Question 1

SUNBEAM has a fog horn aboard. How and when should it be used?

Accepted Answer

Sound one long blast roughly every two minutes — this is the standard signal for a sailing vessel underway in fog, and it lets other boats nearby know you are there even though they cannot see you A sailing vessel underway in restricted visibility should sound a recognised fog signal regularly (roughly every two minutes) — this is part of the standard collision regulations everyone learns at SRC/Day Skipper level. It tells other vessels you are there before they can see you, which is especially important for a small sailing boat that is hard to spot on a bigger vessel's radar.

Question 2

Within a few minutes, the view around SUNBEAM shrinks from miles to barely 100 metres as fog rolls in. What is the first thing the skipper should do?

Accepted Answer

Slow down to a safe speed for the visibility, and get the boat's position fixed and written down (from GPS or the last known landmark) right away, before it gets harder to tell exactly where you are Slowing down gives more time to react to anything appearing suddenly out of the fog — other boats, buoys, or the shore. Getting an accurate position fix straight away, while you still roughly know where you are, is much easier than trying to work it out later once visibility is poor and nerves are higher. Speeding up to "get through" fog is a common and dangerous mistake.

Question 3

With visibility down to 100m, what should the crew do to help avoid a collision with another boat?

Accepted Answer

Put a dedicated lookout right at the front of the boat (as far forward and as quiet as possible to help hear other vessels), and turn on navigation lights even in daytime so SUNBEAM is easier to see if visibility improves slightly or another vessel gets close A dedicated lookout right forward, away from engine noise, can often hear another vessel's engine or fog signal before it is seen — sound travels well in fog and is often the first warning. Lights help other boats spot you, even in daylight fog. Everyone going below removes eyes and ears that could spot danger — exactly the opposite of what is needed.