Collision Regulations: Verbatim

Question 1

Rule 1 (a)

Answer 1

These Rules shall apply to all vessels upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels.

Question 2

Rule 1 (b)

Answer 2

Nothing in these Rules shall interfere with the operation of special rules made by an appropriate authority for roadsteads, harbours, rivers, lakes or inland waterways connected with the high seas and navigable by sea-going vessels if such special rules conform as closely as possible to these Rules.

Question 3

Rule 2 (a)

Answer 3

Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.

Question 4

Rule 2 (b)

Answer 4

In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.

Question 5

Rule 3 (a)

Answer 5

The word “vessel” includes every description of water craft, including non-displacement craft, WIG craft and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.

Question 6

Rule 3 (b)

Answer 6

The term power-driven vessel means any vessel propelled by machinery.

Question 7

Rule 3 (c)

Answer 7

The term sailing vessel means any vessel under sail provided that propelling machinery, if fitted, is not being used.

Question 8

Rule 3 (d)

Answer 8

The term vessel engaged in fishing means any vessel fishing with nets, lines, trawls or other fishing apparatus which restrict manoeuvrability, but does not include a vessel fishing with trolling lines or other fishing apparatus which do not restrict manoeuvrability.

Question 9

Rule 3 (e)

Answer 9

The word “seaplane” includes any aircraft designed to manoeuvre on the water.

Question 10

Rule 3 (f)

Answer 10

The term vessel not under command means a vessel which through some exceptional circumstance is unable to manoeuvre as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.

Question 11

Rule 3 (g)

Answer 11

The term vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre means a vessel which from the nature of her work is restricted in her ability to manoeuvre as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.
The term “vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre” shall include but not be limited to:

(i) a vessel engaged in laying, servicing or picking up a navigation mark, submarine cable or pipeline,
(ii) a vessel engaged in dredging, surveying or underwater operations,
(iii) a vessel engaged in replenishment or transferring persons, provisions or cargo while underway,
(iv) a vessel engaged in the launching or recovery of aircraft,
(v) a vessel engaged in mineclearance operations,
(vi) a vessel engaged in a towing operation such as severely restricts the towing vessel and her tow in their ability to deviate from their course.

Question 12

Rule 3 (h)

Answer 12

The term vessel constrained by her draught means a power-driven vessel that, because of the vessel’s draught in relation to the available depth and width of navigable water, is severely restricted in the vessel’s ability to deviate from the course the vessel is following.

Question 13

Rule 3 (i)

Answer 13

The word underway means that a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.

Question 14

Rule 3 (j)

Answer 14

The words length and breadth of a vessel mean her length overall and greatest breadth.

Question 15

Rule 3 (k)

Answer 15

Vessels shall be deemed to be in sight of one another only when one can be observed visually from the other.

Question 16

Rule 3 (l)

Answer 16

The term restricted visibility means any condition in which visibility is restricted by fog, mist, falling snow, heavy rainstorms, sandstorms or any other similar causes.

Question 17

Rule 3 (m)

Answer 17

The term Wing-in-Ground (WIG) craft means a multimodal craft which, in its main operational mode, flies in close proximity to the surface by utilizing surface-effect action.

Question 18

Rule 5

Answer 18

Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as all other available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and the risk of collision

Question 19

Rule 6

Answer 19

Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions.

Question 20

Rule 6: All Vessels

Answer 20

(i) the state of visibility,
(ii) the traffic density including concentrations of fishing vessels or any other vessels,
(iii) the manoeuvrability of the vessel with special reference to stopping distance and turning ability in the prevailing conditions,
(iv) at night the presence of background light such as from shore lights or from back scatter of her own lights,
(v) the state of wind, sea and current, and the proximity of navigational hazards,
(vi) the draught in relation to the available depth of water.

Question 21

Rule 6: Vessels with Operational RADAR

Answer 21

(i) the characteristics, efficiency and limitations of the radar equipment,
(ii) any constraints imposed by the radar range scale in use,
(iii) the effect on radar detection of the sea state, weather and other sources of interference,
(iv) the possibility that small vessels, ice and other floating objects may not be detected by radar at an adequate range,
(v) the number, location and movement of vessels detected by radar,
(vi) the more exact assessment of the visibility that may be possible when radar is used to determine the range of vessels or other objects in the vicinity.

Question 22

Rule 6: Canadian Modifications

Answer 22

(c) In the Canadian waters of a roadstead, harbour, river, lake or inland waterway, every vessel passing another vessel or work that includes a dredge, tow, grounded vessel or wreck shall proceed with caution at a speed that will not adversely affect the vessel or work being passed, and shall comply with any relevant instruction or direction contained in any Notice to Mariners or Notice to Shipping.
(d) For the purpose of paragraph (c), where it cannot be determined with certainty that a passing vessel will not adversely affect another vessel or work described in that paragraph, the passing vessel shall proceed with caution at the minimum speed at which she can be kept on her course.

Question 23

Rule 7

Answer 23

(a) Every vessel shall use all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to determine if risk of collision exists. If there is any doubt such risk shall be deemed to exist.
(b) Proper use shall be made of radar equipment if fitted and operational, including long-range scanning to obtain early warning of risk of collision and radar plotting or equivalent systematic observation of detected objects.
(c) Assumptions shall not be made on the basis of scanty information, especially scanty radar information.
(d) In determining if risk of collision exists the following considerations shall be among those taken into account:
(i) such risk shall be deemed to exist if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change,
(ii) such risk may sometimes exist even when an appreciable bearing change is evident, particularly when approaching a very large vessel or a tow or when approaching a vessel at close range.

Question 24

Rule 8 (a,b)

Answer 24

(a) Any action to avoid collision shall be taken in accordance with the Rules of this Part and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be positive, made in ample time and with due regard to the observance of good seamanship.
(b) Any alteration of course and/or speed to avoid collision shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be large enough to be readily apparent to another vessel observing visually or by radar; a succession of small alterations of course and/or speed should be avoided.

Question 25

Rule 8 (c,d)

Answer 25

(c) If there is sufficient sea room, alteration of course alone may be the most effective action to avoid a close-quarters situation provided that it is made in good time, is substantial and does not result in another close-quarters situation. (d) Action taken to avoid collision with another vessel shall be such as to result in passing at a safe distance. The effectiveness of the action shall be carefully checked until the other vessel is finally past and clear

Question 26

Rule 8 (e)

Answer 26

(e) If necessary to avoid collision or allow more time to assess the situation, a vessel shall slacken her speed or take all way off by stopping or reversing her means of propulsion.

Question 27

Rule 8 (f)

Answer 27

(f) (i) A vessel which, by any of these Rules, is required not to impede the passage or safe passage of another vessel shall, when required by the circumstances of the case, take early action to allow sufficient sea room for the safe passage of the other vessel. (ii) A vessel required not to impede the passage or the safe passage of another vessel is not relieved of this latter obligation if approaching the other vessel so as to involve risk of collision and shall, when taking action, have full regard to the action which may be required by the rules of this Part. (iii) A vessel the passage of which is not to be impeded remains fully obliged to comply with the rules of this Part when the two vessels are approaching one another so as to involve risk of collision.

Question 28

Rule 13

Answer 28

(a) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Rules of Part B, Sections I and II, any vessel overtaking any other vessel shall keep out of the way of the vessel being overtaken. (b) A vessel shall be deemed to be overtaking when coming up with another vessel from a direction more than 22.5 degrees abaft her beam, that is, in such a position with reference to the vessel she is overtaking, that at night she would be able to see only the sternlight of that vessel but neither of her sidelights. (c) When a vessel is in any doubt as to whether she is overtaking another, she shall assume that this is the case and act accordingly. (d) Any subsequent alteration of the bearing between the two vessels shall not make the overtaking vessel a crossing vessel within the meaning of these Rules or relieve her of the duty of keeping clear of the overtaken vessel until she is finally past and clear.

Question 29

Rule 14

Answer 29

(a) When two power-driven vessels are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision, each shall alter her course to starboard so that each shall pass on the port side of the other. (b) Such a situation shall be deemed to exist when a vessel sees the other ahead or nearly ahead and by night she could see the masthead lights of the other in a line or nearly in a line and/or both sidelights and by day she observes the corresponding aspect of the other vessel. (c) When a vessel is in any doubt as to whether such a situation exists she shall assume that it does exist and act accordingly.

Question 30

Rule 15

Answer 30

When two power-driven vessels are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the vessel which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel.

Question 31

Rule 16

Answer 31

Every vessel which is directed to keep out of the way of another vessel shall, so far as possible, take early and substantial action to keep well clear.

Question 32

Rule 17

Answer 32

(a) (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. (b) When, from any cause, the vessel required to keep her course and speed finds herself so close that collision cannot be avoided by the action of the give-way vessel alone, she shall take such action as will best aid to avoid collision. (c) A power-driven vessel which takes action in a crossing situation in accordance with subparagraph (a)(ii) of this Rule to avoid collision with another power-driven vessel shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, not alter course to port for a vessel on her own port side. (d) This Rule does not relieve the give-way vessel of her obligation to keep out of the way.

Question 33

Rule 12

Answer 33

(a) When two sailing vessels are approaching one another, so as to involve risk of collision, one of them shall keep out of the way of the other as follows: (i) when each has the wind on a different side, the vessel which has the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the other, (ii) when both have the wind on the same side, the vessel which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the vessel which is to leeward, (iii) if a vessel with the wind on the port side sees a vessel to windward and cannot determine with certainty whether the other vessel has the wind on the port or on the starboard side, she shall keep out of the way of the other. (b) For the purposes of this Rule, the windward side shall be deemed to be the side opposite to that on which the mainsail is carried or, in the case of a square-rigged vessel, the side opposite to that on which the largest fore-and-aft sail is carried.

Question 34

Rule 15: Canadian Modification

Answer 34

Notwithstanding paragraph (a), in Canadian waters, a vessel crossing a river shall keep out of the way of a power-driven vessel ascending or descending the river, except on the St. Lawrence River seaward of Île Rouge.