You decide to anchor in the Solent due to dense fog. What procedure do you follow and what signals must you display and sound?

A. ANCHORING IN FOG — procedure and signals: PROCEDURE: (1) SELECT POSITION: check chart for suitable depth (appropriate for vessel's draught + scope), clear of channels, fairways, TSS, and mooring areas; (2) BRIEF ANCHOR PARTY: send second officer/bosun to fo'c'stle head with clear instructions on depth, scope, and signals; (3) APPROACH: approach the anchorage at minimum speed — control approach by short pulses of engine; use radar to monitor approach to anchor position and surrounding traffic; (4) ANCHOR SELECTED DEPTH AND SCOPE: 3-5 times depth in shelter, up to 7-10 times depth in exposed anchorage or strong tidal stream; (5) DRAGGING WATCH: assign anchor watch — radar bearings to fixed objects to detect drag. SIGNALS — AT ANCHOR IN FOG: SOUND SIGNAL — Rule 35(g): vessel at anchor must ring anchor bell rapidly for 5 seconds every minute. In a vessel 100m+ in length, must also sound a gong aft for 5 seconds immediately after the bell; LIGHT SIGNALS — Rule 30: at anchor, exhibit all-round white light(s) forward and all-round white aft (vessels 50m+); OPTIONAL SOUND — Rule 35(g)(ii): a vessel at anchor may also sound three blasts (short-long-short: ". — .") as a warning to approaching vessels; NOTIFY PORT AUTHORITY/VTS: inform relevant VTS of anchorage position (SOLENT VHF Ch 02/Ch 12, Cowes Harbour etc.); NOTIFY COMPANY: consistent with SMS.

B. At anchor in fog, vessels must exhibit two all-round red lights and sound the foghorn — one prolonged blast every 2 minutes.

C. A vessel at anchor in fog only needs to sound fog signals if there are other vessels visible in the area. If no vessels are detected on radar, no fog signals are required.

D. Once anchored, fog sound signals are the responsibility of the anchor watch bosun, not the officer of the watch. The OOW has no further obligations once the anchor is deployed.

A. SAFE SPEED IN RESTRICTED VISIBILITY — Rule 6 assessment (COLREG Rule 6): safe speed requires consideration of: (a) state of visibility (300m — severely restricted); (b) traffic density (Dover Strait is one of the world's busiest waterways — separation scheme traffic plus local traffic); (c) manoeuvring ability — your vessel's stopping distance at 12 knots (a 140m bulk carrier may take 15+ ship lengths to stop); (d) background lighting at night; (e) draught — your squat in shallow Dover Strait approaches. AT 12 KNOTS WITH 300M VISIBILITY: stopping distance will greatly exceed 300m — you cannot stop within the distance you can see. Rule 8(e) requires reduction to minimum steerage way if necessary to avoid collision. IMMEDIATE ACTIONS: (1) Sound fog signal — one prolonged blast every 2 minutes (Rule 35a — power-driven vessel underway making way); (2) Reduce speed to safe speed — likely 5-6 knots or less to ensure vessel CAN STOP within visibility range; (3) Post extra lookout — Rule 5 — additional lookouts on bow in fog; (4) ARPA on — operating on appropriate scale, all targets tracked; (5) VHF Ch 16 / Ch 11 (Dover VTS DOVER COASTGUARD) monitored; (6) Navigation lights on; (7) Master already called — correct. Safe speed is your judgement call — document your reasoning in the log.

B. Safe speed in fog is defined as half the vessel's normal service speed. At 12 knots service speed, 6 knots is automatically the correct safe speed under COLREG Rule 6.

C. Rule 6 safe speed assessment applies only when vessels have radar — a vessel without radar is exempt from safe speed requirements in restricted visibility.

D. With visibility of 300m, the vessel should anchor immediately in the Dover Strait to await improvement, regardless of traffic density or depth.

A. RULE 19(d) — Action when radar contact detected (no visual contact): COLREG Rule 19(d): a vessel which detects by radar only another vessel shall determine if a close-quarters situation is developing and/or risk of collision exists. If so, take avoiding action in ample time. The action must be: (a) A LARGE ALTERATION OF COURSE — Rule 19(d)(i): if possible, avoid an alteration of course to port for a vessel forward of the beam other than for a vessel being overtaken; (b) AVOID ALTERING COURSE TOWARDS A VESSEL ABEAM OR ABAFT THE BEAM — Rule 19(d)(ii); (c) REDUCE SPEED — reducing speed, stopping engines, or reversing may be needed. IN YOUR SCENARIO: CPA 0.1nm is a close-quarters situation. TCPA 8 minutes gives time for action. RECOMMENDED ACTION: (1) Reduce speed immediately (further — to minimum steerage); (2) Alter course to starboard — large alteration (minimum 30-40°) to open the CPA; (3) Sound appropriate fog signals; (4) Monitor ARPA to confirm action is working — CPA must open; (5) DO NOT alter to port (risk of swinging your bow into the other vessel's path); (6) VHF — if other vessel is a known contact, alert them, but do not rely on VHF agreement. Rule 19 is clear — radar action must be early, substantial, and effective.

B. With CPA 0.1nm and TCPA 8 minutes, the situation is not yet a close-quarters situation under COLREG Rules. Maintain course and speed while monitoring the target.

C. Call the other vessel on VHF Ch 16 and agree a port-to-port passing. Once verbal agreement is reached, no course alteration is necessary.

D. Stop engines and anchor immediately — Rule 19 requires vessels to anchor when a close-quarters situation develops in restricted visibility.