INTRODUCTION


It’s tempting to think of the sea as a place where anything goes. Once we leave harbour, there are few restrictions to torment us: no speed limits, traffic lights, parking prohibitions, ‘keep off the grass’ signs or any of the other pettifogging commands we must live with ashore. The personal freedom the sea offers is one of its strongest attractions and it regularly draws many thousands of us out onto the water to enjoy ourselves in our various ways.


But, to some extent this sense of freedom is an illusion. We cannot be entirely free. The natural influences of wind and tide will have their say, and then there are essential man-made rules and regulations − internationally agreed and accepted − that dictate how we must act in certain circumstances. It is the knowledge of these and other related issues that fall under the broad heading ‘seamanship’ and make us all seafarers, whatever reason takes us to sea. And this is not bad news. Mariners of all types have a long and admirable tradition of looking out for each other. When it comes to the crunch, you will find that the master of a cruise liner, the commercial trawlerman, the skipper in his yacht, and − as you might have guessed − the sea angler, are all very much in the same boat.


So the purpose of this book is to cover the essentials. By knowing what to do and what is expected of us, it is possible to stay safe, firstly for our own sakes and secondly to help others do the same.


Andrew Simpson


Key to symbols used in illustrations throughout the book


Wind


Tidal stream or current


Direction of movement or forces acting on objects


RYA Seamanship for Sea Anglers


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