From Martin Bartholomew – one of our instructors.
Rule of the Road for Day Skippers and Yachtmasters.
(for vessels in sight of one another)Â Â
                             Â
Keep a look out at all times;
See a ship, and do your rhymes.
If the bearing does not change,
Then action’s needed (at long range). (more…)
Leave Comment » Rule 17
Action by stand-on vessel. This Rule is in Part B, Section II and therefore applies to vessels in sight of one another.
(a) (i) Where one of two vessels is to keep out of the way the other shall keep her course and speed. (more…)
Leave Comment » Rule 24
Towing and pushing.
Part C – Lights and Shapes
(a) A power-driven vessel when towing shall exhibit:
(i) instead of the light prescribed in Rule 23(a)(i) or (a)(ii), two masthead lights in a vertical line. When the length of the tow, measuring from the stern of the towing vessel to the after end of the tow exceeds 200 metres, three such lights in a vertical line;
(ii) sidelights;
(iii) a sternlight;
(iv) a towing light in a vertical line above the sternlight;
(v) when the length of the tow exceeds 200 metres, a diamond shape where it can best be seen. (more…)
Leave Comment » Both of these Rules are in Part C – Lights and Shapes
Rule 28 – Vessels constrained by their draught
A vessel constrained by her draught may, in addition to the lights prescribed for power-driven vessels in Rule 23, exhibit where they can best be seen three all-round red lights in a vertical line, or a cylinder.
Rule 23 – Power-driven vessels underway (more…)
Leave Comment » Rule 27 – Vessels not under command or restricted in their ability to manoeuvre. This Rule is in Part C Lights and Shapes.
(a) A vessel not under command shall exhibit:
(i) two all-round red lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen;
(ii) two balls or similar shapes in a vertical line where they can best be seen;
(iii) when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed in this paragraph, sidelights and a sternlight.
(b) A vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre, except a vessel engaged in mine clearance operations, shall exhibit: (more…)
Leave Comment » Rule 23 – Lights and Shapes for Power driven vessels underway. This rule is in Part C Lights and Shapes.
Power-driven vessels underway
(a) A power-driven vessel underway shall exhibit:
(i) a masthead light forward;
(ii) a second masthead light abaft of and higher than the forward one; except that a vessel of less than 50 metres in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such light but may do so;
(iii) sidelights;
(iv) a sternlight. (more…)
Leave Comment » References to a ships bell are often made in modern day parlance. The ship’s bell was primarily used for telling time on board a ship.  These days yachts have all sorts of watch systems. 2 hours on, 6 hours off. 3 hours on 3 hours off for example.  Probably the most common watch system is 4 on, 4 off. A ship’s bell, struck every half hour, used to indicate by the number of strokes the number of half-hours of the watch that had elapsed. The striking of eight bells indicated midnight. After midnight, one bell was struck at 0030am, two bells at 0100, three bells at 0130 and so forth until eight bells were struck again at 0400, at which point the above progression was repeated until eight bells were again struck at 0800. In this way eight bells ring rang four hours around the clock.
Leave Comment » Rule 7
Risk of Collision. This is in section 1 of Part B the Steering and Sailing Rules.  It therefore applies to the conduct of vessels in an y condition of visibility.
(a) Every vessel shall use all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to determine if risk of collision exists. If there is any doubt such risk shall be deemed to exist. (more…)
Leave Comment » Did you know?
Venus is the second-closest planet to the Sun (after Mercury), orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days.  The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. It is the hottest planet. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6.  Venus never appears to venture far from the Sun. It reaches its maximum brightness shortly before sunrise or shortly after sunset, for which reason it is often called the Morning Star or the Evening Star. (more…)
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