Here’s a photo of a radar screen taken during a previous Fleet Week event. It’s easy to pick out the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the land mass that is the San Francisco Peninsula. The black rectangle is the exclusion zone. The rest of the green dots are boats!<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tradewindssailing.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/66919_430541743638_3470597_n-1.jpg\")
<\/a>Fleet Week Radar Plot<\/p><\/div>\n
Personally, I think Fleet Week is the “worst” of the two.\u00a0 Not only are there a lot of boats, they are all crowded into a limited area and large areas of city front are closed, AND everyone is looking up at the air shows!\u00a0 An absolute recipe for disaster.\u00a0 I think my favorite example of the challenges Fleet Week can present came when the skipper of a sailboat was arguing with the Coast Guard over the VHF regarding who had the right of way … him or a container ship.\u00a0 Seems this guy believes he has the right of way because he is a sailboat and the container ship is a power boat.\u00a0 There was no convincing him that he was wrong.<\/p>\n
With that in mind here is a quick review of the Rules, and the actions required by the Give-way and Stand-on Vessels.<\/p>\n
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- Not Under Command<\/strong> (don’t see this one very often)<\/li>\n
- Restricted Ability to Maneuver<\/strong> (the Coast Guard may hold this type of traffic during the main events)<\/li>\n
- Vessel Engaged in Fishing<\/strong> (don’t see this on the bay very much)<\/li>\n
- Sailing Vessel<\/strong> (Port Tack gives way to Starboard Tack … If Same Tack, Windward Gives Way to Leeward)<\/li>\n
- Power Vessel<\/strong> (includes\u00a0sail boats if the engine is engaged)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/a>Rule 16 – Action by Give-way Vessel <\/strong><\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/strong>Rule 17<\/strong>– Action by Stand-on Vessel <\/strong>(a) (i) Where one of two vessels is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course and speed.<\/p>\n
(ii) The latter vessel may however take action to avoid collision by her maneuver 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.<\/p>\n
(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.<\/p>\n
(c) A\u00a0power-driven vessel which takes action in a crossing situation in accordance with Rule 17(a)(ii) 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.<\/p>\n
(d) This Rule does not relieve the give-way vessel of her obligation to keep out of the way.<\/p>\n
Check out\u00a0Rule 17, Part b<\/strong> … to paraphrase … if the guy that’s supposed to give way doesn’t … you must get out of his way!\u00a0 It’s interesting to note the there is no “Right of Way” … there are Give Way Vessels<\/strong> and Stand On Vessels<\/strong>!<\/p>\n
Any way it goes, if you are out there during Fleet Week you are going to have a lot of ColRegs practice … know the rules and be careful out there!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Anybody know what\u00a0the two busiest boating weekends on the Bay are? One is Opening Day on the Bay (the last weekend in April.)\u00a0 The other is Fleet week, which is the first week or two of October.\u00a0 This year, Fleet … Continue reading
- Restricted Ability to Maneuver<\/strong> (the Coast Guard may hold this type of traffic during the main events)<\/li>\n