Seamanship, safety and collision regulations
Seamanship, safety and collision regulations tests the practical rules that keep a boat out of trouble: who gives way, what lights and shapes are shown, what to do in an emergency, and how to prepare the boat and crew.
Collision regulations
Keep a proper lookout and proceed at a safe speed. In a crossing situation between power vessels, the vessel with the other on her starboard side gives way; the stand-on vessel keeps her course and speed but may act if a collision is imminent. Head-on vessels both alter to starboard. An overtaking vessel keeps clear. In a narrow channel keep to the starboard side and avoid anchoring. In a traffic separation scheme, cross at right angles and avoid crossing lanes.
Lights, shapes and sound signals
Learn arcs and colours: sidelights red to port, green to starboard, white sternlight; a power vessel under way shows a masthead light (two if over 50 m). Anchor shows an all-round white light. NUC shows two all-round red lights; RAM red-white-red. One short blast means altering to starboard, two short to port, three short astern; five short rapid means doubt or danger.
Safety and emergencies
Before departure, brief the crew, check lifejackets, weather, fuel, fire extinguishers, VHF and liferaft. For MOB: shout, throw buoyancy, press MOB, keep the casualty in sight, approach carefully and recover. Use MAYDAY on VHF channel 16 for grave and imminent danger; PAN PAN for urgency.
Worked example: you are in a power vessel and see another power vessel on your starboard bow with a steady bearing. You are the give-way vessel. Reduce speed or alter course to starboard early and substantially, aiming to pass astern. The other vessel should hold course and speed.
Traps: assuming the stand-on vessel has an absolute right of way; making a tiny late alteration; confusing NUC with RAM; using the wrong sound signal; and failing to brief the crew before an emergency.