Crossing Separation Zones in Small Yacht

[bedouin]

RichardS,

I apologise if I've broken some rule, but the advice in that little rhyme has probably saved my and more importantly my crews' lives a few times !

Total Nonsense of course - following Colregs will never endanger lives - it is only when people deviate from the rules that people get hurt.

[Seajet]

Jaybee & bedouin,

If you think ships of hundreds of thousands - or even a couple of hundred - of tons are going to alter course for you, you are the couple talking nonsense.

Take Container ships for example, blind for a long distance in front; as for radar, well I have it but it doesn't give the 'Whacky Races' picture beloved by Hollywood !

I regard it as courteous as well as seamanlike to make it obvious I'm avoiding ships - by just a tweak of the tiller compared to the inertia of a ship - and if necessary going behind them; it seems to have worked for me in 34 years of crossing the English Channel.

Making one's intentions clear is part of, not contrary to, the collision regulations.

[simon14b]

Jaybee & bedouin,

If you think ships of hundreds of thousands - or even a couple of hundred - of tons are going to alter course for you, you are the couple talking nonsense.

I remember overhearing two ships talking on the VHF where one of them mentioned that it was making a small course alteration to avoid a sailing boat. As we were the only boat with visual range I suspect it was us.

[Seajet]

I'm not saying all ships disregard yachts; what I AM saying is 'don't take it for granted & push your luck ! '

[Skysail]

Ships have frequently obviously altered course for us in a 40 ft yacht. And I have been very grateful for the obvious alteration they made. But I certainly do not take it for granted.

[LadyInBed]

If you think ships of hundreds of thousands - or even a couple of hundred - of tons are going to alter course for you, you are the couple talking nonsense.

How wrong can you be?
Since I have had AIS I have noticed quite a few ships that were going to cross a bit close do a ten degree course change then change back again once they have past.

[xiaotuanzi]

It still boils down to courtesy & common sense, mixed with a dash of survival instinct !

[Seajet]

How wrong can you be?
Since I have had AIS I have noticed quite a few ships that were going to cross a bit close do a ten degree course change then change back again once they have past.

Lady In Bed,

You are not getting my point; it's much easier - and cheaper - for a yacht to make a course alteration than a ship.

Most ships are well run, and make the 10 degree alteration you've seen; but the one who feels unwilling or unable ( say in a TSS ) will go straight over your or my boat without noticing...just common sense to keep clear, and courtesy not to bother the professionals.

I don't generally try cycling across the paths of lorries either - sheesh, it ain't rocket science.

[jimbaerselman]

Lady In Bed,

You are not getting my point; it's much easier - and cheaper - for a yacht to make a course alteration than a ship.

Most ships are well run, and make the 10 degree alteration you've seen; but the one who feels unwilling or unable ( say in a TSS ) will go straight over your or my boat without noticing...just common sense to keep clear, and courtesy not to bother the professionals.

I don't generally try cycling across the paths of lorries either - sheesh, it ain't rocket science.

You're not stating your assumptions. If you were the stand on vessel, this advice only makes sense if your course alteration is substantial and made when the vessel is more than 5 to 8 nm distant (depending on it's size and manouevrability). Any closer, and it may be the first waltz step.

The next decision distance occurs if you rudely discover there's still a collision risk and you're the stand on vessel (ie, you started a waltz, or you didn't detect the vessel early enough). This is also a size and manouevrability decision. But the distance will be close, between 2nm and 0.5nm, and you're likely to be forced to make a 180 to starboard.

[Pye_End]

Most ships are well run, and make the 10 degree alteration you've seen; but the one who feels unwilling or unable ( say in a TSS ) will go straight over your or my boat without noticing..

Can you cite examples of yachts deliberately being mowed down by ships?