COLREGs 1960 and older

[Krzysztof89]

Hello.


I'm looking for COLREGs 1960 and older. I'm interested in the navigation lights and other signals.


I've found some info on this forum already here: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...-a-160491.html , but it's only an excerpt with no information about lights and shapes.


Does anybody have complete COLREGs 1960 or any older similar regulations? Unfortunately, I can't find it anywhere.

[El Pinguino]

I have paper/hard copies of both the 48/54 rules ( in Bonwick) and the 60/65 rules ( as published jointly by the MMSA and MNAOA ).
Neither deals with lights in an annex as the present rules do. The annex in each only includes 'recommendations on the use of radar...'

What exactly do you want to know about the lights and signals?

[Krzysztof89]

I'm interested in history of development of the navigation lights and shapes. I have found a text about XIX century attempts for river vessels, but it all flourished only in the XX century. I found a Polish decree from 1954 which, being translation of the international regulations, defines the new rules for the lights and shapes.


So I just would like to know everything about it.

[goboatingnow]

The pre 1972 COLRegs ( ie 1960 ratified in 1965) defined the technical characteristics in the body of the text but the 1972 version moved that to a technical annex. I have a 1965 copy somewhere , but I dont think any actual material change was made to light characteristics.

The main changes to the 1965 (60 ) text was the introduction of the TSS rules as the first TSS was in the Dover strait in 1967 and this was the main reason the 72 modifications occurred.

The are no older international COLRegs before the 1960 SOLAS convention but many maritime countries had national laws.

[Krzysztof89]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

The are no older international COLRegs before the 1960 SOLAS convention but many maritime countries had national laws.

It's strange, because I've got a Polish decree of The Minister of Navigation from 1954 about using International Regulations for the Prevention Collision at Sea. That's the literal translation of the title of the annex to this decree. So apparently there must have been some respective international regulations. What is peculiar about those regulations, the primal length unit is foot. For example: (...) vessels of less than 45,75 m (50 ft.) in length shall not be obliged (...)


I'm mostly interested in the general layout of the lights on board. Looking at old ships I can see the number of available lights were limited in comparsion to 1972 and later. Even after 1972 lights for WIG were added.

[requiem]

The proceedings from the International Marine Conference of 1889 may interest you, but you should be able to go back even further, as this quote from one of its annexes suggests:

Between 1863 and 1865 thirty-four of the principal maritime nations approved and made statutory a code of laws similar in all respects to that adopted by Great Britain in 1862 for preventing collisions at sea, thus responding to the invitation put forth by that Government in 1863 to examine that code in the interests of commerce at large, and to adopt the same or like legislation if deemed suitable, according to their several needs.

Subsequently, in the light of experience tending to show the inadequacy of the statutes in question for the practical requirements of commerce, and acting upon a revised draft of laws formulated by a commission appointed by the British Government, and by it submitted for the consideration of the maritime powers, most of the Governments interested accepted and approved the amended code, and united in giving it effect on the 1st of September, 1880.

During the decade which has elapsed since that code, now generally in operation on the high seas and in the jurisdictional waters of the several enacting states, was framed and considered a growing tendency is manifest to regard it as inadequate to the present needs of commerce, and especially in respect to the sound signals for use in fog, mist, or falling snow. The increasing number and speed of steam-vessels has greatly added to the dangers of collision in thick weather, and the opinion has recently been expressed by the best authorities that the present system of signals for steam-vessels is insufficient.

[requiem]

For the US the NY Times archives will have, New Rules for the Prevention of Collisions on the Water.; AN ACT FIXING CERTAIN RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS ON THE WATER. published 15 September, 1864.

For the 48/54 rules, the 1948 IRPCS were registered with the UN in '54, and thus that's one place online you can find a copy of them. (E.g. treaty series vol 191, no.2576)

[Krzysztof89]

That was very helpful. Thank you!

[El Pinguino]

In both the 48 and 60 rules the only requirement of lights was that 'they be of such a character as to be visible at a distance of at least X miles'. In 48 the 'steaming' light in Rule 2 (a)(i) was required to be a 'bright white light' - in 1960 only a 'white light' was required.

A major item that was dropped in 1960 was the Rule 9 requirement for some of the fishing boat lights, the tricoloured lantern and also the 'three white lights in a vertical triangle visible all round the horizon'.

Prior to 1960 an M notice had been issued by the MOT about the power of the lights in the triangle eg 'Vessels over 30 ft but under 75 ft a triangle of lights of 6 to 12 watts at least 6 ft apart'.

The red over green at the top of the foremast for 'sailing vessels under way' was first introduced in the 1960 rules.

The 72 rules required the sidelight screens to be painted black. Before that came into force it was the norm to paint them red and green.

[El Pinguino]

These are from my copy of the 60/65 rules.

[El Pinguino]

And this is what Bonwick had to say about the 48/54 rules.

[Krzysztof89]

Thank you!

[Kelkara]

This should be the text of the 1948 colregs ... I had to strip out the french to get it down to a filesize I could post here ...


I think I diwnloaded it originally from somewhere on this forum.

[Jammer]

Early editions of Chapman Piloting may be useful and are perhaps more readily available.


The 1950s era editions had the title, "Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling," by Charles F. Chapman. Used copies are available from Amazon, interlibrary loan, and other sources. They would also have the advantage of providing context and interpretation, just as modern versions of the successor volume do.