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Overtaking


JohnK

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Now I’ve always thought that it’s ok to pass either side of another boat when overtaking (because I think that’s what the RYA says).

 

But I was told by a Broads ranger that I should only pass to port on the Broads.

 

Any opinions or facts?

 

 

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15 minutes ago, JohnK said:

Hmm, thanks for that.
It doesn’t specifically say either side is ok but nor does it say you must overtake to port.


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I believe the vessel overtaking (on either side) has to stay out of the way of the vessel being overtaken. But the vessel being overtaken has a responsibility to maintain a straight or predictable course (or something like that).

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I believe the vessel overtaking (on either side) has to stay out of the way of the vessel being overtaken. But the vessel being overtaken has a responsibility to maintain a straight or predictable course (or something like that).


That’s what I think the RYA says and what the link above says.


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4 minutes ago, JohnK said:

 


That’s what I think the RYA says and what the link above says.


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I have to admit that I've overtaken on both sides following the rules I described and whilst I've had a few strange looks I've always assumed they are from people "not in the know" basing their opinion on a carry over of UK road laws.

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I think there are a number of factors to consider here,

Firstly the byelaw says you are deemed to be overtaking when coming up with another vessel from a direction more than 22.5 degrees abaft its beam. It doesn't say which side.

Secondly byelaw 13 says you should try and keep to the right or starboard side of the river. If a vessel you want to overtake is very close to the centre of the river, then why not overtake on it's right and stay on the correct side of the river?

Thirdly if you are overtaking a sailboat on a long tack to port, then it must be safer to do so on the starboard side?

Fourthly, there are no lanes marked out on the river, no slow or over taking lanes, so I think any side that is safe to overtake and doesn't cause a problem for you or the vessel you are overtaking is game. :default_norty:   :default_swordpir:  Cannot find a tongue in cheek icon, but you get the idea, hopefully.

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I kid you not when I tell you that I have been sailing along, with about a ten foot gap between me and the bank to my right. On the other side has been a thirty or so foot gap to the bank on my left side. A big gin palace comes up from behind me and pushes against the reeds as he literally squeezes in between the right hand bank and me, despite there being all that space on the other side. Indeed he left a trail of floating reeds which presumably his prop had cut as he pushed past.

So often have I heard the advice given to novices and numpties, 'stick to the right hand bank and you won't come to any harm'! Good advice? I don't think so.

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I had a very near miss on the Chet two or three years ago. There I was at the helm of a forward steer cruiser probably about halfway down towards Loddon when a sailie decided to overtake me on my starboard side. He came whizzing up the inside of my boat, totally out of my line of sight, and given how many bends there are I had no idea he was there. Hubby called out a warning which was the only thing that saved me from moving over towards the bank and colliding with him. I was not impressed ... and it's behaviour like that which can give a whole group of people a bad name.

In my view it was completely reckless as he wasn't hanging around - I had good visibility down the port side of the boat, around the front and alongside the helm to starboard ... but not further back down the starboard side so no way of knowing he was there.

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2 hours ago, SwanR said:

I had a very near miss on the Chet two or three years ago. There I was at the helm of a forward steer cruiser probably about halfway down towards Loddon when a sailie decided to overtake me on my starboard side. He came whizzing up the inside of my boat, totally out of my line of sight, and given how many bends there are I had no idea he was there. Hubby called out a warning which was the only thing that saved me from moving over towards the bank and colliding with him. I was not impressed ... and it's behaviour like that which can give a whole group of people a bad name.

In my view it was completely reckless as he wasn't hanging around - I had good visibility down the port side of the boat, around the front and alongside the helm to starboard ... but not further back down the starboard side so no way of knowing he was there.

I think the moral of your tale is that a proper lookout should be maintained at all times to avoid the odd surprise.

At least a sail boat can be spotted coming.

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In May last year I was going up the Thurne "upon my lawful occasions" and was overtaken up the inside by a hire boat just as I was about to turn into Thurne Dyke! A stupid thing for him to do, no matter what the law says - or doesn't.

I think it is obvious that one should overtake up the middle of the river since that way, you have a clear view of traffic coming the other way, so you know if it is safe to do so!

In the case of overtaking a yacht on a reach, you should always do so to leeward, since the yacht may get a sudden gust and be forced up to windward. In this case you may have to overtake on the inside. 

 

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26 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

In May last year I was going up the Thurne "upon my lawful occasions" and was overtaken up the inside by a hire boat just as I was about to turn into Thurne Dyke! A stupid thing for him to do, no matter what the law says - or doesn't.

I think it is obvious that one should overtake up the middle of the river since that way, you have a clear view of traffic coming the other way, so you know if it is safe to do so!

In the case of overtaking a yacht on a reach, you should always do so to leeward, since the yacht may get a sudden gust and be forced up to windward. In this case you may have to overtake on the inside. 

 

Something that I have often been told, in landlubber English PLEASE!! Larboards, starboards, leewards, forwards etc. are everyday good English to many but not all of us!

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3 minutes ago, Wildfuzz said:

I try to give a little blast on the horn which ever side I am overtaking if it is not obvious the other helm has seen me, well if the music is not up too loud for it to be heard. (on either boat :619_microphone2:)

Or the clink of wine glasses, the tap-tap-tap of high heels, the slurping of chocolate bars and the cackle of laughter!!

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38 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

In the case of overtaking a yacht on a reach, you should always do so to leeward, since the yacht may get a sudden gust and be forced up to windward. In this case you may have to overtake on the inside. 

is that when they are ziggy zagging or going in a straight line, and is it the windy side or the not windy side?

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1 hour ago, rightsaidfred said:

Given that most Broads boats are left hand drive surely common sense dictates that you don't overtake on the blind side especially in a small or low boat.

Fred

Fred, take another look, an awful lot of private boats, especially imports, have their steering wheels on the 'wrong' side. On the rare occasion that I have gone to the Boat Show I may have gleefully inspected a gleaming mass of gel-coat and well buffed stainless, watched the salesman grouping for his order book, and commission slip, and then walked away with the comment, the wheel is on the wrong side, his face suitably falling as he thinks 'there goes another pedantic twit who can't afford my superb offering!  

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