In a thread seriously adrift from its original discussion, Wilbur
postulated:

If a motor vessel is drifting with its motor not running is it
"Underway" or "Making Way" and is it still a vessel propelled by
machenery?

Sorry, but the correct term is "under way, not making way." If the
motors
are not running and it is not anchored then the vessel is said to be
"adrift."
(end Wilbur)

If the phrase in quotes was meant to mean it was under way, but not
making way, I agree. As I understood the "commentary" during our time
in tutelage for our USCG OUPVs, "under way" meant that you were
moving, however that might have been. "Making way" meant that you
were being propelled, however that may have been (not carried, as in
current).

And, "Not Under Command" meant not that there wasn't someone at the
helm, or in charge, but that the vessel's direction could not be
controlled with some steering device. Thus, during our steering
failure, I advised the helm of the incoming freighter on my way out of
Charleston, last summer, that while under way, I was not under
command, but would endeavour to remove our vessel from his path (which
I did by application of (immobile) rudder position, throttle and
gearshift to take advantage of currents and winds at the time). The
helm thanked us for a timely repositioning and went on in.

Anchored and aground were two different situations, and from all the
time spent on the subject in the "commentary" I assume that being
aground is a very common occurrence for International traffic. I'm
inferring that great level of discussion to be a product of anchoring
not being subject to release as easily (or unintentionally, perhaps a
better way to put it) as floating off (after which one would no longer
be "aground" - but could be NUC, and under way), thus posing a
potential risk to navigation.

I'm sure our resident legal jurisprudent master will expand on and
elucidate the commentary on such a situation. For ourselves, being at
anchor and aground simultaneously, such as was the case in St.
Michael's, MD immediately prior to Pres. Bush the present's commentary
on the rockfish sporting circumstances of the area, we've found, is a
reasonably secure way to insure that we won't represent a drifting
hazard to other craft :{)) nor, as was definitely of issue at the
time, a security risk to the President (at least, based on the
oppressive Secret Service presence preventing my kedging off when we
wanted to leave at high tide).

L8R

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