While under power and another boat under power approaches at about 90 deg from your port side, who has right of way?

I have had mix answers from a few experienced boaters so what do you think without referring to the rules Book?

All other things being equal, or not applicable ten:Give way to the right.

Having had a mix of answers from experienced boaters tells me that they are not experienced enough. Why on earth not refer to the rule book, that's what it's there for.

For the record, you have right of way .... just hope that the other skipper knows that as well.

It is scary how little most boat operators know about 'right of way'.

We were regularly sailing on our little Windrider over Easter time at Sussex Inlet and St Georges Basin.
Now I'm not the type to blast up to other boats under sail and then call a late 'Starboard' to get by.
We were typically holding a steady course and on the correct side of the channel, but the amount of power boats that had no idea or what to do was astounding.

There were some that even had to slam into reverse to have a think about it.

If nothing else, keeping Portside to Portside is the first rule.
Trouble is, most are still thinking they are driving their cars on the road!

We constantly battle with this on the Huon

The traffic on the water is horrendous and the seals dont even know the meaning of the word Colregs





Regards Don

^^^ What an amazing looking spot Donk.

The Swan River midweek can be very quiet and a nice place to be on the water too. Weekends are a different story.

A simple guide , for me , is to treat your Red side as STOP and your Green side as GO and the same rule for the other boat .

So if you view the other craft and see his RED , then you stop. Vice versa. Naturally , even if you are in the right, don't assume the right !!

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Donk107 said...
We constantly battle with this on the Huon

The traffic on the water is horrendous and the seals dont even know the meaning of the word Colregs





Regards Don

Hi Toph

I think this is a weekend

Regards Don

I always remember when I first started sailing my own yacht, I used to keep well away from other yachts. Then one day while I was on a starboard tack I decided to maintain my course, it was a good feeling when a 40 odd footer had to duck behind my little 20 footer, took ages to wipe the wry smile off my face

In the club races i sail in as crew at Port Huon we normally only have 8 boats and at the start line things are normally pretty civilized but when we sail in the major regattas like the Pipe Opener weekend or the Cygnet Regatta there are often 50 or more boats of various lengths, sailing at different speeds with skippers with various experience sailing up and down the line in different directions and it is chaos

I am amazed that there are not more collisions as everyone seems to be yelling out starboard

Regards Don

A controversial issue with rules of the road is that of yachts racing and yachts not racing. Many racing skippers have a belief that they have a right of way over non racing yachts.
COLREGs don't give a racing yacht any privileges. Giving way to a yacht that is racing is a courtesy from the non racing vessel and shouldn't be expected or demanded.

any cruising skipper who sails through a racing fleet calling starboard is just a trouble maker . and deserves any abuse he gets .

on the other hand if a cruising yacht happens to catch a competing yacht out on starboard, in an ocean race for instance with no other competitors around . then i would say the race boat should suck it up .

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warwickl said...

While under power and another boat under power approaches at about 90 deg from your port side, who has right of way?

I have had mix answers from a few experienced boaters so what do you think without referring to the rules Book?

According to the rules there isn't such thing as "right of way". You are either the "give-way" or the "stand-on" vessel. In your case the vessel on your port is the "give-way" vessel - you go. The guide BobFord gives is the easiest to remember: if you look at the port side (RED) of the other vessel, you give way; if you look at starboard (GREEN) of the other vessel, you stand on, which means you keep your speed and direction.
J

I did say it was a contentious issue, but can't agree SandS for a few reasons..

Being considerate to others should be the norm when it is safe and reasonable to do so.

Sailing up Pittwater on a weekend there can be half a dozen different racing fleets moving to and fro. They cannot be avoided and it isn't viable to wait for them all to cross, the leaders are then on their way back as the tailenders go by. And then another fleet comes across. On most occasions they are the troublemaker.

Racing sailors have no right to stand on when not in a position to do so. It is inconsiderate of others in crowded waterways and is unsafe.

Finally the answer to your question is here! Give way to all....if you don't give way to someone that does not know the road rules you may find yourself in the hot seat.

Sailing in Pittwater about two months ago, as in "under sail", when a very large JenBenBavaria or something came bearing down. THey were full steam under motor and went across my stern with 2 metres to spare. That was after I had adjusted course. When I called "too close" the skipper, clearly forgetting he was under motor, but clearly wanting to impress his guests, called "not when you're racing it's not". My response to him was, "you aren't racing, you're motoring" to which he said...... Well, something I can't really repeat here. To which my response was quite shamefully similar. It spoiled a good days sailing. Interestingly, I could still hear the comments from his guests, along the lines of, "poor form" etc. Perhaps it's this kind of attitude that has prompted RPAYC to advertise for more crew, if this tosser was as arrogant to his crew on race day as he was to me, they wouldn't hang around too long.

Thing is, I had to deviate my course to avoid a collision, which is my responsibility. Even if some self entitled tosser doesn't seem to believe he should deviate his course, because he has more money and a bigger boat than me.

This kind of thing happens in all areas of life, not just on the water. Cyclists in training want all the road, surfers in their local comp want all the waves, even though the break is open to all.

Well stated MorningBird, we should all be considerate to other boaters! Just because you're in a racing fleet does not give you the right to run down a cruising boat especially if you don't have right of way. Sailing is supposed to be fun....... Not a battle to see who gets right of way..,.,.

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SandS said...

any cruising skipper who sails through a racing fleet calling starboard is just a trouble maker . and deserves any abuse he gets .

on the other hand if a cruising yacht happens to catch a competing yacht out on starboard, in an ocean race for instance with no other competitors around . then i would say the race boat should suck it up .

Hahahaha, surely this is a wind up! as I find it hard to believe a supposedly experienced sailor as you sir, could have this opinion??

Racing courses often take up the entire width of a particular body of water, & there is no option but to go through, I am always as courteous as is possible ie by slowing down allowing racers to pass ahead etc. But COLREGs should always apply.

Reminds me of a story a friend told me that makes me smile,....he was sailing along minding his on business, another vessel was approaching (my friend was the stand-on vessel), the other skipper yelled "IM RACING!!!", my friend yelled back "Good Luck".

Boats cruising should avoid areas such as race start lines and mark rounding areas where possible, make your directional intentions clear. If you are racing, then you should be planning ahead far enough to avoid a cruising boat in your race course.

No one racing should think they can demand right of way on the basis they are in a competition.

There is some really interesting right of way issues coming out of the foiling Moths which are so much faster than the surrounding boats - power and sail, making giveway a bit tricky at times.

This is my question...

Under sail power - If your mainsail is on starboard tack, but heading downwind you have goosenecked your jib/genoa to a port tack. Are you on starboard tack?

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SirJman said...
This is my question...

Under sail power - If your mainsail is on starboard tack, but heading downwind you have goosenecked your jib/genoa to a port tack. Are you on starboard tack?

Wouldn't you then be classed as "running" as you are on neither tack and in which case boats overtaking you have to keep clear just as you must keep clear if you are the overtaking boat?

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LooseChange said...

SirJman said...
This is my question...

Under sail power - If your mainsail is on starboard tack, but heading downwind you have goosenecked your jib/genoa to a port tack. Are you on starboard tack?

Wouldn't you then be classed as "running" as you are on neither tack and in which case boats overtaking you have to keep clear just as you must keep clear if you are the overtaking boat?

Hmmm, but the same for in a race and giving bouy room?

My understanding is if the mainsail boom is on the Port side of boat centerline, you are on starboard. The genoa/jib doesn't come into it.

My take on the windward / leeward issue is :

If you are running, you giveway to boats close hauled also on starboard. Boats close hauled on Port would giveway to boats running on Starboard.

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Fiesta said...
My understanding is if the mainsail boom is on the Port side of boat centerline, you are on starboard. The genoa/jib doesn't come into it.

My take on the windward / leeward issue is :

If you are running, you giveway to boats close hauled also on starboard. Boats close hauled on Port would giveway to boats running on Starboard.

Since we are having fun pondering. Ketch rig... two booms, not that I have ever sailed one. Can you oppose the booms (stb/prt tacks).

Excuse the quality of the image but hopefully this is of some help.

Other



option

Fiesta is right. What tack you are on is relative to which side your mainsail/boom (this being the fore/aft set sail which sets behind your main mast) falls on.

Even on a schooner where the mizzensail would be the larger.

Pekeri and Subsonic are correct. Upwind boat gives way if on the same tack.

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BlueMoon said...

SandS said...

any cruising skipper who sails through a racing fleet calling starboard is just a trouble maker . and deserves any abuse he gets .

on the other hand if a cruising yacht happens to catch a competing yacht out on starboard, in an ocean race for instance with no other competitors around . then i would say the race boat should suck it up .

Hahahaha, surely this is a wind up! as I find it hard to believe a supposedly experienced sailor as you sir, could have this opinion??

yep thats my opinion

Racing courses often take up the entire width of a particular body of water, & there is no option but to go through, I am always as courteous as is possible ie by slowing down allowing racers to pass ahead etc. But COLREGs should always apply.

of course yachts have to sail through racing fleets . but would you call starboard on a yacht if you were cruising and it was obvious they were racing ? from what you have said the answer to that is no. so it seems sir your opinion is as mine !!!

Reminds me of a story a friend told me that makes me smile,....he was sailing along minding his on business, another vessel was approaching (my friend was the stand-on vessel), the other skipper yelled "IM RACING!!!", my friend yelled back "Good Luck".