On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 18:35:33 -0400, Jeff wrote:

Frank Boettcher wrote:
...

I personnally have tacked up Gulfport small craft channel (at one
point about 40' across), with a dead engine in a boat drawing 5' and
had teenagers on sunfish screaming starboard at me. They might need
to go back to the sailing school and learn the meaning of "least
manueverable".

Frank

OK, I have to ask. What is the rule of "Least Maneuverable"? Is this
some special local rule down in the Gulf? I scanned the Colregs and
it doesn't show up there.

You invoked that before but didn't quite explain. Did you mean that
the sport fisherman has right of way because its less maneuverable?


Truth be known, I don't think I have ever read it. It was explained
to me in a piloting course I took many years ago in the context that
sailing vessels don't automatically have right of way over power
boats.

And it may always be determined after the fact, i.e. in the courts if
there is an incident.

Concept is simple. In the example above, my channel bound boat
tacking to windward in a narrow channel always has the right of way
over a sunfish that is not channel bound, regardless of what tack I'm
on. Because I am " least manueverable" given the narrow amount of
room I have to manuever.

If you are sailing and on intersection with a supertanker that
requires miles to stop or change course, even if not channel bound,
least manueverable is the rule.

If you are sailing and approaching a barge train of two or three coal
barges heading for the power plant, they will always be considered
"least manueverable" and have right of way.

If the sport fisherman is channel bound, and you are not, it is your
obligation to avoid, if on a collusion course that would occur in the
channel.

at least that is the way it was explained to me in the course.

Frank