Comments interspersed.

Simple Simon wrote:


Listening to the fog signal most certainly may give you information
on how to maneuver. For example, you are operating a motor boat.
You hear dead ahead of you one prolonged blast/ two short blasts.
You slow down some more. Two minutes you hear the same signal
but now it's bearing approx 350 degrees. Two minutes later you hear it
bearing approx 340 degrees.

With a fog signal, it would be very hard to locate the bearing of the
signal this closely .... something you still fail to understand. It will
take a good deal of time, just using the sound, to get an actual feel
for direction of movement of the other vessel, unless they are traveling
at a good rate of speed, and even then it will take awhile .... hence
the reason for slowing to bare steerage or stopping.


You don't have to assume,

Never Assume.
you know
the vessel has crossed your path but and unless it is very very long or
is a towboat with a very very long hawser that it would be you may
be clear. You assume the worst case scenario that it is a towboat
with a hawser a quarter mile long so you slow down even more and
turn 30 degrees to starboard.

I would consider 30 degrees in zero visibility, too little..... better
to stop and let them clear astern or at least abaft the beam.

Now, tell me you aren't the give way vessel.

Course you are and so is the other guy. There is NO stand-on status in
fog nor pecking order, nor one vessel which must consider itself the
sole "giveway" vessel, based on sound signals. ALL vessels are required
to maneuver in the same way, to the extent possible for their condition,
if at all. IOW you on your sailboat, must reduce speed to that necessary
to keep yourself on course, or stop and at any rate navigate with
extreme caution, until the danger has passed ... no special treatment
.....if you're NUC, you sit there and pray.

S.Simon - a Captain who's unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Rules



otn