Rules of the road question

[boat driver]

Originally Posted by davefromoregon

I have a pretty academic question. Imagine a narrow channel. Two ships on opposite direction courses. The both ships draw approximately the same amount and are constrained by depth. Neither is fishing. Neither is towing. It is not clear that the two vessels can easily pass at the narrowest point. How is it determined which is the stand on vessel? Is there a legally mandated protocol?

I suppose in reality, both skippers would be watching their AIS and would be on the radio sorting things out.

go to USCG Navscen and look under navigation rules when in question. excellent reference and free.

[DCamM]

You might find this tug boat captain’s YouTube video interesting. TimBAtSea.
https://youtu.be/4XGv842n66s

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Snore

The vessel running with the tide or current is stand-on.

Rule 14 (Inland) accounts for vessels running with the current on inland waterways, but doesn't specify about tide.

I couldn't find anything that addresses incoming/outgoing tide.

------------------

Rule 9 doesn't seem to address head to head conditions.

[slug]

Originally Posted by davefromoregon

I have a pretty academic question. Imagine a narrow channel. Two ships on opposite direction courses. The both ships draw approximately the same amount and are constrained by depth. Neither is fishing. Neither is towing. It is not clear that the two vessels can easily pass at the narrowest point. How is it determined which is the stand on vessel? Is there a legally mandated protocol?

I suppose in reality, both skippers would be watching their AIS and would be on the radio sorting things out.

On inland waters the rules are region specific

You can’t know the rules until you consult the pilot for that region

Traffic control via radio ranges is common

Odd rules such as “ outbound fully laden vessels may use the inbound traffic.lane “

You must consult local rules

[DEAN2140]

Not entirely an academic question. Read "The Great Halifax Explosion" by Jon Bacon where two ships were navigating a narrow channel, one of which was a munitions ship, and through multiple errors collided, resulting in almost 3000 dead, including flattening the town. A terrific read.

[GeneM]

There seems to be many lengthy explanations for a simple thing.

In U.S. inland waters for two power driven vessels either vessel initiates a one or two whistle blast to say they "intend" to turn right or left. The other vessel answers with the same signal to agree. Then they can proceed as agreed where neither vessel is the burdened vessel. Note that in international waters there is no "intention" (the signal indicates a right or left turn).

If they don't agree, blow the danger signal and stop.

Pilots will agree on the radio to a one-whistle passing or a two-whistle passing well before whistle signals are effective. When in range, they blow signals as a matter of legality. If the whistle signal is different than the radio agreement, the whistle prevails.

The Houston ship channel is a classic case of two ships not fitting in the channel width well. They do what's called the Texas Chicken.

They head straight at each other to stay in the deep water center to avoid bank suction. They kick right rudder when about two shiplengths apart. Their bow waves separate them and they shift to left rudder to avoid sucking their sterns together.

My shipping days are long past, but I'll bet they still do this.

Now, being a boater, I noticed that most don't pay attention to the finer points of the rules. It must be that being able to stop quickly makes it simple to just not hit anything. Ships have much momentum to deal with.

[FlightPlan]

I concur, same as passing thru a draw bridge in Florida

[davefromoregon]

Originally Posted by Discovery 15797

This happens a lot on places like the Columbia River with commercial vessels west of Astoria where the narrow channel bends almost 90 degrees a logging ship takes up the entire channel making the turn. It also happens in in places like Dodds Narrows.



In both cases, the pilot or captain calls Sécurité on the VHF to inform other ships and boats of their position and their direction.



On the Columbia visibility is good. At places like Dodds Narrows you can't see the 'other side' so when someone calls Sécurité you stop wait for them to pass, then make your call to go through.

I’ve been on the Columbia at night a few times. I’d suggest the area between Altoona and the Rocklands can get really interesting.

[bdurham49]

All things being equal, which they never are, the boat traveling with the current is the stand on boat and the boat headed into it, against the current, is the give way vessel. In all cases the general rule applies which is - it's your responsibility to act in such a way as to avoid an accident.

[skenn_ie]

Suggestion: If there is a current, as in a river or ebb tide, the vessel going downstream would have more difficulty stopping relative to the ground.

[ChessieSailor]

Common sense approach: Communicate intentions any way possible, and early. Vessel going with current has little control, and has to maintain significant way above speed of current in order to steer. Generally is stand on vessel. Vessel headed up stream could come close to 0 knot SOG and still have several knots speed against the current, thus could 'hover' if need be, and 'ferry' to port or starboard with gentle helm. This is very good to practice, especially with a single screw, in a river or tidal flow. (its a basic kayak/canoe moving water maneuver)

[Lodesman]

The int'l colregs don't specify, but look to local rules. Dodd Narrows is subject to the Canadian rules:

9(k)
Notwithstanding paragraph (a) and Rule 14(a), in the Canadian waters of a narrow channel or fairway where there is a current or tidal stream and two power-driven vessels are meeting each other from opposite directions so as to involve risk of collision,

• (i) the vessel proceeding with the current or tidal stream shall be the stand-on vessel and shall propose the place of passage and shall indicate the side on which she intends to pass by sounding the appropriate signal prescribed in Rule 34(a) or (g),
• (ii) the vessel proceeding against the current or tidal stream shall keep out of the way of the vessel proceeding with the current or tidal stream and shall hold as necessary to permit safe passing,
• (iii) the vessel proceeding against the current or tidal stream shall promptly reply to the signal referred to in subparagraph (i) with the same signal, if she is in agreement, and with the sound signal prescribed in Rule 34(d), if she is in doubt.

In US inland waters:

9a(ii) Notwithstanding Rule 9(a)(i) and Rule 14(a), a power-driven vessel operating in narrow channel or fairway on the Great Lakes, Western Rivers, or waters specified by the Secretary, and proceeding downbound with a following current shall have the right-of-way over an upbound vessel, shall propose the manner and place of passage, and shall initiate the maneuvering signals prescribed by Rule 34(a)(i), as appropriate. The vessel proceeding upbound against the current shall hold as necessary to permit safe passing.

The I think the ICW has special rules that say the same thing. I suspect the Columbia River does too.

[Lodesman]

The blurb out of CEVNI:

Article 6.07 – Meeting in narrow channels

1. In order to avoid so far as possible meetings on sections or at points where the channel is not unquestionably wide enough for vessels to pass (narrow channels), the following rules shall apply:
(a) All vessels shall proceed through narrow channels as quickly as possible;
(b) Where the view is restricted, vessels shall sound one long blast before entering a narrow channel; if necessary, especially when the narrow channel is long, they shall repeat this signal while passing through it;
(c) On waterways for which "downstream" and "upstream" are defined:
(i) A vessel or convoy proceeding upstream, on becoming aware that a vessel proceeding downstream is about to enter a narrow channel, shall stop below the channel until the vessel proceeding downstream has passed through it;
(ii) When a convoy or a vessel proceeding upstream has already entered a narrow channel, vessels or convoys proceeding downstream shall, so far as possible, stop above the channel until the convoy or vessel has passed through it;
(d) On waterways for which "downstream" and "upstream" are not defined:
(i) Vessels having no obstacle to starboard and those which in a curved narrow channel have the outside of the curve to starboard shall hold their course and other vessels shall wait until they have passed through the narrow channel; however, this provision shall not apply between small craft and other vessels;
(ii) In the case of a meeting between a small craft under sail and a small craft of another category, the small craft under sail shall maintain its course and the other shall wait until the small craft under sail has passed through the narrow channel;
(iii) In the case of two sailing vessels meeting, the vessel to windward or, if both are navigating with the wind, the vessel which has the wind on the starboard side shall maintain its course and the other vessel shall wait until it has passed through the narrow channel.
This provision does not apply to small sailing craft in relation to other vessels.

2. When a meeting in a narrow channel has become inevitable, the vessels concerned shall take every possible precaution to ensure that they pass at a point and under conditions involving the minimum danger. A boatmaster seeing any danger of collision shall sound a series of very short blasts.

[tlavino]

Originally Posted by StuM

But US Inland Rules on rivers is a different situation. There your status is based on whether you are going upstream or downtream.

Rules for Western Rivers do not apply to the Columbia, only to the Mississippi and it’s tributaries.

[evm1024]

Speaking for US Inland Rules the devil is in the details.

There is no occupation CBD (constrained by draft) so we understand the OP reference to be vessels that are RAR (restricted in ability to maneuver) due to vessel draft and channel depth/profile. The point is taken.

Rule 14 (with the exception of 14(d)) does not give stand-on, give-way to any vessel.

Rule 14(d) specifies:

(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Rule, a power-driven vessel
operating on the Great Lakes, Western Rivers, or waters specified by the
Secretary, and proceeding downbound with a following current shall have
the right-of-way over an upbound vessel, shall propose the manner of
passage, and shall initiate the maneuvering signals prescribed by Rule
34(a)(i), as appropriate.

In regards to the Columbia River the key here is that 14(d) is limited to Great Lakes, Western Rivers, or waters specified. Non of which the Columbia belongs. It is a common misunderstanding that Western Rivers means rivers in the West of the US. Western Rivers means the Mississippi River and tributaries et al. See 33 CFR § 164.70.

The other applicable rule is Rule 9. But again Rule 9(a)(ii) applies on Western Rivers.

So for the rest of the inland waters, passage rules apply without regard to current/tides.

On the Columbia, and any river served by pilots, the movement of ships is coordinated through the pilots. They plan and know where each ship is and have worked out a passing schedule. No surprises.


Lastly - here is a place in Inland rules where right-of-way is used. One of the two. And it does give right-of-way in a legal sense.