Destination BC Grant Harder
Being cautious knowing proper navigation ensures everyone’s safety on the water.
Words by John Gullick
On any busy waterway - the BC Coast included - understanding the ‘rules of the road’ is essential to ensure safe navigation while sharing a cruising route with other boats. Part of these ‘rules’ includes the proper navigation of the stand-on vessel and the give-way vessel, which not only provides safer travelling but prevents collisions, potential injuries and damage.
What is the Stand-On and Give-Way Vessel?
As the terms suggest, the stand-on vessel is the boat that maintains its course and speed while the give-way vessel is required to take early action and stay clear by stopping, slowing down, or changing course.
Destination BC Hubert Kang
Boat collisions and accidents can easily be avoided by maintaining a safe distance from other boats, commercial craft and others using the waterways.
The stand-on vessel technically has ‘the right of way’ but it’s important to understand that this is not absolute and only applies when it’s safe and possible. You’re responsible to stay clear of other vessels and prepare for appropriate maneuvering should it be necessary, regardless of which boat is the stand-on or give-way vessel.
The rules of the road are mostly common sense but when you take control of your boat you’re responsible for its operation. These navigation rules are devised to avoid collisions and accidents and must be adhered to.
Navigation Basics to Understand
New boaters need to understand that when facing forward in a boat the left side is referred to as port and the right side is referred to as starboard. These principles are important to understand especially when it comes to understanding the navigation lights of other boats. The red light is seen on the port side from dead ahead to just behind the port beam. The green light is seen from the same arc on the starboard side. A simple way to remember this is that all of the short words go together (left, port, red) and all the long words go together (right, starboard and green).
Courtesy CPS
In the above graphic, the arc displaying the red light shows an approaching vessel and indicates you are the stand-on vessel and have the right of passage. The other boat is the give-way vessel and must stay clear.
Courtesy CPS
When overtaking a vessel in a narrow channel, two short blasts indicate you’re approaching on the port side; one short blast means you’re approaching on the starboard side. Return blasts of the same duration from the boat you’re approaching means it’s safe to do so.
This figure indicates the required sound signals used to communicate your maneuvering intentions and alert others of your presence in reduced visibility or emergencies (see caption for specific details).
Since sailboats and manually-propelled vessels operate at slower speeds, they always have the right of passage over motorized vessels. The only exception is when a sailboat or other manually-powered vessel overtakes a powerboat.
Pleasure craft less than 20 m (66 ft), whether power or sail, must take early and substantial action to keep clear of commercial vessels engaged in fishing since they have limited maneuverability due to their size and application on the water.
Large, deep-draft vessels in narrow channels also have the right of passage due to their size, slower speeds and lack of quick maneuverability. As a result, stay as near as possible to the outer limits of the channel on your starboard side. A vessel that’s not under ‘command’ can’t maneuver so it must be avoided.
Courtesy CPS
It’s always important to stay clear of boats when under sail.
Keep Watch to Avoid Collisions
Always keep a constant watch of other boats and be aware of those using the waterways, which is not only common sense but it’s the law.
It’s a criminal offense to operate a vessel in a dangerous manner such as avoiding a collision until the last minute or operating a boat faster than required. You must also remember that boats, unlike cars, do not have brakes. They steer from the stern and need a minimum of power to maintain control.
When you cut the engine, there is minimum steering from the rudder, outboard or drive and the boat tends to track forward in almost a straight line, making it difficult to avoid a collision with anything that comes near the front. So always maintain a good distance and allow for any reduced maneuverability.
There is seldom (if any) an excuse for a boat collision. In many cases, they can be avoided by maintaining a safe distance from other recreational boats, commercial craft and others using the water.
Boating can be an enjoyable pastime with friends and family but when you’re on the water, you’re responsible for the safety of everyone on board and any damage caused by your boat, even its wake.
Article courtesy of Canadian Power and Sails Squadrons/John Gullick - CPS-ECP Manager of Government and Special Programs. Much of the article is sourced from the latest edition of the CPS-ECP Boating 1 Boating Basics Handbook. For more information and other available CPS courses or seminars visit www.boatingcourses.ca.