Question 1

Two sailing vessels are approaching one another. Vessel A has the wind on the port side. Vessel B has the wind on the starboard side. Which vessel gives way?

Accepted Answer

Vessel A gives way, because a sailing vessel with wind to port keeps clear of one with wind to starboard.. Rule 12(a): when two sailing vessels are approaching one another, the vessel which has the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way. Vessel A has wind to port, she is the give-way vessel. Vessel B has wind to starboard, she is stand-on. Memory: Port gives way, Starboard stands on.

Question 2

Two sailing vessels on the same tack are approaching one another. Which vessel gives way?

Accepted Answer

The windward vessel shall keep out of the way of the leeward vessel. Rule 12(a)(ii): when both sailing vessels have the wind on the same side, the vessel which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the vessel which is to leeward. The leeward vessel has right of way. Memory: leeward = lee = lee shore danger = needs protection = stands on.

Question 3

Two sailing vessels are approaching at night so as to involve risk of collision. One has the wind on her port side and sees the other to windward, but cannot determine which side the other has the wind on. Which vessel must keep out of the way?

Accepted Answer

The vessel with the wind on her port side must keep out of the way because she cannot determine the windward vessel's tack.. Rule 12(a)(iii) requires a sailing vessel with the wind on her port side to keep out of the way of a vessel she sees to windward if she cannot determine with certainty whether that vessel has the wind on her port or starboard side. Uncertainty about the other vessel's tack does not itself impose this specific duty on a starboard-tack vessel. Rule 12(b) defines the windward side for the purposes of the rule.

Rule 12, questions and explanations

Two sailing vessels are approaching one another. Vessel A has the wind on the port side. Vessel B has the wind on the starboard side. Which vessel gives way?

Two sailing vessels on the same tack are approaching one another. Which vessel gives way?

Two sailing vessels are approaching at night so as to involve risk of collision. One has the wind on her port side and sees the other to windward, but cannot determine which side the other has the wind on. Which vessel must keep out of the way?

Practise this properly

Rule 12, questions and explanations

Questions

Two sailing vessels are approaching one another. Vessel A has the wind on the port side. Vessel B has the wind on the starboard side. Which vessel gives way?

Two sailing vessels on the same tack are approaching one another. Which vessel gives way?

Two sailing vessels are approaching at night so as to involve risk of collision. One has the wind on her port side and sees the other to windward, but cannot determine which side the other has the wind on. Which vessel must keep out of the way?

Practise this properly