COLLISION AVOIDANCE When power and sail meet


It’s commonly believed that ‘steam (power) gives way to sail’ but this isn’t always true. If a sailing yacht is overtaking you, it becomes the give way vessel. And, if it’s sailing with assistance from the engine – a popular technique known as motor-sailing – then it becomes a motor vessel and must behave accordingly. When motor- sailing in daylight, yachts should hoist a downward-pointing black cone, but too often don’t bother – a blatant and unfair breach of the regulations.


It might seem to powerboaters that sailing yachts sometimes behave in irrational and unpredictable ways, so it helps to understand their limitations. The big problem is that they can’t sail directly upwind and must therefore ‘tack’ – a manoeuvre involving sailing at about 45° to the wind in a series of zigzags (Fig 7:1). Another hindrance is their draught. The keel of a typical 12m sailing yacht extends about 2m below water level which means it can’t venture into the shallows. A yacht’s erratic course – more likely inshore – may be due to it following deeper channels or avoiding underwater obstructions that you can ignore (Fig 7:2).


Much of seamanship is about showing consideration for others. A fair-minded yachtsman would give an angling boat a wide berth so his keel doesn’t foul their lines. To be courteous in return reinforces cooperation amongst seamen.


7


Fig 7:1


Fig 7:2 RYA Seamanship for Sea Anglers 49


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