Learning the "Rules of the Road"

 

     Or, "A collision at sea can ruin your entire day.”

In a great practical joke aboard the USS Buck, that fictive quote appeared
 on a bulletin board, attributed to Thucydides, a writer from ancient Greece!

 I’ve kind of been avoiding this topic because it’s so complex, but newer sailors need to know what the rules are, where they came from and how they apply to them. I’ve found a great website that does an excellent job of explaining what these rules mean, and that’s what you need. Many of us read a law and think we know what it means when we don’t. Maritime rules are complex, and one rule affects another, and one has more prominence in one situation than another, so understanding what the rules mean can be tricky.

For instance, although you’ll hear “right of way” – as in, “I had the right of way!” all the time, that’s a driving concept that doesn’t work on water. On the water, instead of “right of way” you have the “stand on” vessel and the “give way” vessel. The “stand on” vessel is expected to hold its course, while the “give way” boat has to take certain actions specifically to avoid a collision.

All of these rules are designed to avoid collisions. But since there are no highways on the water, no lane markings, no traffic lights – and because boats don’t have brakes – it gets complicated.

The formal name of these rules is “The 1972 International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea," but mercifully that's been  reduced to “COLREGS.” The COLREGS cover virtually any situation you could face while sailing in the vicinity of other boats, but they are complicated, and written in legal style, which unfortunately means they are easily misinterpreted when people without a legal background read them.

Enter the “Handbook of the Nautical Rules of the Road,” which answers all the questions and translates the “leagalease” into everyday language that non-lawyers can understand and use to be a better and safer sailor. Written by Chris Llana and George Wisneskey, this book is online – for free – at this website:

http://navruleshandbook.com/index.html

For instance, there’s Rule 5, on keeping a lookout. Here’s what the rule says:

“International : Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.” (Sometimes the rules change slightly for inland sailing, but this book explains that too.)

What does that really mean to a sailor? In the online book I'm recommending, that one paragraph is followed by an extensive but very clear explanation of the practical meaning of the rule. By “extensive,” I mean just under 2,400 words just explaining what it means to be a "lookout."

Is that too much for you? Too bad – really. You’ve chosen to sail, and you need to know the rules. Llana and Wisneskey make it an easy read. That’s the good news. Mind you, the 2,400 words I just described only apply in open water. If the other vessel is a freighter in a narrow channel, such as we see in Tampa Bay, well .. that’s a different rule. But no worries, this book explains that, too. This book explains it all. For free!

The bad news is that there are seven rules just in that section of the COLREGS. But really – this book is so well written that you will know exactly what is expected from you.

It will take a while to read it all, and absorb it all, and I suggest you read this book twice. The first time is right now. Then after you’ve been sailing for another six months or so, read it again, and you’ll realize “Oh yeah, there was that time …” and you’ll begin to see how the COLREGS apply to your day-to-day sailing.

A word of caution, though: the word “COLREGS” brings a state of mind in some people that could quite fairly be labeled “obnoxious.” There are a good number of sailors out there who have read the COLREGS, are certain they know what they mean, and will not hesitate to give you a very hard time if you don’t agree with them. You know how your mother told you not to talk about religion, politics, or your personal finances at a party? I would add to that, don’t try to discuss COLREGS with another sailor unless you know him or her well. 

Self-appointed experts are everywhere, and they can be quite aggressive about pushing their point of view. In my most recent experience with this, several people tried to set me straight. As it turned out, they were wrong, because they didn't understand the nuances hidden in the rules. These self-appointed experts are often wrong and they will do you no good service. Be polite, nod your head, say something neutral and change the subject. Knowing and understanding COLREGS is important – important enough that you should find out for yourself.

One more thing about that “right of way” phrase: if the worst should happen and you are in a collision with another boat on the water, you will find that a maritime judge will give some measure of blame to both parties (even if it's 99% blame to one party and 1% to the other), because the overriding rule, the one that is the basis for all the others, is “Do everything possible to avoid a collision.” While the COLREGS don’t specifically state that you should, for instance, deliberately run your boat aground to avoid a collision, it might be the best choice at that moment.

You have to read these rules, digest them, get some experience and come back to them, then get more experience and come back to them again. But don’t just read the rules. Read the very clear explanations in Llana and Wisneskey’s book. There are other books out there, but this one is very good – and the price is right!

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