Ellen MacArthur wrote:
"Scotty"
| Ellen MacArthur wrote:
| NUC = unable to maneuver/unable to keep out of the
| way
| RAM = restricted to maneuver/unable to keep out of
| the way
| FISH = restricted to maneuver/able to keep out of
| the way
| "Jeff" wrote
|
| totally wrong. It quite possible that a fishing boat is
| unable to
| keep out of the way.
|
| How so?

Good thinking there, Scotty. ;-) I'm afraid Jeff is doing the same thing as otn's doing.
He says it is quite possible that a fishing boat is unable to keep out of the way. He's making
up his own rule. The colreg rule defines a fishing boat as *able* to keep out of the way.

It never says that. You're the one making up rules. All it says is
that the gear restricts its maneuverability.

So if the fishing boat Jeff's thinking about is unable to keep out of the way it meets the
definition of RAM. It does not meet the definition of FISH.

Well, only significance to that would be if a fishing vessel were
unable to stay out of the way of a RAM or NUC. And its possible that
a judge could be convinced. Whether or not that means the fishing
boat has become a RAM, or an exception is made under Rule 2 is academic.

People are ignoring my little
diagrams but they shouldn't. They tell you exactly what the rule says and they tell you it
so you have to use ALL the rule.

Actually, your diagrams add little to the rules. Much detail is in
the words, which are left out of the diagrams.


Otn says an aircraft carrier is RAM because it can maneuver to keep out of the way.
But the rule says RAM is unable to maneuver to keep out of the way. The only valid
conclusion is the aircraft carrier is not RAM. It can't be because it doesn't meet the
definition.

Again I say, the definitions are not the "pecking order." There is
nothing in the definitions that creates an absolute hierarchy of
maneuverability.

It's the same for the fishing boat above that Jeff says is unable to maneuver. It's
RAM if it's unable to maneuver to keep out of the way. Duh! And they say men are logical?
Double duh!


Examples can be constructed to support any position.