I kinda feel like this is a no-win situation, but I have to jump in ...

Ellen MacArthur wrote:
OK ya'll, here's another sailing question. I'll try to make it very clear. Maybe I won't
get so many complaints this time. (sighing as she decides not to hold her breath...)
I'm sailing my Tangerine (17' 6" on deck). It has no motor. I'm sailing along minding my
own business. It's a nice day and hardly any other boats on the Bay. There's no current
because it's high tide. Off to my left I see a big sport fisherman boat heading my way.
It looks like he's on course to run right into me about 45 degrees forward of my beam.

By this I assume you mean his bearing from you is 45 degrees forward
of your beam. And that bearing is holding steady.

He's not fishing. He's just motoring along on plane. He's closer than 1/4 mile.

If you're closing at 30 knots that means impact in 30 seconds.

I think
everybody will agree I'm the stand on boat. But under the colreg rules is this:
a) a meeting situation

"meeting situation" is not formally defined in the ColRegs. It is
used to describe two powerboats meeting head on, or nearly so. This
does not fit that usage.

b) a crossing situation

"Crossing" also is not formally defined but is used to describe two
powerboats, and is the title of that rule. Again this does not fit.

c) an overtaking situation

Overtaking is formally defined and can be used for sailboats, but
since you seem to be saying each boat sees the other forward of the
beam, this can't apply.

So it would appear the you could use the words meeting or crossing,
but it would no be in quite the same sense that these words are used
in the ColRegs, so I don't think this could be considered any of those
three possibilities.

There is one little point: The ColRegs also use "crossing" to mean
crossing a narrow channel. Thus, although that isn't stated here, its
conceivable that the sailboat is crossing a channel, making this a
"crossing situation" under rule 9 or 10, not rule 15.



I'll get even on this one. You've been mean to me so far, just mean. What goes around
comes around. Remember that. Maybe you won't be so mean.

Mean??? There's not a mean bone in my body!


Cheers,
Ellen