Yet another Colregs query

[davil]

Originally Posted by Adelie

No, the attempts didn’t fail, you and Jammer made nice.

The point I intended but didn’t articulate well is that COLREGS threads tend to be humorless, if you intend humor, state it blatantly or it will be taken at face value.

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thank you, Adelie

all is well on the Eastern front


Life is good

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by ob44

20 knots is fast. Setting a 3-mile scale for both radars at that speed strikes me as per se negligence; Utopia closes that distance in 7.8 minutes (TB closes that distance in 18 minutes, as does my sailboat).

At 20 kts a vessel covers 3 miles in 9 mins; at 5 kts they cover 3 miles in 36 mins.

Originally Posted by ob44

It is useful as collision avoidance only if you are glued to it, which Utopia was not.

It is rarely necessary to be glued to a radar screen - in this case periodic scanning, with ranging out for long-range scanning would have allowed them to pick up TB and plan a safe pass. You're right that setting a 3 mile scale is negligent, given their speed.

Originally Posted by ob44

I put the fault entirely and completely on Utopia. Blaming the TB is, to me, hyper-technical and unrealistic.

Both vessels are required to maintain a proper lookout. This collision could have also been avoided if the lookout on TB was effective. That is entirely realistic and keeping with the whole gist of Colregs.

Originally Posted by ob44

The whole focus on TB seems stupid. She got rear-ended by a driver who was texting at the wheel.

I don't think there's been a "whole focus" on TB, other than insofar that the OP's question was specifically about what TB should have done in the circumstances.

[aqfishing]

Originally Posted by davil

I know nothing about no Colreg thing

I use my rule

If is bigger than me, get the hell out of the way.

If is smaller, check if my liability insurance is paid.

Besides that, I remember what a lawyer once told me, you may be on the right BUT it is not worth it dying with your rights on!!

And you own a boat that I presume you skipper!!

[boatman61]

You fishing there Aqua, hoping for a bite..???

[aqfishing]

Once a fisherman…

[Cynara]

I almost always look astearn or to one side or the other because it is the most comfortable. Er also don't use an autopilot because of out windvane. The wind
windvane dosen't stear a dead straight cours
course so the bow is moving back and forth so it is easy to keep an eye out for others.

[boat driver]

Originally Posted by Jammer

This has been discussed extensively:



https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...259221-13.html


The ideal action for the tanker to take upon realizing that the superyacht was on a collision course would have been to turn to starboard.


It would be helpful to share a link to the report.


Most cruising yachts with radar have the scanner mounted on the mast. Usually this results in an area of reduced sensitivity astern. My scanner is on the front of the mast and I still see large targets dead astern i.e. land masses.


I look astern often, can't speak for others.

Careful on blind spots. A wet sail can create a blind spot in correct trim.
All vessels have a blind spot unless radar is a masthead and/ or the antenna lengt( can overextend the object.

Blind spots are diagramed on the radar console on commercial vessels.

[IanTrail]

I would have thought that the tank vessel should be pretty obvious to the superyacht so clearly no-one on the superyacht was keeping watch. Therefore 5 good loud honks should wake them up.

[IceOps]

Originally Posted by IanTrail

I would have thought that the tank vessel should be pretty obvious to the superyacht so clearly no-one on the superyacht was keeping watch. Therefore 5 good loud honks should wake them up.

five good loud honks? Please learn proper sound signals.

[IceOps]

I was once doing the role as a safety officer on a collegiate sailing team racing around Long Island in the fall. After sleeping for a couple of hours I came up on deck to discover we were in the middle of what's called 3 bar fog. Also known as zero visibility. When I queried the collegiate sailing captain as to why we were not sounding FOG signals, his reply was he wanted to hear other ships. I said that's very commendable, but that's not how it works. Why don't you start sounding fog signals ASAP. He ordered it. Logic is sometime wrong...

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by IceOps

five good loud honks? Please learn proper sound signals.

The signal is right - you have a problem with the terminology. Ironic, when you use terms like "burdened vessel." People in glass houses...

[Paul Reading]

If you are stand on you have a duty to maintain your course and speed until it is apparent that the other vessel is not taking avoiding action.

If you are being overtaken you must turn to PORT. If the vessel being over taken turns to starboard and the over taking vessel also turns to starboard the vessel being over taken will be held responsible for the collision.

In all other circumstances both vessels are expected to turn to starboard.

[Pandor]

Utter nonsense.

[Paul Reading]

If you are being over taken and you turn to starboard and the over taking vessel also turns to starboard you will have failed to maintain your course and the over taking vessel will be in the right because they turned to starboard you won't have a defence. That is why you must turn to port if you believe the overtaking vessel is not altering course.

[skipperpete]

I think that at no point up until the moment of the collision was either watchkeeper aware of the presence of the other vessel. A turn to port by the tanker in this particular instance may have caused a collision that resulted in an explosion aboard the tanker.
I did a search on Utopia4 , wow , that is one beautiful superyacht. The owners wife did a video walkthrough of the accommodation and galley and there must have been a pile of lamps, statues, tables and other furniture at the front of each huge living area post impact.
Interestingly there was a view of the main bridge that showed a series of very large electronic displays across the entire bridge.
Sadly, the owner died very suddenly a few months after the incident. The Utopia is now for sale.