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Encountering Other Vessels
There are three main situations in which you may encounter other vessels and you must observe the Steering
Rules in order to avoid a collision. These are:
•
Meeting (you are approaching another vessel head-on)
•
Crossing (you are traveling across the other vessel's path)
•
Overtaking (you are passing or being passed by another vessel)
Using the following illustration in which you are the boat in the center, you
should give right-of-way to all vessels shown in the white area. In this instance,
you are the give-way vessel. All vessels in the shaded area must yield to you as
you are the stand-on vessel. Both you and the meeting vessel must alter course
to avoid each other.
If you are meeting another power vessel head-on, and you are close enough to
run the risk of collision, neither of you has the right-of-way. Both of you should
alter course to avoid an accident. You should keep the other vessel on your port
(left) side. This rule doesn't apply if both of you can clear each other by continu-
ing your set course and speed.
When two power-driven vessels are crossing each other's path close
enough to run the risk of collision, the vessel that views the crossing ves-
sel to the starboard (right) side must give-way.
If the other vessel is to the port (left) side, maintain your course and direc-
tion, provided the other vessel gives you the right-of- way as it should.
If you are passing another vessel, you are the give-way vessel. This means
that the other vessel is expected to maintain its course and speed. You
must stay out of its way as you clear it, altering course and speed as
necessary.
Conversely, if you are being passed by another vessel, you should main-
tain your speed and direction so that the other vessel can steer itself
There are three other rules to always remember when driving your boat around other vessels.
When navigating in narrow channels, you should keep to the right when it is safe and practical to do so. If the
operator of a power-driven vessel is preparing to go around a bend that may obstruct the view of other water
vessels, the operator should sound a prolonged blast on the whistle or horn—four to six seconds.
If another vessel is around the bend, it too should sound the whistle or horn. Even if no reply is heard, however,
the vessel should still proceed around the bend with caution.
Pg 47
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