Being a boat conductor is a lot of responsibility, as you’re responsible for the safety and well being of your passengers.
Driving a boat is a lot different from any other vehicle; that’s why being knowledgeable about the various aspects of boat driving is essential. Usually, you want to keep your vessel from damaging as much as possible, and this article provides just that.
There have been various accidents that have afflicted many boat drivers because they were misinformed of their boat specifications, and in their ignorance, crashed their boats with other ships.
This not only causes their loss but others too. The question pops up of how should you pass a fishing boat? Whether you want to ace the Boat Ed Exam or be more informed on how to avoid any possible impact on your trusty vessel, this article will help you out.
What Should You do to Avoid Colliding with another Boat?
There are your standard rules when it comes to navigating boats that are necessary to know. Such rules are:
- Navigation rules take priority. There are abundant rules that dictate how to navigate ships when you take them out to sea or any water bodies. Reading through them once is enough to get a general idea.
- There are various navigation aids in all water bodies, consisting of buoys, radio beacons, fog signals, etc. These all indicate some kind of threat, warning, or general direction when traversing through water bodies.
- Driving a boat isn’t one person’s job. There’s always a captain, and he has a hands-on deck to look out for any signs of danger ahead. That is why its necessary to have someone that can view the surrounding and call out for anything unusual.
- While driving a boat, speed is always a factor in crashing into something. Slow down whenever you’re in waters bound to have many other ships, this advice is useful for boating at night.
- Avoiding the glare of the sun is also advisable, as this blinds almost everyone on board. Avoiding the glare from the reflection of the water is also a wise decision.
- Driving a boat is tiring, and hence being in tip-top condition is the best way to go. Going out tired or drunk are the worst conditions to drive under.
- Debris usually shows up after rainfall and a storm. Sometimes the sea throws something heavy your way, hence lookout for debris that may damage your ship.
Additional Tips in avoiding Boat Crashing:
Even with the general tips above, there are some technical terms that every boat rider should know. How should you pass a fishing boat is an important question because of not many people know-how.
Becoming a responsible boat owner helps avoid any unnecessary crashes. Losing control of your boat is very easy, and hence applying precaution is a better step when it comes to using boats.
Different Boating Terms:
When it comes boats, the general directions are thrown out the window and are rather replaced with curious words that you’ve surely heard in T.V shows. These words are port, starboard, and stern.
The whole 360-degree angle can be divided into these three names. The left side consists of the port; the ride side is the starboard while the back of the ship consists of the stern. This helps in navigating the seas better where the boat is rocking to and fro constantly.
Coming from the Stern:
When approaching another boat from it’s stern, the best course of action to take is to go towards its port or starboard. Maintain the usual speed and don’t make any sudden turns that may cause a crash.
Coming from the Starboard:
If you’re approaching a boat from its starboard, make sure to clear out of its way without speeding up or making any sudden changes in direction. By applying these steps, any sign of crashing will be avoided.
Coming from the Port:
The same rule applies as it applied to starboard. Avoid anyway near the boat, and don’t do anything reckless.
Unmoving Boats:
There are times when a boat is at a standstill, and you have to avoid it at costs. Boats such as kayaks, rowing boats, canoes, etc. have significantly less maneuverability, that is why, the boat that can move easily, has more control to avoid hitting into other boats.
Supplementary Boating Rules:
There are some additional rules on how you should pass a fishing boat. Luckily you have this article to help you out. The following rules are handy to keep in the back of your mind.
If two motorized boats are heading into each other, each boat needs to change its course to its starboard to avoid crashing. This helps the passing of the boat port side to port side.
Another course of action that depends on if the boats are crossing each other’s path is that at least one boat needs to change its direction to starboard. The boat that needs to give way has to take early action. Stopping the boat completely helps, but if you’re in a hurry, the former advice is better to take.
As the open body of water has no lanes to take charge on, if a boat giving way for another way doesn’t have space to change its direction to starboard, either cause of starboard or some obstacle, you can always stop the boat in its track till all boats in the area have passed through.
Overtaking in the water is much different than on land. On land, a lot less space is required, but if any boat is considering to overtake a boat, they have to be mindful to overtake with plenty of space.
Boating in Channels and Harbors:
Channels and harbors are where the most traffic of boats is seen, and hence extra care must be taken when riding a boat in these waters. S avoid crashing into other boats.
- Each boat has a standard side of the channel they can boat on. Each boat has a different side of the channel they can take it on, and hence people should know their side of the channel.
- Any ship that is carrying 50 tonnes of weight is to be avoided at all costs. They’re hard to steer, and hence you’ll be responsible for crashing into them.
- Due to the traffic in these waters, it’s forbidden to anchor down. If you want to anchor down, go to a harbor or a beach for a smaller boat.
- As it’s obvious, smaller boats need to steer clear of larger boats.
Powered Boats:
This set of rules apply for powered motorboats. They are as follows:
- When two powered boats are coming near each other, each has to go to their starboard side for safe passage.
- Giving way to boats that are on your starboard side is the best way to avoid any collision.
- Powered boats always need to give way for sailboats due to their slow maneuverability.
- Sailboats should avoid any near contact with motorized boats because and avoid entering into narrow channel ways.
Sailed Boats:
Sailboats are your general everyday use boats that any person can purchase with a bit of cash.Some general tips that you need to follow anyhow:
- The same rule of starboard applies for sailboats as well. The sailboat that is on the right side of the wind has precedence over the other sailboat.
- With the wind on the left side, the boat will have precedence over other boats.
- If both the boats are in the same direction of the wind, then the boat with the upwind has to give way.
The General Golden Rule:
If all things don’t go according to plan, even after all the rules in the article, then the best advice to follow is to stop in your tracks completely.
With this method, you can avoid a collision as no movement means no coming forward towards each other. Sometimes the most complex situations require the simplest answers.
Conclusion: Avoid colliding with other boats
No matter which boat you’re driving, a capable captain is known how to steer his boats in all types of situations. The safety of all onboard takes high precedence, and that is why its paramount to know all that concerns with navigating a boat.
This knowledge is easy enough for a layman to understand, and that is why it doesn’t take much to know how to navigate a boat. All that’s left now is the experience that comes with boat driving, and the only solution to that is hoisting your sails and making your way to the large body of water!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Some states give a general test for all boats, while some states need specific licenses for specific boats.
No, it is not permissible for any boat to anchor in a channel. Due to the large number of boats that dock and set sail from there, its just a recipe for disaster.
The sailboats have more precedence as they can't easily change their course, unlike motorized boats. Do you need a boat driving permit for different boats?
Is it permissible to anchor in a channel?
Who has more precedence, motorized, or sailboats?