I'm looking for some help getting an answer to a question that has been tossed around our yacht club for several years. The question has to do with the right of way at the entrance to the bay where the club docks and some public docks are located. As you can see in the photo below, the entrance is fairly narrow. It's about 80' from shore to shore but the actual channel is only about 40'-45' wide, too narrow for two boats to pass abreast. The flow of the Columbia River is shown in the photo below. Boats coming in are usually crabbing against a 3-4 kt current. The question is actually a two part question. First, do boats entering the bay or boats leaving the bay have a right of way? Second, what are the appropriate whistle/horn signls for boats entering and departing through that entrance. A COLREGS section that applies would be appreciated. Thanks for the help.
First, there is really. I such thing as right of way on the water as the only time these words are used are about gong with/against the current on western rivers While not a "rule", when two vessels meet at a bridge it is customary for the down current vessel to proceed first but this is usually arranged by VHF In your example , since the boats coming in are affected by the current, they should be the stand on vessels and considered as "having the right of way". But there is no rule, it s common sense and courtesy, both being highly endangered species these days! Personally, if I was going out knowing another boat was inbound, I d hail them on 16 and advise the I'd be holding position to let then thru
Thanks for that fast feedback. I was wrong to use the term "right of way" and I understand that I should have used "Stand On" or "Give Way". The problem we frequently encounter is when a "bigger boat" (40' and up) is coming in from the river and a smaller boat (18'-24') is approaching the narrow channel to leave the bay. Very seldom does a smaller boat have a VHF on board so there's no way to contact them. In the past when I've been in a position where I was committed to going through the channel (and backing away from the entrance was not a good option) and saw a smaller boat approaching from the other direction I've used the 'five short blasts' on the horn. It has worked to get the other boat to stop, but I've often wondered if there were any regs that addressed two boats entering a channel like this. Dennis, the demark line is about 340 miles down the Columbia from where we are. It's at the Columbia River Bar area near Astoria, OR. GFC
I think you're doing about the best you can. Members of the yacht club can agree on rules but boats from the public docks, and I'm assuming ramp, will not know them and would probably ignore them if they did. I don't know of specific RoR that would apply here and would also like to hear any answers from the more knowledgeable.
If it's a crossing situation, the rules are well defined and easy to understand. If you let it turn into a meeting situation in a very narrow channel then both parties screwed up. It is always your responsibility to take action to prevent a collision. The "downbound" part of the rule applies when there is an "upbound" boat.
Leaving a narrow entrance like that, one long blast is the appropriate signal. If someone was approaching the entrance from the river and was close to shore, thereby making a sharp turn into the channel (that is, not easily seen by someone leaving, they too should sound one long blast. Rule 34(e) for reference.
One prolonged blast seems appropriate to me. Being on inland waters one could make the case you are approaching a bend in the "channel". Coming out of North Cove Marina in NYC, it seemed to be customary to sound one prolonged blast, since the opening was so narrow. (Concrete can do wonders to fiberglass.)
Bingo! I realize that if it turns into a meeting situation things have gone bad. That's what my first post was seeking to prevent. Given that the current at the mouth of the entrance to that bay requires crabbing across it until the bow of the boat is right at the entrance, if another boat starts to come out of the bay it would be too late to try to stop entering and back out. Thanks to all of you for the help on this.
