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SportsBoat_F5K13.book Page 22 Tuesday, June 13, 2023 5:43 PM

Safety information

Give-way vessel In the following illustration, your boat is in the
The vessel which does not have the right-of- center. You should give the right-of-way to
way has the duty to take positive and timely any vessels shown in the white area (you are
action to stay out of the way of the stand-on the give-way vessel). Any vessels in the shad-
vessel. Normally, you should not cross in ed area must yield to you (they are the give-
front of the vessel with the right-of-way. You way vessels). Both you and the meeting ves-
should slow down or change directions brief- sel must alter course to avoid each other.
ly and pass behind the other vessel. You
should always move in such a way that the
operator of the other vessel can see what you
are doing.
The General Prudential Rule regarding the
right-of-way is that if a collision appears un-
avoidable, neither boat has the right-of-way.
Both boats must avoid the collision.
In other words, follow the standard rules ex-
cept when a collision will occur unless both
vessels try to avoid each other. If that is the
Meeting
case, both vessels become give-way ves-
If you are meeting another power-driven ves-
sels.
sel head-on, and are close enough to run the
Rules when encountering vessels
risk of collision, neither of you has the right-
There are three main situations that you may
of-way. Both of you should alter course to
encounter with other vessels which could
avoid an accident. You should keep the other
lead to a collision unless the Steering Rules
vessel on your port (left) side. This rule does
are followed:
not apply if both of you will clear one another
Meeting: you are approaching another vessel
if you continue on your set course and speed.
head-on.
Crossing: you are traveling across another
vessel’s path.
Overtaking: you are passing or being passed
by another vessel.

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