"Gary" wrote

Furthermore, if (a radio) is onboard why wouldn't you make best use
of it as required by the Colregs?

(I interpret the rules to say that if you have one you must use it.
Just like radar etc. "all available means")

Gary

The fact that I chose to resolve this situation without the use of the
radio has nothing to do with the behavior of the yacht.

Your position that you "must" use a radio would imply that you must
talk to every vessel you cross. Do you really do that? Do you really
think that on a Sunday afternoon in a busy harbor every boat out there
should be making calls about every crossing? Many crossing situations
would be over before the participants could figure out which white
sailboat or Searay they were talking about.

I made extensive use of the radio at untowered airports back when I
was flying so I've got a good idea of the theory and practice of
non-directional verbal communication as used to avoid collisions. The
biggest problem in aviation radio use, where almost everyone is
talking, if frequency congestion. The major cause of near misses and
collisions is confusion about whether the Cessna 172 you are talking
to is the one you see ahead or the one 100 feet below and behind you
who can't see you through his wing.

The primary thing keeping air traffic straightened out where there is
no ATC or tower is everyone following right of way rules and behaving
in a predictable fashion. The radio is a secondary back up. As soon
as pilots start using the radio as the primary tool, relying on it
rather than proper behavior, things get hairy. This happens a lot
because there are ass holes in the air as well as on the water.

The common aviation equivalent of what we have been discussing is the
twin engine aircraft. Typically, everyone in their singles and the
well behaved twins will be fitting into the traffic pattern, reporting
their positions, maintaining spacing in an orderly fashion, and
landing in nice sequence. Suddenly there will be a call, "Baron
N23ASS on long final 18 straight in" Everyone has to peel off,
scatter to in all directions, figure out where everyone is again and
set up the traffic pattern while the twin is tying down and getting
the last available courtesy car.

--

Roger Long