such a rule would come about but sleeping skippers really mess up the logic, if the rule is really as I think I read.

Thanks,



-Sven