14 OUR OBLIGATIONS TO OTHERS Chapter 14


OUR OBLIGATIONS TO OTHERS ‘MANNERS MAKETH MAN’


These words from William of Wykeham (1324-1404), once bishop of Winchester, summarise an important aspect of seamanship. In the introduction to this book we touched on the bonds that link all mariners, regardless of what sort of vessel they command or crew. When you put to sea you enter a community of fellow seafarers between whom the tradition of ‘help thy neighbour’ is very strong. Consideration for others is not just simple courtesy, but more a vital ingredient in the code that helps keep all of us as safe as possible.


But courtesy does indeed play its part. Unfortunately there are those who adopt a selfish attitude and, in doing so, spoil it for everyone else.


Sometimes their actions are deliberate and sometimes they arise from ignorance. A considerate skipper will…


■ Always match speed to the circumstances. Twenty knots might be fine in clear water but not in narrow channels or anchorages where your wake will rock anchored boats, could swamp or capsize dinghies or send waves crashing onto a nearby beach where children might be playing.


■ Be mindful of the manoeuvring limitations of others. Sailing yachts must tack to windward and many can’t venture into shallow water. Hopefully they will be just as considerate when they see you have lines in the water which you would prefer not to have snagged.


■ Take all rubbish home, and certainly never dump anything that isn’t rapidly biodegradable into the sea. Fishing lines can wind around prop shafts and do serious damage to bearings. Nets are even worse.


■ Keep a lookout for others who might be in difficulty. An exhausted windsurfer or capsized sailing dinghy probably has no means of signalling distress and could be in very serious danger. Is that man waving from a dory just being friendly or has he run out of fuel? If in doubt, assume the worst and investigate further.


Of course, much of this is just common sense. If we all looked after each other we would need no more than simple rules – the Colregs, for instance – and the rest could be left to human kindness. Well, there’s certainly room for that but, just to make sure, many of our responsibilities are spelled out in SOLAS V and have the weight of international law behind them. In short, consideration for others is more than just being nice – it’s a legal obligation that we cannot ignore.


102


RYA Seamanship for Sea Anglers


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120