Changing course

[Scott Danforth]

Dude, take the safety course.

 

[dthx]

No....you cannot.
Well, I suppose if you are able to...you can....but if you are sailing and you are not under engine power......you will be liable for any damages, etc.
You do not have right away over fishing boats that are fishing.....this does not include bass boats, etc.

Great discussion.....all points being made could lead to a completely new discussion in themselves......very cool.
However, unless we are in a court of law....we are measuring a brick with a micrometer....so to speak...
My 2 cents is this...
If you are 'making way" and your bow is pointing at ....say ....90 degrees mag compass (at the helm)...it can be said that you are on a "Heading" of 90 degrees magnetic.
If you are making ...say....1 knot in speed and the wind is blowing at 40 knots against your port side and it pushes you to starboard at ...say....3 knots....your "COURSE" would not be 90 degrees magnetic....regardless as to where the bow is pointing.
If a collision occurred, I suppose legally the Coast Guard would say that you hit the other vessel at a "course" of something other than 90 mag.
If you're a narrow channel following the bends in the channel....you are constantly changing your heading and course.
AND if you are a sailboat (sailing).......you don't always get the right of way over power boats.....
If you are in a sailboat and DO NOT have your engine running.......Some vessels have rights over you.
1.Any anchored vessel (not under command)...if you hit an anchored vessel....you are at fault.
2..vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver....say a pipe laying dredge.......
3.a vessel constrained by their draft....say a tanker....she can't get out of the way without going aground...
4. A fishing vessel that's fishing......not a bass boat or center console guide boat, etc
All these vessels have "stand on rights" over a sailboat if sailing with no engine.......
If your sailboat's engine is running and causing you to make way ...that's another matter....you are now a power boat and you have to yield to sailboats that have no engine power....
You cannot go out in the middle of a fishing fleet that have their nets out and do donuts with your sailboat......you can..... but if you foul their nets you, my friend, are liable....you do not have the right of way
1972 Collision Regulations....called "72 col regs"

 

[Myrtonos]

So, are you saying that a boat in a narrow channel following bends in the channel is legally changing course, when a vehicle on an undivided road of a similar width is legally going straight?

Already rules on the roads also vary by intersection and type of road. For example, there are different rules for uncontrolled sign controlled and signal controlled intersections, rules for roundabouts are different again. And these are all intersections between non-freeway roads. Rules on freeways are different again.

Boaters ought to be dealing with bigger differences between open water and narrow channels than road users (including cyclists) deal with between intersection types, or even the difference between highways and by-ways.

So if rules on the road can differ so much between different types of road and different intersections, what about different channels and bodies of water?

 

[dthx]

There are rules on the water for traffic intersections also.....say an intersection with a ship channel going to open water and the ICW (Intercoastal Waterway)....apologies if you know that.

The rules of "get out of the way and let the other guy do what he's gonna do"....are generally based on how maneuverable both vessels are ...
Except in... for instance in open water..... in say...a crossing situation...a vessel has to yield to the vessel on it's starboard at all times.....if you are cruising along and a boat begins to cross you and it is coming from your right (Starboard) towards you ...you're supposed to give way to that vessel....she has the right of way.
If however, you have to drive on to the beach to yield (any land) ......you have the right of way.
The other thing I was talking about was The Pecking Order....every OUPV Captain knows the right of way order ...or should.
They are in order...highest right of way to lowest
Vessel not under command...(anchored)
a vessel restricted in it's ability to maneuver...(big boat little channel)
a vessel constrained by her draft...(can't get out of your way unless going aground)
fishing vessel while fishing
sailboat....no engine
Power boat
seaplane
Hovercraft
(The hover craft yields to everybody because she can go anywhere and get out of everyone's way.)
BUT....those who think that just because you have the legal right of way you are going to escape guilt....you are wrong....
If you're a sailboat on the open ocean and you're on an intercept course with a tanker.......she MAY technically have to yield to you (if doing so doesnt put the vessel in danger).....but to change her course...she may have to spend $1000's of dollars in ultimate fuel costs........it's a big deal
So just get the Hell out of the way.....if it doesn't put you in danger
BTW...there are also rules on overtaking a vessel.....(Passing )

 

[fhhuber]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brNX4xqlXJE

 

[dthx]

VERY funny!......thanks

 

[zeropond]

Hello
I am zeropond I am a new of this forums site. So I have to thank the community to given the member of this forums site. But I have nothing any answer to your question. So please ask to your friends ........................