Presentation by

Marc HughstonUS Coast Guard Licensed Master

US SAILING Certified Bareboat Instructor

RULES OF THE ROADRULES OF THE ROAD

RULES OF THE ROADRULES OF THE ROAD• Foundational reviewFoundational review

• Three situations involving Sail and Three situations involving Sail and PowerPower

• Narrow channelsNarrow channels

• Shipping LanesShipping Lanes

• Quiz!!!Quiz!!!– ““You can you do it all night long in your You can you do it all night long in your

dinghy at Isthmus Cove, but it’ll get you dinghy at Isthmus Cove, but it’ll get you a ticket in Newport Harbor.” What is it?a ticket in Newport Harbor.” What is it?

Rule 2: ResponsibilityRule 2: Responsibility• ““Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the

owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seaman.”seaman.”

• General Prudential RuleGeneral Prudential Rule:: the mariner is responsible not only the mariner is responsible not only for complying with the Rules but also for avoiding a collisionfor complying with the Rules but also for avoiding a collision..

Foundational ReviewFoundational Review

• Our Our OO - Overtaken vessel - Overtaken vessel• Navy Navy NN - Not under command - Not under command• Requires Requires RR - Restricted in ability to - Restricted in ability to

maneuvermaneuver• Canned Canned CC - Constrained by draft- Int’l only - Constrained by draft- Int’l only• Fish Fish FF - Engaged in fishing - Engaged in fishing• Served Served SS - Sailing vessels - Sailing vessels• Promptly Promptly PP - Power driven vessels - Power driven vessels• Seven Seven SS - Seaplanes - Seaplanes

OOur ur NNavy avy RRequires equires CCanned anned FFish ish SServed erved PPromptly at romptly at SSeveneven

Pecking OrderPecking Order

Click Image to Play Video

• Vessel engaged in fishing means any vessel fishing Vessel engaged in fishing means any vessel fishing with nets, lines, trawls or other fishing apparatus with nets, lines, trawls or other fishing apparatus which restrict maneuverability.which restrict maneuverability.– Does NOT include Does NOT include vessel with trolling lines.vessel with trolling lines.

Rule 3: DefinitionsRule 3: DefinitionsVessel engaged in fishingVessel engaged in fishing

• Vessel restricted in ability to maneuver means a Vessel restricted in ability to maneuver means a vessel which from vessel which from the nature of her workthe nature of her work is is unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.

Rule 3: DefinitionsRule 3: DefinitionsVessel restricted in ability to Vessel restricted in ability to

maneuvermaneuver

• Examples: Laying Nav aids, Dredging/Surveying, Examples: Laying Nav aids, Dredging/Surveying, Flight Ops, Mine clearance.Flight Ops, Mine clearance.

Rule 7: Risk of CollisionRule 7: Risk of Collision

• Every vessel shall use all available Every vessel shall use all available means to determine if risk of collision means to determine if risk of collision exists.exists.

•Early use of RADAR to obtain early warning risk Early use of RADAR to obtain early warning risk of collisionof collision

•Systematic observationSystematic observation

• Such risk is deemed to exist if the Such risk is deemed to exist if the compass bearing of an approaching compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change.vessel does not appreciably change.

Rule 8: Action to Avoid Rule 8: Action to Avoid CollisionCollision• Any action taken to avoid collision must Any action taken to avoid collision must

be: be: – PositivePositive– Made in ample timeMade in ample time

• Course and speed alterations must: Course and speed alterations must: – Be large enough to be readily apparent Be large enough to be readily apparent

visually or on radar. Avoid a succession of visually or on radar. Avoid a succession of small alterations.small alterations.

Rule 16: Action by Give-Way Rule 16: Action by Give-Way VesselVessel

• Take early and substantial action to Take early and substantial action to keep well clear.keep well clear.

Rule 17: Action by Stand-on Rule 17: Action by Stand-on VesselVessel• Maintain course and speed.Maintain course and speed.

• Take action to avoid collision when it is apparent the Take action to avoid collision when it is apparent the give-way vessel is not taking appropriate action.give-way vessel is not taking appropriate action.

Three Kinds of ConflictsThree Kinds of Conflicts• MeetingMeeting

• CrossingCrossing

• OvertakingOvertaking

Power v. PowerPower v. Power

• MeetingMeeting

Turn to starboard, pass port to port

Power v. PowerPower v. Power

• CrossingCrossing

Give-way to power on the rightGive-way to power on the right

See red, See red, Stop!Stop!

See green, See green, Go!Go!

Power v. PowerPower v. Power

• OvertakingOvertaking

Keep well clear of the overtaken vesselKeep well clear of the overtaken vessel

Overtaking or Crossing?Overtaking or Crossing?

22.5o

abeam

Overtaking Situation

Crossing Situation

Sail v. SailSail v. Sail

• Meeting, opposite tacksMeeting, opposite tacks

Port tack gives-way, Starboard tack stands-on

Wind

Starboard TackPort Tack

Sail v. SailSail v. Sail

• Crossing, opposite tacksCrossing, opposite tacks

On opposite tacks,

Port tack gives-way, Starboard tack stands-on

Wind

Starboard Tack

Port Tack

Sail v. SailSail v. Sail

• Crossing, same tackCrossing, same tack

On the same tack,

Windward gives-way, Leeward stands-on

Wind

Port TackWindward

Port TackLeeward

Rule 9: Narrow ChannelsRule 9: Narrow Channels

• Stay on the “right” side of the channel.Stay on the “right” side of the channel.

• Sailing vessels and vessels < 20 meters shall not Sailing vessels and vessels < 20 meters shall not impede vessels restricted to the channel.impede vessels restricted to the channel.

• Fishing vessels shall not Fishing vessels shall not impede those vessels.impede those vessels.

• Crossing vessels shall not Crossing vessels shall not impede those vessels.impede those vessels.

• Do not anchor in a channel.Do not anchor in a channel.

Rule 10: Traffic Separation Rule 10: Traffic Separation SchemesSchemes

• Use small angle of Use small angle of approach to enter/depart.approach to enter/depart.

• Cross the scheme at right Cross the scheme at right angles.angles.

• You can fish in the lanes as You can fish in the lanes as long as you do not impede long as you do not impede passage of the other vessels.passage of the other vessels.

• Small vessels and sailing Small vessels and sailing vessels shall not impede the vessels shall not impede the passage of a power driven passage of a power driven vessel in a lane.vessel in a lane.

Quiz!!!Quiz!!!1.1. When the starboard tacked 82 foot schooner When the starboard tacked 82 foot schooner Kelpie’sKelpie’s

bowsprit skewered the port tacked 30 foot race boat bowsprit skewered the port tacked 30 foot race boat Dr. J,Dr. J, Kelpie’sKelpie’s insurance company still paid 40% of insurance company still paid 40% of Dr. J’sDr. J’s damages - this is because:damages - this is because:

a.a. Dr. J’sDr. J’s owner was teaching crew how to tie a bowline and owner was teaching crew how to tie a bowline and was engaged in “sail training.”was engaged in “sail training.”

b. b. Dr. J’sDr. J’s owner had a better lawyer than owner had a better lawyer than Kelpie’sKelpie’s owner. owner.

c. c. Dr. JDr. J was racing and therefore was required to stand-on. was racing and therefore was required to stand-on.

d. d. Kelpie didn’t comply with the rules by definition because Kelpie didn’t comply with the rules by definition because she never even noticed Dr. J was there until the collision she never even noticed Dr. J was there until the collision caused her to slow down.caused her to slow down.

d. d. Kelpie didn’t comply with the rules by definition because Kelpie didn’t comply with the rules by definition because she never even noticed Dr. J was there until the collision she never even noticed Dr. J was there until the collision caused her to slow down.caused her to slow down.

b. b. I’m in doubt as to your I’m in doubt as to your intentions.intentions.

b. b. I’m in doubt as to your intentions.I’m in doubt as to your intentions.

Quiz!!!Quiz!!!2.2. 5 Short blasts on the horn mean:5 Short blasts on the horn mean:

c.c. Get out of the way you moron!!!Get out of the way you moron!!!

d. d. It’s Happy Hour! Another margarita?It’s Happy Hour! Another margarita?

a. a. So that’s what this button does!So that’s what this button does!

Also, Also, Danger!!Danger!!

b. b. I intend to leave you on my port I intend to leave you on my port side.side.

Quiz!!!Quiz!!!3.3. In Long Beach Harbor you are under sail crossing a In Long Beach Harbor you are under sail crossing a

huge tanker being pushed ahead by a tug. All of a huge tanker being pushed ahead by a tug. All of a sudden she rattles you with a blast of her horn. She is sudden she rattles you with a blast of her horn. She is saying to you:saying to you:

c.c. Get out of the way you moron!!!Get out of the way you moron!!!

d. d. Big boats Rule!!Big boats Rule!!

a. a. Don’t go there, you’ll be sorry!Don’t go there, you’ll be sorry!

b. b. I intend to leave you on my port I intend to leave you on my port side.side.

Quiz!!!Quiz!!!4.4. You are under sail and crossing a tug towing a couple of You are under sail and crossing a tug towing a couple of

barges full of rocks back from Catalina. The captain of barges full of rocks back from Catalina. The captain of the tug expects to give-way to you. However, if you get the tug expects to give-way to you. However, if you get closer than a mile away and the tug has not taken action closer than a mile away and the tug has not taken action to avoid you, the burden then shifts to you and you to avoid you, the burden then shifts to you and you should give way.should give way.

True or FalseTrue or False

Quiz!!!Quiz!!!

5.5. The Balboa Island Ferry in Newport Harbor has right of The Balboa Island Ferry in Newport Harbor has right of way over other vessels because it is commercial, and way over other vessels because it is commercial, and can’t maneuver well with all those cars, bicycles, and can’t maneuver well with all those cars, bicycles, and people on deck.people on deck.

True or FalseTrue or False

Quiz!!!Quiz!!!

6.6. You can do this all night long in your dinghy at You can do this all night long in your dinghy at Catalina, but it will get you a ticket in Newport Harbor.Catalina, but it will get you a ticket in Newport Harbor.

True or FalseTrue or False