"DSK" wrote in message
.. .
.... As a stand on vessel you are REQUIRED Rule 17(a) to maintain your
course and speed.

Unless, of course, that is impossible.


Gerald wrote:
No, the rule does not say "Unless, of course, that is impossible".


Well, I guess if the rules can require the impossible, then why not demand
burdened vessels to lift straight up in the air, to get out of your way?

Don't be absurd, the ColRegs cannot require a vessel to perform an
impossible maneuver.

No, they can not and do not require the impossible. In fact they specify
very few maneuvers. There are an infinite number of specific situations
that you and I can propose that the rules do not specifically cover. In the
absence of specific guidance from the rules, good seamanship, common sense
and safety must rule. You seem to get real hung up on the situation where
you might have to tack into the path of a powerboat. Generally speaking, if
you find your self in this situation, it is probably due to your failure to
anticipate. Yes, **** does happen, sometimes a deadhead will magically
appear in your path. If you do tack directly in front of a powerboat
because the wind shifts, good luck. Good luck on surviving, and good luck
in court.



... Note that the rules do not say that you must maintain your course
and speed except when the wind shifts, or the water gets too shallow, or
whatever else your problem may be.


What a stupid thing to say. If the water "becomes too shallow" then
1- you will most certainly not maintain speed, no matter hwo you try to
maintain course


Certainly not if you run aground. Are you unfamiliar with the water you
are sailing in? Do you have charts? Are you a graduate of the "Sail by
Braille" school?


No to all the above.


OTOH if you haven't run aground, you've never been anywhere.

True, but irrelevant.



2- under the rules, you are then constrained by draft.


DO YOU EVER READ THE RULES????????


Yes

"Constrained by draft" is a term that apples ONLY to power-driven vessles

Bull****.

Oh come on ... look at the definition in the rule book. "Constrained by
Draft" only applies to power-driven vessels in INTERNATIONAL water. There
is no such thing as "constrained by draft" in the inland rules. Now if you
want to discuss "draft in relation to the depth of available water" as
factor in determining "Safe Speed" - Rule 6 that is different.