Page 110 - Collision Avoidance Rules Guide

action, as there is unlikely to be a high speed of approach. A
hampered vessel which is unable to make a substantial alteration of
course will normally be able to avoid collision by reducing her speed.
Prime responsibility for keeping out of the way is allocated to the
overtaking vessel in every case as that vessel must be proceeding at
greater speed and is more likely to sight the vessel being overtaken
at an early stage.

Subsequent alterations of bearing
Every vessel overtaking any other is obliged to keep clear of the
overtaken vessel. This Rule applies even to cases in which the bear-
ing is changing appreciably. If a vessel coming up relatively close to
another vessel from any direction more than 22.5" abaft her starboard
beam, draws ahead, and then subsequently turns to port to come on
to a crossing course, she is not relieved of the duty of keeping clear.
However, if she is a considerable distance away from the overtaken
vessel so that there is no risk of collision when she passes her the
Rules would not apply at that time, and the other vessel would be
obliged to keep clear in a subsequent crossing situation bringing risk
of collision between the same two vessels.
In the upper diagram the overtaking vessel is shown to be at a
relatively close distance when she first comes to within 22.5" abaft