Right-of-Way Rules Yield the Best Results

I have been sailing the Bay four or five days a week for more than 22 years, and on only two occasions have I been the only boat on the water.

The International Regulations for Avoidance of Collision at Sea (the ColRegs) govern the interactions between vessels. These rules spell out the precise responsibility of each vessel and the action that she should take. Photo by Joel Williams

By Captain Ray
Published: December, 2009 

The good news is that there is an established set of rules, called the International Regulations for Avoidance of Collision at Sea (the ColRegs), that governs the interactions between vessels. These rules spell out, sometimes in painfully exquisite detail, the precise responsibility of each vessel and the action that she should take.

In each case, the Rules designate one of the vessels as “stand-on.” This vessel is often referred to as “having the right-of-way.” It is interesting to note here that this vessel, even though she has the right-of-way, is not free to maneuver. She is required to maintain course and speed. The Rules designate the other vessel as “give-way.” She, knowing the stand-on vessel will maintain course and speed, maneuvers around her.

The overriding question when deciding which vessel stands-on and which vessel gives-way is: Which vessel is the more constrained in her ability to maneuver and, therefore, has the greater need of the right-of-way?

Sailboats cannot sail directly into the wind (or even within about 40 degrees of whence the wind is coming) and so are quite restricted as to where they can go. Because of this, the general rule is that sailboats are stand-on over powerboats. However, here are some of the numerous exceptions to this general rule:

1. Sailboats give-way to law enforcement vessels. (That just makes sense!)

2. If a sailboat is overtaking (coming up from behind) a powerboat, the sailboat is give-way.

3. A sailboat will give-way to all those big ships: tankers, freighters, container ships, etc.  (That’s the proper thing too. The shipping lanes of San Francisco Bay are so narrow as to preclude a u-turn, and it can take a mile for one of those big guys to come to a stop.)

4. Sailboats give-way to boats “actively engaged in fishing.” (The gear that crabbers, purse seiners and long liners have deployed makes it very difficult for them to maneuver.)

5. Sailboats give way to ferries (like the one you may be on), because of their prescribed routes and regular schedules.

When sailboats interact with each other, the basis for the Rules is the direction of the wind and each boat’s relationship to that. We can talk about that in another column.

There is one interesting wrinkle to this pattern of one vessel being stand-on and the other give-way. This is when the power-driven vessels are approaching each other head-on. In this situation, both vessels are give-way, and both vessels are required to move to the right. Even in countries where cars keep left, vessels keep to the right. 

So, as you’re riding across the bay, watch and you will see countless examples of situations that are governed by the Rules. There is also a very good life lesson here. The Rules are observed, and without the need or presence of any sort of traffic cop.