"News f2s" wrote:

Nice summary Gary.

Its interesting that so far on this thread there's an assumption
that having a VHF to hand means that you'll be able to communicate
with a potential collision risk vessel.

First, he's got to have a VHF too.

I would think that a vessel that large would have to, although I know
of some sailboats that do not.

Then it's got to be switched on.

I know people who sail (and single hand) who have a radio and do not
switch it on because there's too much traffic, and it is too noisy.
This is another issue like the radar one - in the US at least, if you
have a radio it should be on and monitoring channel 16.

Listening out on the right channel.
Then he's got to identify that he's being called -
"Vessel at 33deg 23min N, 120deg 45min E, . . .

I don't know that I would be able to identify myself if someone was
calling me with that designation. The name of the boat is the best
way to hail, and alternatively a description of the boat and place.
"Sailboat by Hooper's Island Light" for instance.

We have our name in big letters on both the bow and stern, so someone
should be able to make at attempt at the name if they can see us, but
not everyone does. I've seen trawlers with their dinghy stowed
against the transom completely hiding the name there.

While all these assumptions might be valid on an inland waterway
where there's a designated VHF channel, they certainly wouldn't
apply in most European seas, and certainly not in Greek waters!

It isn't just the ICW where there is a designated channel. It is the
whole of the US and I think also Canada and much of the Caribbean.