RoR Lesson 5

Covering Rules 4 - 10
Rule 4 - Read
• Or, to put it another way, the minute you go out
on any water covered by the Regulations, Rules
5-10 apply regardless.
• Rules 4 to 8, covering the conduct of vessels in
any condition of visibility, emphasise what
should be done to avoid the risk of collision,
rather than dictating action to be taken once the
risk exists. "Keep your eyes open" would be a
fair summary, but the Regulations require rather
more than simply glancing around the horizon
from time to time, to see what is around you.
Rule 5
• Good watchkeeping is an art, which needs practice. Judging distance-off and accurately
assessing the size and relative courses of other vessels is something, which no amount of
instruction or studying of texts can ever teach. It can only be gained from experience.
• Most importantly, a 'proper look-out' means one, which takes in the whole 360-degree
panorama. Crew assisting the OOW should regularly report what they are observing.
• When navigating at night, it is vital to preserve night vision and not be dazzled by your
own ship's instrument or navigation lights, so these should be dimmed accordingly. Any
prescription spectacles should be worn and kept clean. Sunglasses and/or a peaked cap
may cut down glare, especially when looking towards the sun.
• “All available means” also encompasses such things as radar (of which more later) and
VHF radio, in order that warnings from other vessels and the Coastguard may be received
and heeded. Keeping a lookout "by all available means" could also be interpreted as
having and using, a decent pair of binoculars. However it should be noted that carrying a
pair of binoculars on board, is not a requirement under any existing IMO legislation.
• Also note that Rule 5 says a lookout should be kept by hearing. On some older ships, this
could be problematic, since your own Bridge Superstructure and possibly engine noise by
way of the sounds coming from the funnel (exhaust noise) might drown out all but the
loudest sounds. It is therefore prudent to try and keep one of the bridge wing doors open
(the leeward one is a good bet) if at all possible. For those who sail on ships with a totally
enclosed bridge, how do they obey Rule 5?
Rule 5 – Keeping a Proper Lookout
by sight!!!!
Rule 6
• This Rule is another one of the important Rules. Paragraphs (a) and (b) and their sub-
paragraphs are self-explanatory. However, the main body of the rule may need some further
explanation.
• Every vessel: This point may have special significance with respect to vessels constrained by
their draught (CBD) or restricted in their ability to manoeuvre (RAM), which may not be
justified in maintaining a high speed when other vessels are in close proximity, because of
their limited manoeuvrability.
• Safe Speed: This is intended to be a used in a relative sense. If a ship is involved in a
collision, it does not necessarily follow that she was going too fast. In clear visibility, collisions
can generally be attributed to a bad lookout or to wrong decisions and actions subsequent to
detection, rather than to a high speed.
• At all times: A relatively high speed might be accepted as being initially safe for a vessel using
radar in Restricted Visibility in open waters, provided prompt action is taken to bring the
speed down, when radar information shows this to be necessary. Remember, as OOW, the
engines are at your disposal and you do not necessarily need to call the Master first.
However, timely warning to the ER should be given whenever possible. In order to maintain a
safe speed “at all times”, a continuous appraisal of changes in circumstances and conditions
should be made and any necessary alteration of speed must be instantly put into effect.
• Proper and Effective Action: A vessel may be unable to take proper and effective action due to
the speed being too high, or in some circumstances, too low.
• Acronyms for remembering Para (a) and (b)
Rule 7
• Rule 7 stresses the need to check continually that no risk of collision
exists, to eliminate any doubt that it does and to guard against taking
action based on less than adequate information. As a result, it is implied
under Rule 7 that an OOW’s responsibility is that as soon as he/she sights
another vessel, the OOW must determine whether a risk of collision
exists.
• Therefore the OOW must not dismiss the other vessel as being a
Give-Way Vessel because of its position relative to his/her own
vessel without determining whether a risk of collision exists .
• It can be seen that Rule 7 makes compulsory, the carrying of equipment
suitable for taking compass bearings. Radar is not a requirement under
the collision regulations, but all vessels fitted with a set, which is
operational, should use it at long range to obtain early warning of other
vessels in the area. The operator is also required to assess on screen,
whether a collision risk exists. This means that you should always radar
plot any detected contacts in order to determine their true course and
speed as well as determining any risk of collision.
Rule 8
• During daylight, a course change, which brings the sun from one side of your
vessel to the other, is very helpful in clearly showing the other vessel what you
are doing. To stop or slow right down with minimal bow wave is more obvious
than just to drop the revolutions off the engine(s). However, you must
remember that on a large vessel, there is a lot of momentum and slowing down
will not be readily apparent in the early stages and could, additionally, take an
inordinately long time. For instance, a fully laden supertanker, travelling at 15
Knots and ringing Dead Slow on her engine(s), may not show any appreciable
difference in speed for at least two to three miles. At night, the best change of
heading to make, is one, which shows the watchkeeper on the other vessel, a
different configuration of your own navigation lights.
• What is a safe distance? Ferries crossing the busy Dover Strait aim to miss
other ships by at least 1nm, although they often pass much closer to small craft.
The Moving Prohibited Zone in Southampton Water bans small craft from an
area 1000m (0.6nm) ahead of large ships and 100m (330ft) on either side. A
ship moving at 20 knots covers 1nm every three minutes. As you can see, the
further away you stay from other shipping, the better. Not only will all
concerned be safer, but also your attendant wake will have much less effect,
which is a courtesy if nothing else.
What does IMPEDING Mean?
Which car is Give Way?

Car A

Car B
What does IMPEDING Mean?
No longer cars – but two vessels.
Who is Give Way?

Vessel A

Vessel B
What does IMPEDING Mean?
Car A is a Emerg serv vehicle.
What would you do?

Car A

Car B
What does IMPEDING Mean?
Vessel B is CBD? Who is Give
Way?

Vessel A

Vessel B
Rule 8 - Cont/d
• Paragraph (f) usually causes concern in its interpretation. Very
basically it may be explained as follows:-
• Paragraph (fi) says that a vessel SHALL take early action to avoid
impeding the passage of another vessel if it is one of the vessels
required so to do.
• Paragraph (fii) says that even if a risk of collision exists, if you are
required not to impede the safe passage of another vessel you
SHALL take action and at the same time ensure that whatever
action you do take is in accordance with the Rules.
• Paragraph (fiii) says that even if you are on a vessel whose passage
should not be impeded, and another vessel gets in your way, at the
end of the day, normal steering and sailing rules apply.
• There is very little excuse for an OOW in the open sea, ever to find
himself in a close-quarters, collision-risk situation.
Rule 9
• Rules 9 and 10 deal with the busiest waters you will find: narrow channels and the
special Traffic Separation Schemes laid down, to bring order to congested and often
constrained shipping lanes, their junctions and port approaches.
• OOW’s would do well to take heed of their responsibilities in these areas, not only for
safety's sake but because such places are closely monitored and penalties are
sometimes, quite rightly, levied on those who break the rules.
• To put it simply, stay as far as possible to the starboard side of the channel. Small
craft may and frequently do, obstruct the passage of larger vessels. You must
remember that a very narrow channel for you may seem like a broad unobstructed
expanse of water, for a small vessel or yacht.
• When deciding where to cross a narrow channel, or even when entering it, remember
that you not only have Rule 9(d) to consider, but also any local recommendations or
bylaws which may be in place, governing where and when such manoeuvres should
occur. This will normally be indicated in your nautical almanac, on a large-scale chart
and, most usefully, on the harbour guides produced by port authorities.
• One example in Britain is the 'recommended yacht track' laid down for the approaches
to Ramsgate, which shows a crossing point for small craft and a safe route which keeps
them close to, but out of, the narrow and busy deepwater shipping channel. Another,
worthy of note, is the small craft channel on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour
entrance.
Rule 10
• There are three very important parts of Rule 10.
• The first is found in paragraph (a), which confirms that vessels using a
TSS ARE NOT absolved of their responsibilities under the other Rules.
• This means, that at the end of the day, the Steering and Sailing Rules
still apply, when navigating within a TSS.
• Just because you are in a TSS does not give you any rights, whatsoever.
There are some, who think that because they are in a TSS and have
another vessel on their own Starboard side, they do not have to give
way.
• This is a totally false understanding of the regulations, as they are still
obliged to give way, even if it means leaving the TSS for a short period
of time.
• Remember also, most TSS’s around the world are monitored by radar
and you could subsequently receive a heavy fine or even be imprisoned
with your livelihood taken away, should you infringe any of the rules in a
TSS.
Rule 10 - Cont/d
• The second important point is found in paragraph (j), which clearly
states that all craft under 20 metres (or 66 feet in length) must not
impede power driven vessels following a traffic lane.
• The third important point is paragraph (d). Vessels of less than 20m
in length, sailing vessels and vessels engaged in fishing are able to
make coastal passages along inshore traffic zones and should
encounter a TSS, only when crossing one.
• The rule for crossing a TSS paragraph (c) is very simple: set a
course, which is at 90 degrees to the flow of the traffic within the
lanes. You must NOT make any allowance for the tide in a TSS.
The aim is to provide an aspect, which is at right angles to the ships
you are likely to encounter, not to achieve a track over the ground,
which is 90 degrees to the charted lane. Simply following the track
to a waypoint on an electronic navigator could in fact bring about an
infringement of the rules, especially if on a slow vessel when there is
a strong cross-tide.
Rule 10 - Cont/d