Rules of the Road

in Chichester Harbour
Avoiding collisions and
navigating safely

01243 512301
www.conservancy.co.uk
 Introduction

All boats using the Harbour are subject to the

International Rules for Preventing Collisions at Sea:
known as the Collision Regulations (COLREGS) or
Rules of the Road.

Most incidents in the Harbour are caused by ignorance or

misunderstanding of a few key rules: this leaflet aims to explain these
and act as a reminder but should not be regarded as a substitute for
for building a thorough understanding of the COLREGS.
The full COLREGS cover a large and often detailed amount of
information which can appear daunting on first sight. There are
!
however many books, cards and online learning aids that help distil this
information down to a learnable amount which will give you a sound
working knowledge.
Being equipped with this knowledge will make your boating safer for
everyone and certainly more enjoyable.
...
Here we have used the terms ‘give way boat’ for the boat required to
keep clear, and ‘stand on boat’ for the one in normal circumstances
should hold course. For the purposes of the Col Regs, a motor boat is
any boat that is motoring or motor-sailing. The term port is used for left
and starboard for right.
The rules must be interpreted in seamanlike way if collisions are to be
avoided. It should be noted that no vessel has a right of way and a
‘stand on’ vessel must take action if a risk of collision occurs.
There are also special ISAF racing rules that apply between sailboats
which are racing however the Col Regs continue to apply between
racing and non racing boats and take precedence.

2
Rules of the Road: Chichester Harbour

Rules which apply to and between all boats

!
Avoiding dangerous situations (Rule 2)
Though
... the rules state which boat should give way in every case, Rule 2 requires the
stand on boat to avoid danger and deal with any special situation in a seamanlike
way. For example if the give way boat has lost control or is unable to keep clear, the
stand8 on boat must take avoiding action to prevent a collision.

Keeping a look out (Rule 5)

One of the simplest but most important rules, but it’s all too easy to
get distracted whilst boating. Many a near miss or collision could
have been avoided by just looking.
As well as sight, remember to listen and use all other available
means (such as Radar) to assess the situation and any risk of collision.

N
8
Safe speed (Rule 6)
Skippers are expected to sail or motor at a speed which enables
them to keep clear of other boats, allowing for the conditions. Safe
8 speed may be ...
affected by the characteristics of the boat, number
of other boats around, the wind and current direction and strength,
and the width of the channel.
This safe speed will often be less than the harbour speed limit of 8 knots!

Narrow channels (Rule 9)

!
All boats should keep to the right, and as close to the edge of the
channel as is practical. Anchoring in a narrow channel breaks Rule 9.
The term narrow channel is relative and depends upon a vessels’
means of propulsion, size, manoeuvrability and the ...
prevailing
conditions. For instance all vessels should treat mooring fairways as
narrow channels where as broader stretches of water may only be
considered narrow channels by larger vessels.
...
3
 Rules of the Road: Chichester Harbour
8 The red boat is not
overtaking the
Overtaking (Rule 13) green boat

Sail or power, racing or not, if you are 22.5°

approaching another vessel from astern 67.5°

(22.5 degrees abaft her beam to be precise)
and going to overtake, you must keep out
of the way of the vessel being overtaken.
The vessel being overtaken must...maintain The yellow boat
course and speed. is overtaking the
green boat

Avoiding a collision (Rules 8 and 16)

The give way boat should make its avoiding manoeuvre obvious, and in
plenty of time. This is its means of communicating with the other boat! It should
also pass at a safe distance: this ...
means a bigger margin for error than many
racing manoeuvres.

Standing on (Rule 17)

To avoid misleading the give way boat, a stand on boat should not change course
or speed, This is especially important where a non racer has to give way to a racer:
though the racer may wish to alter course he must ‘stand on’ until the give way
boat is clear.
Of course, if it becomes obvious that the give way boat for
some reason not keeping clear, the stand on boat must avoid
a collision. If this late avoidance involves a turn, it should
generally be to starboard. This will avoid ‘shadow
dancing’ , if both boats turn
simultaneously.

...

4
Give Way Hierarchy
Responsibility Between Vessels (Rule 18)
When two different types of boat meet in situations not covered above, the
following priorities apply.

1 Motor Boat
gives way to
Sailing Boat

2 Sailing Boat
gives way to
Boat engaged
in Fishing

3 Boat engaged
in Fishing
gives way to
boat with
Restricted Ability
to Manoeuvre

4 Boat with Restricted

Ability to Manoeuvre
gives way to
Boat Not Under
Command

5
 Rules of the Road: Chichester Harbour

Rules which apply between motor boats

!
Motor boats
1
meeting head on 3
(Rule 14)...
Both should alter course to starboard, and pass
port to port side. This is logical, and consistent
with rules 9 and 17.
2 2

3 1
3

2
N
8
Motor boats on
crossing courses
2 (Rule 15)
1 The boat that has the other on its
1 starboard side is the give way boat. In
Give way Boat
Stand on Boat most circumstances it should turn to the
starboard and pass behind the stand
on boat. The phrase ‘if to starboard red
appear, ‘tis your duty to keep clear’ can
be a helpful way to remember this one.
! The red being the colour of the light
on the port side.

...
6
 N
8
Rules which apply between sailing boats
wind direction

Sailing boats
on opposite tacks
(Rule 12 (i))
Unless one boat is overtaking
another, the boat on the port tack
is the give way boat. A boat is on a
Stand on Boat port tack if her main boom is on the
! starboard side.

8
Give way Boat
wind direction
Give way Boat
...

Sailing boats on
the same tack (Rule 12 (ii))
The boat that is furthest to windward is the
N
give way boat. The8windward side is the side
opposite to the main boom.

Stand on Boat
wind direction

... Stand on Boat

Not sure (Rule 12 (iii))

A port tack boat may be unsure of which tack a
! boat to windward is on, if for example its boom
Give way Boat
is obscured by a spinnaker. In this case, the
port tack boat is the give way boat.

... 7
 Signals
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Harbour
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Chichester Harbour Conservancy

The Harbour Office, Itchenor, Chichester,
West Sussex PO20 7AW
T: 01243 512301 E: info@conservancy.co.uk
www.conservancy.co.uk