May Club Calendar PDF |
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RAMPANT DISEASE AND THE NAVIGATION RULES By Sarah & Bill Morlang Aboard MYTURN III Bill grew up sailing on Biscayne Bay framed by the palm trees of South Florida. Many skippers there suffered from the same disease that is rampant among some skippers on Canyon Lake…the empty coconut syndrome (ECS.) This syndrome was named by Sarah’s dad, Mel Sneed. Here are some treatment recommendations to avoid that disease: As vessels approach one another and the potential for collision is present… one boat is the “burdened” or GIVE-WAY vessel and the other is the “privileged” or STAND-ON vessel with the RIGHT OF WAY. The status of each vessel is determined by the Navigation Rules. Generally, “right of way” is determined in the following sequence. Skippers must yield “right of- way” to vessel types listed above them in this rank order. ● Vessels not under command or anchored or “diver down” ● Vessels with limited maneuvering ability (Size, Draft, Water Depth & Momentum) ● Vessels engaged in fishing ● Vessels under sail only ● Vessels under power
Two rules have primary importance: (1) The Rule of Good Seamanship: Follow the rules—whatever you can do to avoid a collision— you must do. (2) The General Prudential Rule: The rules must not be blindly followed into a collision. The Rules for Steering and Sailing provide additional guidance. ● The DANGER ZONE is an area from dead ahead (directly in front of the boat) to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam (112.5 degrees backward from the front of the boat) on the starboard or right side of the vessel. Generally any vessel in your “danger zone” while you are under power has the “right of way.” ● Any vessel (sail or power) overtaking another vessel from the stern (rear) is the “burdened” or Give-Way vessel. This applies even if the overtaking vessel enters your “Danger Zone.” ● For sailing vessels under sail only…the term “tack” has a number of meanings. One definition is the direction of sail in relation to the wind. The wind determines what tack you are on. ● If the wind contacts your boat first on the starboard (right) side—you are on a STARBOARD TACK. ● If the wind first contacts your boat on the port (left) side—you are on a PORT TACK. ● When sailing vessels (under sail only) approach each other on opposite tacks (one vessel on port tack and the other vessel on starboard tack)—the vessel on starboard tack is the “privileged” or Stand-On vessel with the “right of way” and should initially maintain course and speed.—The vessel on the port tack is the “burdened” or Give-Way vessel and must maneuver clear of the Stand-On vessel. ● When sailboats are on the same tack, one vessel will be up wind of the other. It is said to be the WINDWARD vessel. The other sailboat which is down wind of the windward vessel is said to be the LEEWARD vessel. When sailboats approach each other on the same tack, the leeward vessel is the “privileged” or Stand-On vessel with the “right of way.” The windward vessel is the Give-Way vessel and must maneuver clear of the leeward vessel. ● As vessels approach each other, skippers should make decisions and take action in phases. (1) Skippers determine who has ”right of way.” (2) The Stand-On skipper mainta course and speed allowing the Give-Way skipper the opportunity to maneuver clear. If the Give-Way skipper does not appear to alter course away or suffers from ECS, the Stand-On skipper must plan to maneuver away. (3) If the Give-Way vessel skipper does not alter course in a reasonable period, the Stand-on vessel skipper must maneuver to avoid collision. Remember the Rule of Good Seamanship and the General Prudential Rule. We find it easy to remember these steering and sailing rules by the first word of the phrase: “SOLD ON SAFETY.” The sailboat on STARBOARD tack has “right of way.” The vessel that is being OVERTAKEN has the “right of way.” The LEEWARD sailboat has the “right of way.” The vessel in your DANGER ZONE has the “right of way.” Stay tuned next month for: “Bells, Whistles and the Christmas Tree Syndrome.” Stay well and be SOLD on safety here on Canyon Lake! | ||||||||