Question 1

At night you observe a vessel showing: combined lantern at the masthead (red over green sectors visible depending on angle) and no white masthead light. By day the same vessel shows a black cone, apex downward. What does each configuration tell you?

Accepted Answer

Night: combined tricolour lantern (Rule 25(b)) — red and green sectors visible from ahead — indicates a SAILING VESSEL UNDERWAY showing the optional tricolour lantern. Sailing vessels under 20m in length may use a combined lantern at the masthead with red (port), green (starboard), and white (stern) sectors in one unit instead of separate sidelights and sternlight. No white masthead light = not motoring (sailing only). Day: black cone APEX DOWN — under Rule 25(e): "A vessel proceeding under sail when also being propelled by machinery shall exhibit forward where it can best be seen a conical shape, apex downwards." The cone apex down by DAY means she is MOTORSAILING — both sail and engine are in use. When motorsailing, the vessel is treated as a POWER-DRIVEN vessel for the purpose of COLREGs — she no longer enjoys the privilege of a sailing vessel under Rule 18. You are NOT required to give way to her as you would a pure sailing vessel; she is treated as power-driven. Rule 25 — Sailing vessels underway and vessels under oars — is tested because the motorsailing cone is a key operational scenario. Rule 25(a): sailing vessel underway shows sidelights and sternlight; Rule 25(b) optional combined lantern (tricolour) for vessels under 20m; Rule 25(c) optional all-round red over green at the masthead to assist identification as a sailing vessel — NOT mandatory. The cone apex down (Rule 25(e)) is the most important practical point for collision avoidance: a vessel with sails up AND engine running is treated as a power-driven vessel for Rule 18 purposes. Many yachts motorsail without displaying the cone — this is technically non-compliant but commonplace. If a vessel is motorsailing without displaying the cone, and it is not obvious whether sails are set, the OOW must assess based on observed behaviour and speed. At Chief Mate level, this leads to a discussion of how to handle uncertainty: if you cannot determine whether a vessel is pure sailing or motorsailing, treat it as sailing (the more privileged category) to be safe, but monitor closely.

Question 2

As Chief Mate you are on watch and have developed a close-quarters situation with a vessel that has not responded to VHF calls and appears not to be taking action. The master is now on the bridge. What management-level framework do you apply, and what do you tell the master?

Accepted Answer

Management-level framework for a close-quarters situation: (1) Brief the master concisely on arrival: target bearing, CPA, TCPA, action already taken (course/speed changes), what response (if any) from the other vessel; (2) Confirm your own vessel's status: current course, speed, engine readiness; (3) Apply Rule 17(b) — if the give-way vessel has not acted and a collision cannot be avoided by the give-way vessel alone, the stand-on vessel (if that is you) SHALL take action. This is now a mandatory action, not a permissive one; (4) Rule 2(a) — General Prudential Rule: "Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel... from the consequences of any neglect to take all precautions which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen"; (5) Take action EARLY and LARGE — a late small alteration is less effective and less visible than an early substantial alteration; (6) Document actions in the deck log with times; (7) Post-incident: write an OOW narrative of events for the file. Chief Mate COLREGs management is tested at a higher level than OOW — the examiner expects understanding of both the rules and the command management aspects. When the master arrives on the bridge in a close-quarters situation: the master does not automatically "take the con" — the COLREGs responsibility and watchkeeping duty remain with the OOW until the master explicitly states he is taking command. The OOW must brief the master completely and confirm who is taking the con. Rule 2(b) — the General Prudential Rule — is the ultimate override: even if every other rule seems to mandate a specific action, if common sense and seamanship require a departure from the rules to avoid immediate danger, that departure is permitted. Post-incident documentation is a management responsibility: a contemporaneous written account of events, actions taken, and the COLREGs reasoning applied is essential for any subsequent casualty investigation or P&I Club involvement.

Question 3

You are passage planning a voyage that will take your vessel through three different Traffic Separation Schemes. As Chief Mate responsible for the passage plan, what TSS-specific obligations must you document and brief?

Accepted Answer

TSS-specific passage planning obligations (Rule 10 and SOLAS V/34): (1) Identify all TSS on the route — plot them on charts, note their direction of traffic flow and separation zones; (2) Plan the route to navigate in the correct lane (Rule 10(a) — join and navigate in appropriate lanes); (3) If crossing is necessary, plan to cross at right angles to the lane direction (Rule 10(c)); (4) Plan to avoid anchoring in or near a TSS unless in an emergency (Rule 10(g)); (5) Note any deep-water routes or inshore traffic zones relevant to the vessel's draught; (6) Research MSI broadcasts for TSS — check for restricted areas, military exercises, or temporary changes to the scheme; (7) Brief the master in the pre-departure voyage plan review — specifically note any TSS crossing points and their timing (daylight/night preference, tidal considerations); (8) Identify VHF traffic advisory services (CNIS Dover Strait, Jobourg Traffic, Gris Nez Traffic) associated with each TSS. IMO-adopted Traffic Separation Schemes are established under SOLAS Regulation V/10 — compliance with IMO-adopted TSS is mandatory (not voluntary) for vessels to which SOLAS applies. Rule 10 of COLREGs implements the TSS obligations. The Chief Mate's passage planning duty under SOLAS V/34: the Appraisal and Planning stages must specifically address TSS by identifying all schemes on the route, the direction of use, and crossing obligations. Key inshore traffic zones (Rule 10(d)): a vessel not bound for a port in the ITZ area should normally use the TSS lane rather than the inshore zone — the ITZ is reserved for vessels using the adjacent ports. Anchorage in TSS (Rule 10(g)): "a vessel shall not anchor in a traffic separation scheme or in areas near its terminations, except in cases of emergency, force majeure, or for the purpose of giving assistance to persons, ships, or aircraft in danger." Vessels are fined by port states for anchoring in TSS without justification.