Collision Avoidance: A not-so by the book example |

Looking back recollecting what has happened and of course having my ship´s log at hand, I want to tell a story of a clear breach of COLREG-rules in order to show what can happen – and happens on a daily basis – when people at sea do not adhere to the beautiful and simple, yet powerful and elaborate rules which are called the “Rules of the Road”. It was happening during the great sailing trip on the Judel/Vrolijk Drop Keel Cruiser AMAROK some weeks ago, date June, 21st, time 11.30 a.m. (lunch-time) on position just North of TSS Bornholmsgat

The give-way vessel obviously doesn´t behave as desired

Our yacht was sailing on starboard tack, beam reach. Overcast sky with winds up from 15-20 knots, driving the boat at 7.5 to 8 knots steadily under full canvas. A nice and fast ride, waves as high as 1 metre. Steering due 130 degrees heading for the island of Bornholm we were crossing at a nearly right angle approximately half a mile outside of a traffic separation scheme which at this point had a width of some 2 miles for each lane and traffic direction. As our boat was equipped with AIS we could see a large commercial ship sailing at some 16 knots coming about from starboard side out of the TSS. So far for the situation.

Give way – or stand on?

As we had been sailing outside the TSS in open water without any buoys or other regulations, we had clearly been the stand-on vessel, as it is said in the International Rules for Preventing Collisions at Sea in Section 2, Rule 18, subitem a/IV – “a power driven vessel underway shall keep out of the way … of a sailing vessel.” That is a clear, simple rule. The freighter – a car transporter – approached fast, still being in the TSS. It seemed that the ship changed course …

But not in the right manner. We kept a sharp lookout, full complement of two people on the watch. The commercial ship changed course of not more than 3 to 4 degrees to starboard. We couldn´t believe our eyes so we sailed on – as it was our obligation as stand-on vessel – but saw that the situation has not been resolved and could never have been resolved by a change of course that small and in that direction. Then, some minutes later – the freighter being very close now – it changed course again. We´ve had a standing bearing situation now with AIS-collision warning on our chart plotter being activated.

Manoeuvre of last resort – we have to lay hard rudder to avoid collision

The freighter again turned to starboard with again just 3 to 4 degrees max, resulting in further worsening the situation. With our boat sailing at max speed under these conditions we couldn´t do anything but watch the situation unfold. The Officer on that bridge had clearly decided wrong, twice. As stand-on vessel we´ve had to keep on our course, but we knew that options for the give way vessel were now very limited with distance under one mile and other freighters approaching the TSS coming up right behind us. So we did what we had to as a manoeuvre of last resort: We luffed the boat sharply and turned upwind, resulting in a hard-to-starboard rudder and lots of violent motion in the boat.

A situation analysis … on the radio

We sailed through the large stern wash of the car freighter right behind her in a very close distance. Things aboard our small 40 feet vessel were flying around with waves coming in violently. After the freighter was cleared, we beared away to our old course again having finally resolved the situation. As a last resort, the freighter had begun to frantically turning hard to starboard ever more, leaving his old course to more than 40 degrees! But this of course also would not have done any good in this moment. Pure panic, it seemed.

There indeed has been plenty of time and room for the give-way vessel to react!

What has happened? Well, we do not know how this situation was looking like from the bridge of that big ship but from what we have seen it must have been clearly either negligence or excessive demands for the Officer of the Watch on that vessel. He could have easily avoided all that trouble by changing course at an early stage when he still was sailing within the TSS by a small change of course to port. But he didn´t. He changed to starboard. I still don´t understand this decision as modern equipment on commercial ships are displaying radar-plots, CPAs and TCPAs instantly – so he must have seen that his decision was not resolving the situation. Also, his second change of course to starboard was silly – a sign of him or her being clearly overstrained with this situation. My sailing mate dashed down to the radio with rage after the situation was cleared and called up the other ship. Being (not very) polite he red-flagged the colleague to make way for his temporary mood. Understandable. But what can we learn from this?

And away she sails … we discuss the situation later on the radio

When I go out as a sailor and skipper I always act with caution. Especially with my boat being near commercial traffic lanes, traffic separation schemes or other vessels. As I have the greatest respect for the commercial and professional seafarers, I do run my boats following the simple principle of avoiding stress of any kind for the other skippers and captains. That means that I always try to steer a clear course, steer free of other courses and resolve situations clearly at the earliest possible stage. Normally, in 99 out of 100 cases, this motto helps me to sail waters without any problems. As well, usually commercial ships do indeed adhere to the rules and alter courses early with no problems at all. But the story I just told is a nice example that sometimes things – because of whatever reason – do not go the usual way. Keeping a steady, sharp lookout and being alert on watch is a definitive must on every vessel underway, no matter it´s size.

Interested in some other sailing skills-articles?

Harbour hustle: Negotiating in busy harbours at night

The Offshore Skipper theoretical exam

What makes a good skipper?

Tags: #baltic, #basics, #emergency, #legal, #yachtmaster #sportbootführerschein

6 Comments

Reply
C. Kane
July 9th, 2018
All your pictures look like you’re on a starboard tack, not port. You don’t mention tacking, only luffing up and then, after crossing behind the ship, bearing off onto your original course. i.e. I can’t see how you were on a port tack beam reach in this story.
Technically, you may have been the stand on vessel, but as a 40ft sailboat why challenge a massive car carrier that’s going 16 knots? When the ship started steering above you a few degrees, I would have taken the “hint” and altered my course and/or speed to cross astern of it. Did you consider that if the ship had changed course to allow you to cross, the unpredictability of the wind, especially in the wind shadow of the ship, could greatly affect your ability to cross safely?

Reply
Lars Reisberg
July 11th, 2018
Hi Kane,

you are absolutely right, it was a port tack! Sorry for that, I´ve changed it.

Nevertheless, the situation was as described. ALL of the other ships either entering the TSS or coming out did indeed alter course (we checked it on the AIS) and all of the described actions of the car transporter happened the way as mentioned. In radioing the vessel afterwards the Officer of the watch was seemingly puzzled and apologized.

Of course we could have changed course earlier, but as I said, as the stand on vessel I am obliged to hold to my course – no matter how small or big I am and no matter how fast or slow I am. Especially in these very, very crowded waters. See, behind and before the car transporter came dozens of other ships. I simply CANNOT confuse big boats by “taking” hints or trying to second-guess. I simply stand on.

The other ship simply did not behave by the book.

Regards, Lars

Reply
J.R.
August 15th, 2018
Technically you are correct, however, proper seamanship says it would have been in the best interest for everyone for you to alter your course early to avoid the ship. Realize the size of these ships and what it takes for them to turn and alter course or slow down. What does that effect for them miles ahead with other ships, etc.

A good read: https://americanboating.org/bigger_on_the_water.asp

It’s just the right thing to do and it’s easy and wouldn’t have effected you that much. Also it seems in your photo where you have altered course you are not luffing up, in fact you aren’t even close hauled. You are on a close reach. Also with as much time as you had no need for violent movements of your vessel. Come up on the wind nice and easy while trimming in sails until on a course that avoids the stern of the ship by a safe margin.

And as a matter of experience, never ever, ever try to pass closely in front of a very large vessel. That is for your own safety. You never know when the worst can happen and a sheet come loose or a shackle fails. Now you are in the path of tonnage that CAN’T stop in time. It’s a scary moment for the captain of that ship when smaller vessels attempt to pass so closely in front of them.

Reply
Lars Reisberg
August 15th, 2018
Dear J.R.,

thanks for your comment.

Let me put this straight: As I have written we have been in this area for approx. 2 hours and already 3 other ships had passed us (from both directions), other ships were coming up. We were crossing – outside – just one or two miles after end/beginning of a TSS. You simply do NOT alter courses at will in this area. All other ships were behaving by the book and were altering their courses – way before we even saw them properly with our eyes (but could see them
on AIS).

This particular ship did also alter course, but in the wrong direction and far too less in terms of degrees.

Please – we are course holding vessels and “good seamanship” as well as the law was telling to hold steady.

If the other ship would have reacted in a professional manner – which by the way is the thank God everyday business in the somewhat cramped Baltic Sea – the situation would have been resolved without any stress for neither him nor me.

Cheers, L

Reply
Kosta
April 20th, 2019
The situation is not as clear as you think: Rule 10 (j): A vessel of less than 20 metres in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the safe passage of a power-driven vessel following a traffic lane. The car carrier is clearly following the traffic lane so a sailing vessel shall not impede the safe passage, right? There is no mention that the rule is only applicable when both vessels are in the TSS.
Rule 17 (i): Where one of two vessels is to keep out of the way the other shall keep her course and speed.
(ii). The latter vessel may however take action to avoid collision by her manoeuvre alone, as soon as it becomes apparent to her that the vessel required to keep out of the way is not taking appropriate action in compliance with these Rules.
With this rule, you could have taken action as a stand on vessel when you first noticed that the car carrier is not taking appropriate action. This rule gives you a lot of freedom to change your course because it leaves you to judge when you think the other vessel is not acting according to the rules.
10 (h). A vessel not using a traffic separation scheme shall avoid it by as wide a margin as is practicable.
10 (f). A vessel navigating in areas near the terminations of traffic separation schemes shall do so with particular caution. You are clearly very close to the TSS – on the plotter I would say not much more than about 0.3 nm from the entrance. From the plotter its clear that the car carrier wanted to leave the TSS to starboard at the exit but he could not do so because you were in the way. Also, the car carrier was already sailing close to the separation zone so he couldn’t change his course to port.
With all that, I would expect that in the case of a collision, you would have been awarded at least 50% of the fault. My advice is not to get in the way of commercial ships at all. They are in a difficult situation because they cant stop or change course quickly to avoid a collision and they have to expect that pleasure craft do stupid things because they don’t know or understand the rules. 😉

Reply
Lars Reisberg
April 21st, 2019
Hi Kosta,

thanks for pasting a quotation here. As I stated clearly, the vessel was NOT following the TSS as it ended miles ago and it was due to give way. Believe me, I am sailing in this area – besides, as my sailing mate is a professional sailor on big ships as well, he was shocked by the unprofessional behavior of the other ship.

Cheers, Lars