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Doug Royer wrote:

> Stephen stated in his post of his "all around white light"on his mast he
> uses while underway.I've been reading more of this practice in other papers
> and I am witnessing it more on small sail and power vessels when I am at
> sea.Did the rules change or am I misunderstanding something?I looked in my
> copy of the rules and the only "all around white light" on a mast alone and
> not used in combination with other lights is to be used while anchored or
> aground with running lights out, not while underway.Can someone
> explain?Apperently it's legal to do.


I don't think anything has changed for the past good many years.

Rule 25(d)(i) of the U.S. version of the international ColRegs allows
vessels  under sail of less than 7 meters length, and vessels under oars
of any length, to show a white light in sufficient time to avoid
collision, in lieu of side and stern lights. (The U.S. inland rules
allow the same thing. So do the Canadian and I think most other versions
of the ColRegs.) Continuous display of an all-round white light would
seem to meet that requirement.

Also, Rule 23(c)(ii) of the U.S. version of the international ColRegs
allows a powered vessel of under 7 meters length with a maximum speed of
under 7 knots to display only an all-round white light. That does not
seem to be allowed in U.S. inland waters. It is not in any Canadian
waters and I think not in British waters either.


> To end the story my vessel at 1 point was surrounded by 18 yachts within a 1
> nm radius.Most alot closer than that.I'm showing the lights for a tow > 200
> m,barely underway and RAM to boot.The whole crew is up now with spots and
> flares if needed.I had 1 small boat(18-22 ft)go between the tug and tow
> under the tow cable while never heading the ch. 16 warnings!All the other
> close yachts turned from thier courses only when they were less than 1/8 nm
> from the tow or tug!
> This is one reason I have not that much patience or respect for most small
> boat drivers.Some have no idea what rules or lights mean nor do they seem to
> care if they do.

There certainly is an unacceptable level of ignorance -- among
small-boat commercial fishermen as well as the recreational side.

But that isn't the whole story. Many small powerboats can turn on a dime
and get out of the way quickly. A skipper who is alert can get close to
a big ship (_very_ close from the perspective of the man on the bridge
of the big fellow) and yet can turn away with no danger at all -- except
to the blood pressure of the men responsible for the big ship. It is a
shame that we don't have a single-letter signal that would say:
"Maintain your course and speed. I waive my right of way and will keep
clear of you."

Then again, perhaps there should be a flag signal for: "This ship does
not alter course or speed to avoid any vessel of less than 10,000 tons."
Some captains could just paint it onto their superstructures -- much
like commercial fishing boats come from the shipyard with their fishing
daymarks (two cones, points together, or a fish basket) permanently
mounted in the forward rigging, and some recreational dive boats leave
the dock already flying code flag Alpha.


Trevor Kenchington


--
Trevor J. Kenchington PhD                         Gadus@iStar.ca
Gadus Associates,                                 Office(902) 889-9250
R.R.#1, Musquodoboit Harbour,                     Fax   (902) 889-9251
Nova Scotia  B0J 2L0, CANADA                      Home  (902) 889-3555

                     Science Serving the Fisheries
                      http://home.istar.ca/~gadus

   

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