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…)
1 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 10 – Traffic Seperation Schemes. Applies to vessels in any condition of visibility.
(a) This Rule applies to traffic separation schemes adopted by the Organization and does not relieve any vessel of her obligation under any other rule.
(b) A vessel using a traffic separation scheme shall:
(i) proceed in the appropriate traffic lane in the general direction of traffic flow for that lane;
(more…)
Leave Comment » Last week we looked at Variation. This week we are going to look at Deviation.Â
You will recall that bearings on a chart are aligned with true north yet the compass you steer by does not point to true north. It is affected by the position of the magnetic pole in relation to you – variation. And it is also affected by the small magnetic fields that are present on the boat you are on. These can stem from the engine, the instruments, and metal work including galley pots and pans. The compass is also affected by the magnetic field in a phone or ipod. This local magnetic affect on the compass is called (more…)
Leave Comment » Rule 8 – Action to Avoid Collision
This rule is in Part B – Steering and Sailing Rules, Section 1 – so applies to vessels in any condition of visibility.
(a) Any action to avoid collision shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be positive, made in ample time and with due regard to the observance of good seamanship.
(b) Any alteration of course and/or speed to avoid collision shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be large enough to be readily apparent to another vessel observing visually or by radar; a succession of small alterations of course and/or speed should be avoided. (more…)
Leave Comment » Most of the charts that we use for local coastal navigation are almost always Mercator projection. Geradus Mercator was a Flemish cartographer and mathematician who developed the Mercator projection in 1569.
It became the standard map projection for maritime use because it allows rhumb lines (a course from A to B) to be drawn as a straight line, which is very handy. For example sailing from Cowes to the Lizard of Cornwall actually involves sailing over a curved surface. To be able to just plot (as you can on a Mercator projection) a straight line saves all sorts of calculations.
How is a Mercator projection formed? (more…)
Leave Comment » Rule 9 Narrow Channels
This Rule is in Part B, Section 1Â of the ColRegs and therefore refers to the conduct of vessels in any condition of visibility.
a) A vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or fairway shall keep as near to the outer limit of the channel or fairway which lies on her starboard side as is safe and practicable.
b) A vessel of less than 20 metres in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway. (more…)
Leave Comment » Ocean Yachtmaster Shorebased Course
We are offering you a chance to take this course in London this Autumn.
Learn how to use a sextant and begin to master Astro Navigation.Develop an
understanding of world weather patterns and how they affect you at sea. (more…)
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