NAUTICAL LOG

Something quite different from NAUTICAL LOG this time.  My mother always had a camera with her when we went anywhere.  It was a "box" Brownie Kodak camera and she had been taking photos since childhood.  Going through some of them to build an album NAUTICAL LOG came across a rather unique photo of one of Ireland's wandering workmen a "spailpín  fánach" in our Gaelic language.


Life in Ireland when my mother was growing up was quite difficult and not made any easier by the rather vicious laws imposed by the British Administration.  The life of an itinerant farm worker into the 20th. Century was particularly harsh.  Hard physical work, low wages and maltreatment by landowners (not always the British ones unfortunately) had to be endured.  Even the word from Gaelic "spailpín" means a low person or one of poor character.  Both men and women could be found wandering the countryside looking for work and carrying a collection of tools with them to do it.

They …

When navigation rules were originally developed amongst seafarers the vessels were sailing ships so that when steam-driven vessels came on the scene Rules had to be developed to cover them also. 

At London's Trinity House the issue was addressed and this resulted in the British Parliament passing the Steam Navigation Act of 1846.  Other Nations adopted these Trinity House Rules which became known as the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.  They have been reviewed and changed several times over the years 1972, 1981 amendments took effect in 1989 and the latest International Amendments in 1993 which came into Maritime Law in 1995.

Two definitions were found to be necessary when two power-driven vessels meet one is designated the "give-way vessel" and the other the "stand-on vessel".

International:
Rule 16:  Defines the action to be taken by the Give-way Vessel.
Rule 17:  Defines the action by the Stand-on Vessel.  There are four (4) points lis…

As the Series continues on with Section II of the Steering and Sailing Rules we now come to what most of us are involved with that is power-driven vessels.  The International and Inland Rules differ here so be careful when learning them.

International:
Rule 14:  Addresses the "head-on situation" when two power-driven vessels meet.  There are three (3) points that guide you in the correct procedure to follow.
Rule 15:  Addresses the "crossing situation" when two power-driven vessels meet.

Inland:
Rule 14:  The "head-on situation" has four (4) points to guide boat operators.  Point (d) addresses the upbound and downbound vessels and who has the "right-of-passage".
Rule 15:  The "crossing situation" has two points to guide the boat operator and point (d) addresses "ascending and descending" vessels on the river.  (Guess they got bored using upbound and downbound!!)


Tip:

We have several more of the Steering and Sailing Rules to cover so …

The BTR Series now comes to Section II of the Steering and Sailing Rules which covers Conduct of Vessels in Sight of One Another.

International:
Rule 11:  States that this section applies to vessels in sight of one another.  This is done for legal definition.
Rule 12:  Instructs how two sailing vessels should conduct themselves if risk of collision is involved in accordance with the wind direction.  This is somewhat complex if you are not a sailor so careful study is needed.
Rule 13:  Covers overtaking and has four (4) points to guide mariners.  Point (a) refers to the Rules of Part B, Sections I and II.

Inland:
Rule 11:  States the legal definition of this Section under Inland Rules.
Rule 12:Is the same as for the International Rules.
Rule 13:   Covers overtaking and has four (4) points to guide mariners BUT point (a) refers to Rules 4 through 18 of the Inland Rules.   Be careful to understand the difference between the International and Inland Rules on this point.


Tip:

NAUTICAL LOG strongly …

The following M-Notices are now available at www.dft.gov.uk/mca .  If you experience any difficulties contact 023 8032 9391.


MIN 478 (M)Amendments to the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966, as modified by Protocol of 1988.

MIN 480 (M)  New Requirements for Security Training for Shipboard Personnel

MIN 483 (M)  Written examination dates 2014/2015: Deck and engineer officers (Merchant Navy)

MIN 484 (M)  Written examination dates 2014/2015: Engineer officers (yachts and sail training vessels)

MGN 506 (M) Navigation: Deep-Sea Pilotage in the North Sea, English Channel and the Skagerrak

Good Watch.

Here we introduce something new it is Rule 10 which applies to Traffic Separation Schemes.  NAUTICAL LOG is quite sure many perhaps most of you know nothing about them.  Introduced due to the increasing  traffic in the Dover Strait between France and England, the crossing high speed ferries all in addition to fishing vessels from every country in Europe. 

In 1967 the first scheme was approved and laid out on the Dover Strait chart.  From then on the schemes grew rapidly and by the end of the 20th. Century just about every Port and every strait had a traffic separation scheme.  Off the Ports they usually involve the Pilotage berthing area and they are laid in a roundabout form.  It is of course necessary to have a navigational chart of the area to see how the scheme works and very necessary to follow the rules of the Traffic Separation Schemes in Rule 10.

International:
Rule 10:  There are twelve (12) points listed to guide you in following a traffic separation scheme.  The key point is …

Refer to your copy of the NAVIGATION RULES and open it at Rule 9 which covers Narrow Channels.  Mostly these narrow channels are in Inland Waters and those sailing on the oceans are not much affected by them.  However to get to the open seas means leaving the confines of the Marina and travelling through "narrow channels".  Both the International and Inland Rules cover these in detail.

International:
Rule 9:  Instructs that a vessel proceeding along a narrow channel shall keep to the starboard (right) side of the channel.  There are seven (7) points to learn and follow some of which address sound signals which must be made.

Inland:
Rule 9:  Similar to the International Rule 9 the Inland Rule gives more detail in the first of the seven (7) points.  (a) has a long paragraph about power-driven vessels operating on the Great Lakes, Western Rivers or waters specified by Secretary (this has a specific legal meaning).  For those of you proceeding in the Intracoastal Waterway along the …