February 7, 2019
Curt Yoder had scheduled a speaker to talk about marine electronics at the Astoria Yacht Club’s February seminar, but due to illness, the speaker could not participate. Commodore Bruce acted as the pinch hitter and agreed to pull together a seminar reviewing “The International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea”; or more simply put, the rules-of-the-road. The club has the extraordinary luck of having a Commodore that knows these rules and is also a good presenter.
The seminar worked out great. We reviewed the larger points of the rules-of-the-road including when is a vessel considered underway, the port tack and leeward vessel rules (important to sailors) and, other critical details.
The review’s take away items for this writer were: always pay attention while on a vessel’s bridge or in a cockpit. Also, despite what the-rules-of-the-road may require, in an emergency or close call, maneuver your vessel to keep it from colliding with anything else.
Thank you Curtis and Commodore Bruce.