Tugcapitan
Well-Known Member
Not sure what you mean by "that's why they changed the law" unless you mean an amendment to the 1890 regs in 1911 that recognized that in any collision at sea no vessel is either completely at fault or completely blameless. The biggest disparity between vessels involved in a collision that I have read about is 90% at fault for one and 10% for the other.Just one last thing to add to my previous post, for anyone not entirely on top of their collision regs, had that situation been between two similar sized small fishing boats like any of ours, the smaller boat in this situation actually would have had old school "right of way", and the expectation would have been that the ferry would have altered course to avoid collision.
Any small or similar sized power boat approaching you from your right hand (Starboard) side theoretically has "right of way" over you. You should alter your course, not him, but if you don't, he must avoid colliding with you.
Never take it for granted though. That's why they changed the law.
Mariners are taught early on that there is no "right of way", but stand on and give way vessels. However, once risk of collision becomes apparent, it is both vessels responsibility to avoid it.