Regal 53 SC Owner's Manual page 44

6. When overtaking or passing, the boat being passed has
the right of way.
In general, boats with less maneuverability have right-of-way
over more agile craft. The skipper must keep his craft clear of
the following vessels:
• A vessel not under command or aground; due to their
circumstances, these vessels have no maneuverability.
• A vessel restricted in its maneuverability; these
vessels usually are performing work which limits their
maneuverability such as surveying, dredging, laying pipe or
cable, or servicing navigational markers among others.
• A vessel engaged in fi shing; these include boats fi shing
with lines, trawls or nets, but not trolling lines.
• Sailboats; they have the right-of-way over powerboats.
However, if a sailboat is using a prop to move forward, it
is considered a powerboat even if the sails are up.
• Remember the unwritten "rule of tonnage". Basically a
smaller tonnage vessel should take every effort to avoid
close quarters with a larger tonnage vessel. One way to
accomplish this is to have a designated human lookout
to "eyeball" the horizon for any developing collision
course.
• Use defensive driving skills on the waterway just as you
do on the roadway. The other vessel may not know the
"rules of the road". Be alert and ready to take immediate
action.
• If a collision course is unavoidable neither boat has the
right of way. Both boats must react to avoid an accident
according to the rules of the road.
LOOKOUTS
International and Inland navigation rules spell out the
specifi cs of establishing a lookout. A lookout is legally
defi ned by the court system as a person who has specifi cally
charged duties on board such as observing sounds, echoes,
lights and any inhibitors to navigation with complete
thoroughness as permitted by the circumstances.
The term "specifi cally charged" means that the lookout
has no other duties at that time that could prevent him
from keeping a proper watch.
Of course the skipper must delegate the lookout duties to a
seasoned crew member who can react to events quickly and
communicate effectively with the captain with little notice.
As captain of your yacht you are responsible for the vessel
and the crew. Choose an experienced individual as lookout
and review the navigation rules with this person so he can
make the right call quickly as situations develop.
2
Chapter 3