Is Singlehanding >24 Hrs. Morally Wrong?

[buzzstar]

Have I failed to read, or has no one commented on the concept that a vessel at anchor or not under command is or is not required to comply with the watch rules (Rule 5?)? I believed, and continue to believe not, which is why I used the anchor light when I was asleep. I should add that my preference was to sail at night and sleep when it was light (and sail as well since daylight typically lasted much longer than I slept. Yes, I would be hove to in open ocean out of sea lanes and too deep to anchor. But then, what else could I do except sleep while sailing (which did not appeal to me because of sudden squalls, despite the low risk of collision) or, as has been suggested, turn on all lights, including the deck lights? Sure unexpected squalls can hit when awake, but if awake you have more warning and more time to act appropriately.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

Have I failed to read, or has no one commented on the concept that a vessel at anchor or not under command is or is not required to comply with the watch rules (Rule 5?)?

The rule states "every vessel at all times..." - so yes a NUC or anchored vessel is required by the rules to maintain a lookout. Large vessels do, but this is quite impractical for the cruisers. That said in some jurisdictions, small anchorages/moorages are exempted from certain rules such as the need to display an anchor light. One could assume a lookout is also flexible in these circumstances.

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

The rule states "every vessel at all times..." - so yes a NUC or anchored vessel is required by the rules to maintain a lookout. Large vessels do, but this is quite impractical for the cruisers. That said in some jurisdictions, small anchorages/moorages are exempted from certain rules such as the need to display an anchor light. One could assume a lookout is also flexible in these circumstances.

In other words, all of the unattended vessels at anchor anywhere may also be morally wrong. 'Nuff said.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I think Lodesman was just playing around with the ideas, like we love to do around here, not that he actually believes that this is what the Rules mean Bringing out the inner pedant in a few of us!

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

No, I believe it is exactly what the rule says, which was the reason for my post. It lists no exceptions. I too can be a pedant, but methodology may vary.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

Have I failed to read, or has no one commented on the concept that a vessel at anchor or not under command is or is not required to comply with the watch rules (Rule 5?)? I believed, and continue to believe not, which is why I used the anchor light when I was asleep.

That pesky rule 2 is never far away to keep you one your toes though....

Rule description

This rule makes it clear that mariners can not hide behind behind the rules and use them as an excuse.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

No, I believe it is exactly what the rule says, which was the reason for my post. It lists no exceptions. I too can be a pedant, but methodology may vary.

Lodestarman wasn't talking about that!

I believe he would join me in disagreeing with you. Yes, an anchored boat is obligated to keep a watch at all times, no exception. Just like a single hander is.

I violate this rule myself every time I anchor out.

If someone hits me while I'm sleeping at anchor, and the person who hits me argues that I could have prevented the accident by seeing and warning him, I expect to share part of the responsibility.

Under the Rules, I am obligated to keep a watch and do what I can to prevent the accident. If there would be no reasonable time for me to get the anchor up, I am obligated to at least give five blasts and/or make light signals. If I fail to do that because I'm sleeping instead of keeping a watch, that might be a significant contribution to the cause of the accident.

A single hander needs to take a similarly practical view, I think.

[uncle stinkybob]

If it's morally or legally/colregs wrong/illegal, how do race's like the Vendee Globe continue? How are the boats and crew insured if violating the law? and it's not the only singlehand race, the Jester comes to mind, do they all go to sea as outlaws, ghosting out of the bay in the middle of the night?
The Volvo Ocean Race this year has taken 2 lives, 1 crew,1 fisherman, how many singlehand sailors have harmed anyone this year? or the last?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Lodestar wasn't talking about that!

I believe he would join me in disagreeing with you. Yes, an anchored boat is obligated to keep a watch at all times, no exception. Just like a single hander is.

.......

Perhaps time for a new thread - Is Anchoring Without Keeping a 24/7 Watch Morally Wrong.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I believe he would join me in disagreeing with you. Yes, an anchored boat is obligated to keep a watch at all times, no exception. Just like a single hander is.

But wait, there's more!

Rule 5 "Lookout" is part of PART B - Steering and Sailing Rules.

A vessel at anchor is neither steering nor sailing, so does Rule 5 apply?

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Lodestar wasn't talking about that!

Who is Lodestar? I could not find that post. Lodesman, perhaps? Watch keepers need to observe and report unusual activity.

As another point for consideration and comment, is in post #355 by StuM. But Rule 5 says, if memory serves, "at all times."

Bottom line, screw it all, I'd rather be sailing, and taking the risks my way, with the only ones I am putting at risk being those probably not following the rules themselves.

[shadow]

I only think that it would be close to morally wrong if you were not well equipped, Radar, AIS, etc.. with loud alarms, etc.. Depending on how slow you are going with a 32 mile Radar with alarm, a person can take tons of short power naps.. I've known people that did this with the barest of boats and equipment.. I would find that a bit more objectionable.. At the same time, it does take 2 to tango, sort of speak. They may be fully asleep, but how about the other boat? Are they asleep too and can't avoid the other boat? If it only involves the 1 sailor and their boat, and they either run aground or whatever, then they only hurt themselves, etc..

I would think that sailing beyond exhausted would cause more issues in lack of judgement or quick enough reflexes, than sailing solo with refreshing power naps.. Just from my experience and observations.

[danielamartindm]

Like most, I have my own morality and it doesn't always jive with the morals of others, or those underlying public sector attempts to control my thoughts and actions. I have never slept at the helm.

That said, I would personally rather live (or die) with the small risk posed by solo mariners than to live in a world so regulated that the species went extinct, along with the dream that inspired it.

[jtsailjt]

It's not being pedantic to accept that "Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing..." doesn't mean some vessels sometimes don't have to keep any lookout because they deem the risk of collision low and they really want to cross an ocean singlehandedly and they're really feeling tired. Keeping a proper lookout by sight and hearing at all times isn't an obscure detail, it's one of the most important elements of good seamanship.

Using the excuse that lots of other cargo ships or Navy ships or couples also don't keep good watches, while unfortunately true, isn't an excuse for setting out to sea knowing that with your current crew complement (just yourself), keeping a 24/7 watch will be impossible. Unfortunately, as has been proven all throughout seagoing history, even the best intended watchkeepers sometimes miss seeing things they should have easily seen. But fortunately, those who wrote the colregs had the wisdom to require BOTH vessels that might be involved in a collision to be keeping a watch so it's unlikely that both will be temporarily distracted or having an off moment at the exact same time and as a result blunder into each other. But singlehanders, while they are sleeping, aren't providing their half of the safety margin that we all depend on the rules to give us. For those who use egg timers or micronaps, if you don't get any REM sleep for a few days and as a result gradually become fatigued, your brain is working about as well as if you are legally drunk, not acceptable. There's no getting around it, we need to get adequate sleep in order for our brains and our senses to work as they should.

I think that almost all of us would agree that it's morally wrong to go to sea on a crewed vessel intending to sleep through your watches without telling your shipmates and hope the radar and AIS alarms work properly. As an on watch crew member you have an obligation to keep a proper watch by sight and hearing and whatever other means are appropriate. It's obvious that you owe that obligation to your fellow crewmembers but you ALSO owe it to the crew of every other vessel out there that you might encounter and they owe that same obligation to you and we all depend on that on "every vessel at all times." That's why I do think it's morally wrong to intentionally be underway at sea with no-one on watch, whether there are 50 qualified watchkeepers aboard or just 1.

But I realize that long distance singlehanding has been going on for a long time and probably always will. So, I think the rules should be changed to allow for a singlehander or any other vessel whose master determines that his crew is so fatigued that a proper watch can't be kept, to do something like heave-to with spreader and deck lights brightly shining (and a light signal or day shape that would let other vessels know their status) to make the vessel as easy to see as possible while the crew recharges their batteries. It's not as good as if they were keeping a watch as rule 5 requires, but at least they aren't going to run anyone down and they are keeping their vessels kinetic energy to a minimum while no one is at the helm. The rules right now don't provide for that. Rather than making up rationalizations about how you're really abiding by rule 5 with your eyes closed because your AIS is turned on, etc. the rules should be adjusted to reflect the reality that singlehanders exist and make a way for them to do it legally and help make other nearby vessels aware that no one is on watch. But as rule 5 currently reads, long distance singlehanders can't possibly comply with it, and since all vessels at sea are required to, they are both breaking the rules and putting others at an additional risk that the other vessels have no way of being aware of by choosing to engage in singlehanded sailing. At sea or on land, when you lead others to believe one thing (your vessel has someone on watch 24/7) but actually are doing another thing that puts those others at even a small additional risk they have no way of being aware of, that sounds like an immoral act to me, and since I enjoy singlehanding along the coast and would like to do some longer distance singlehanded sailing, I really wish the rules would be adjusted so I could legally "pull over to the curb" and take a snooze while remaining in compliance with all of the COLREG's.

[john61ct]

Are these "regs" enforced by anyone but insurance companies?

Anyone been jailed for singlehanded passagemaking?