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Action
to Avoid Collision
If
your are going to make an alteration of course make sure its an early
and bold alteration as long as you have plenty sea room
Every
alteration must be big enough so the other vessel can see it on his
radar
A
series of small alterations should be avoided
When
making an alteration of course, make sure you don't place your vessel
into a close quarter situation/risk of collision with another vessel
When
taking action to avoid collision you can do one of 4 things
(1)
Make an early and bold alteration of course
(2)slow
your vessel down
(3)stop
your vessel
(4)come
astern with your vessel
If
you are ever in doubt your best thing to do is stop your vessel until
the risk of collision is past (also gives you more thinking time as
to what you can do)
After
making an alteration of course, take more bearings to make sure the
risk of collision/close quarter situation is past
If
you're on a collision course
If
you're the stand-on vessel you may alter course as long as your not
in a close quarters situation, but if in a close quarters situation
you shall alter course (Never get into a close quarter situation if
you can help it)
Rule
of thumb
From
8 to 12 miles
- this is your plotting distance to find out if risk of collision/close
quarters situation exists
From
4 to 8 miles - this is your/other vessels action area
below
4 miles - close quarters situation (out in the open
sea, you should have no vessel within 4 miles)
What
you have to do in any situation
(1)
Take a series of compass, radar and visual bearing to see if a "Risk
of Collision/close quarters situation exists"
(2)
Figure out who the giveway/stand-on vessel is
(3)
If your the stand-on vessel then use (A)
below
(4)
If your the giveway vessel then use (B)
below
(5)
If the giveway vessel is standing on then
sound 5 or more short and rapid blasts on the ships whistle or flash
your masthead light rapidly 5 or more times, if you get no response
then use (C) below
(A)
Stand-on with caution, maintaining your course and speed, keep taking
bearings to make sure the giveway vessel givesway
(B)
As long as there is pleanty sea-room, make
an early and bold alteration towards the giveway vessel, give him plenty
sea-room, if not a lot of sea-room stop your vessel and let him pass
(C)
Make an bold alteration away from this vessel (he could be a pirate
vessel)
!!!
Never alter towards the giveway vessel !!! |
