All things COLREGS no 2

[Olde Chief]

Like anything where their is a risk, the more you know the better off you are, and the safer you will be.

[Dantorch]

If you have any doubt as to the importance of understanding these Rules, just transit a popular harbor entrance on a summer holiday weekend.

[LauraJane]

Absolutely. "The boater you meet on the water is unlikely to know them".
Don't be one of those people. The situation deteriorates as the number of people who don't know what they are doing increases. Learn, understand, know them, and be able to apply them on the water.

[patn44]

a fellow at the helm of a push barge in Mobile back in the 80's turned left when he mistook the mark on the Mobile river. Ask the survivors of the train wreck whether he should have known the regulations. Ask the families of those that did not survive.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by patn44

a fellow at the helm of a push barge in Mobile back in the 80's turned left when he mistook the mark on the Mobile river. Ask the survivors of the train wreck whether he should have known the regulations. Ask the families of those that did not survive.

Sound like a navigation error, not a COLREG issue.

Also for others....if you know the US inland rules....figuring out the international rules is hardly anything. Even if you didn't know them chances are you or the other guy might never know.

More importantly is to understand the possibly different aids to navigation you are now in...heck most US boaters can't grasp the intracoastal markings and how that is affected by a river system marking.

And while professional mariners are usually and sometimes unfairly held to a higher standard....totally playing by your own rules out there on a crowded waterway don't make anyone's life easier but your own.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by psneeld

...totally playing by your own rules out there on a crowded waterway don't make anyone's life easier but your own.

Actually, at the end of the day i find it easier to play by the colregs. It covers everything.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by conachair

Actually, at the end of the day i find it easier to play by the colregs. It covers everything.

[Olde Chief]

Short Story, about someone who did not follow COLREGS: Back a few years ago, when I was in the CG, we got a call one night that debris had been found in the Catalina Channel we had to fly out to see if we could find survivors, and needless to say there were none. The next morning were learned a sailboat was missing coming back from Catalina Is. and we had to go back out to see what more we could find (all we could find were more small pieces) though there was enough we could identify then as the missing boat. Apparently the boat had been run over by a cargo vessel at night because no one had reported it by the freighter. This was determined in the course of a harbor check of all ships that had recently arrived in the San Pedro-Long Beach harbors where one was found to have fresh paint and scraps on the bow. It was further determined that that the freighter had not maintained a proper watch coming into the channel. So according to COLREGS who would be at fault? They both were for not maintaining a proper watch, though the freighter got most of the blame because they had the man power along with RADAR, along with (supposedly trained crew) and a Lic. Capt... So one can NEVER be to careful, specially when operating at night or in bad weather..... So what can you do, make sure you comply with the COLREGs the best you can, with proper lighting (COLREGS Specify what lights you MUST show), a good watch and whatever else you can afford (like RADAR reflectors,-they do help you to be seen). Good sailing, ALL.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Olde Chief

Short Story, about someone who did not follow COLREGS: Back a few years ago, when I was in the CG, we got a call one night that debris had been found in the Catalina Channel we had to fly out to see if we could find survivors, and needless to say there were none. The next morning were learned a sailboat was missing coming back from Catalina Is. and we had to go back out to see what more we could find (all we could find were more small pieces) though there was enough we could identify then as the missing boat. Apparently the boat had been run over by a cargo vessel at night because no one had reported it by the freighter. This was determined in the course of a harbor check of all ships that had recently arrived in the San Pedro-Long Beach harbors where one was found to have fresh paint and scraps on the bow. It was further determined that that the freighter had not maintained a proper watch coming into the channel. So according to COLREGS who would be at fault? They both were for not maintaining a proper watch, though the freighter got most of the blame because they had the man power along with RADAR, along with (supposedly trained crew) and a Lic. Capt... So one can NEVER be to careful, specially when operating at night or in bad weather..... So what can you do, make sure you comply with the COLREGs the best you can, with proper lighting (COLREGS Specify what lights you MUST show), a good watch and whatever else you can afford (like RADAR reflectors,-they do help you to be seen). Good sailing, ALL.

Sad story and good advice. Rule 17 covers a lot..

(ii) The latter vessel may however take action to avoid collision by her manoeuvre alone, as soon as it becomes apparent to her that the vessel required to keep out of the way is not taking appropriate action in compliance with these Rules.

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by accomplice

It would seem obvious that any competent seaman knows the rules and regulations where he sails. Many sailors, however, spend their entire sailing career on inland waters on which different (not COLREGS) rules apply. Clearly, it is not necessary that they know COLREGS.

not quite Coast Guard brings U.S. inland rules into line with ColRegs ...

[Olde Chief]

Anyone who is traveling on the Water, In the Air, or on a Road has The Responsibility to Avoid an Accident if Possible. MY RULE, IF IT IS BIGGER THAN ME OR WILL HURT MY BOAT, I STAY CLEAR...

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Olde Chief

Anyone who is traveling on the Water, In the Air, or on a Road has The Responsibility to Avoid an Accident if Possible. MY RULE, IF IT IS BIGGER THAN ME OR WILL HURT MY BOAT, I STAY CLEAR...

Great.

Now how would you do that without endangering others in an area of heavy traffic. Those can't always be avoided.

Follow COLREG and you will be OK. Don't, and you may be the cause of an accident, or be the accident.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by avb3

Great.

Now how would you do that without endangering others in an area of heavy traffic. Those can't always be avoided.

Follow COLREG and you will be OK. Don't, and you may be the cause of an accident, or be the accident.

So true. All you have to do is read Dockhead's Colregs posts and understand why.

No need to re-do all that again.

Oops, maybe it DOES need to be redone, given some of these answers.

Why would anyone consciously ignore the "How To" of sailing?

Beats me.

Seen worse, though. Like, for example, "How do I sail to the Bahamas and can I bring my cats & dogs?"

Oh, sorry, that was not only a REAL post, but got added to newt's "Titles we'd like to see..." topic.

Classic.

[four winds]

Originally Posted by Olde Chief

Anyone who is traveling on the Water, In the Air, or on a Road has The Responsibility to Avoid an Accident if Possible. MY RULE, IF IT IS BIGGER THAN ME OR WILL HURT MY BOAT, I STAY CLEAR...

At 32', I'm smaller than you. So then what? Ignore my presence, or expect me to give way because you're the larger vessel? As someone wrote in another thread, "If I'm the bigger boat, I just plow on through".

If the rules come I to play and I'm the stand on vessel, I'll be standing on. Until such time as your rule of tonnage superseeds and I give way, as the colregs specify. Really no need for the increased risk of collision caused by this all to common simplified approach of yours.

[four winds]

In fact this just happened to me yesterday as I motored in to fuel up. Another saiboat much larger than I was on my port side approaching my beam under power.

Frankly, I should have seen him sooner but he blended in with the backgroud well as he was motoring along the shoreline clutter. When I did see him I was glad I was stand on. Because if I was give way I would have already done so since we were only ~a hundred yards apart then. We were in a bay, open water,25+feet depth.

A few seconds later he still had not altered course. Just as I was about to give, at maybe 50 yards he finally altered to starboard, presenting a big ass bow directly in my face.

What he didn't know is I had just throttled down in preparation to give way. So I poured on the coal and he passed my stern about ten yards behind.

Why did that have to happen?