Why did Clipper Adventurer cross sailing yacht's bow on Thursday 6 September, off Bass Rock?

Question

Clipper Adventurer was idling, stopped or nearly so, close to Bass Rock, no doubt letting passengers view. Our yacht came round the Rock, aiming to pass well ahead. Suddenly and for no apparent reason, Clipper put her engines ahead and aimed across our bow. Very doubtful at best that she would have crossed safely ahead of us: we had to alter course to pass round her stern. As sailing vessel we shouldn't have had to. Were you aboard? How did manoeuvre look to you?

Answer 1

Essentially, yes, a powered vessel must give way to a sailing vessel.

However, there are a few exclusions.

1. If the powered vessel is large and underway in a narrow channel (unlikely considering this was off Bass Rock - near North Berwick), then the sailing vessel must give way.

2. To avoid a collision any vessel upon decding that a collision might otherwise occur, must take decisive action of a clear nature in order that their actions make clear their intentions.

Clipper Adventurer is a fairly small ship and it is unlikely that you would have been so close that she was unable to see you on account of the bridge view either to port, starboard or ahead.

If anything like this occurs again - call the ship in question on Channel  16 (but you *must* know how to use Channel 16 - see below). By using Channel 16 local Coastguard will hear the call and be able to act as backup.

If you want, you could see if the event was recorded by the Forth Navigation Service. Here's what they have:-

Navigation on the Forth

The River and Firth of Forth from one mile west of the Isle of May upriver to Stirling

falls under the jurisdiction of Forth Ports plc, the Statutory Harbour Authority who

operate the Forth Navigation Service from the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Centre at

Leith Docks. The VTS Centre is equipped with radar, VHF radio, telex, facsimile,

telephones, radar video recorders, VHF radio audio recorders and local weather and

tidal instrumentation. The VHF radio call sign is “FORTH NAVIGATION SERVICE”

and continuous watch is kept on channel 71, with channels 20 and 12 as primary and

secondary working channels respectively.

The aim of the VTS is to enhance punctuality and transit safety by providing vessels

with advance information on the movement of other vessels and also other data,

including weather reports that affect the safety of traffic within the area. At all times,

the Duty Officer at Forth Navigation Service has the statutory final decision with regard

to such regulation and movement of vessels, as he may deem necessary.

Movement within the Forth Ports area of jurisdiction is regulated by Forth Ports bylaws.

In addition, a large portion of the central section of the Forth constitutes part of the

Naval Dockyard Port of Rosyth, the limits of which are clearly marked on Admiralty

charts. Within these limits it is important to remember that the Dockyard Port of Rosyth

Orders apply.

See more at:- http://members.lycos.co.uk/fyca/Handbook...

As they have radar records - they may have the event recorded.

Here's more info.

Collision avoidance rules.

http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/...

Which radio channels to use intership

http://www.wibble.co.uk/links/ukspectrum...

All about Channel 16.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/r...

Answer 2

can you talk to the clipper company?  good luck, maybe they can explain their decisions to you.