Modern seamanship by Knight Austin Melvin 1854-1927

Author:Knight, Austin Melvin, 1854-1927
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Seamanship
Publisher: New York, Van Nostrand
Published: 1921-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

her whole effort must be directed to getting across the bow of a as quickly as possible. On the other hand, a should reduce her speed, but should at the same time turn to starboard.

A vessel turning away from another vessel^ avoid collision should always continue at full speed, as the effort involved in this course is an attempt to cross the other vesseVs bow. To turn away and slow is the surest possible way of bringing about collision.

To make it clear why a turns toward the danger instead of away from it, we may refer to Plates 131 and 132, where b is placed, in the successive figures, on bearings from two to five points on a's bow, and showing a red light. In such a situation, the action to be taken will not depend upon the exact distance between the ships. This distance is here taken, for convenience of plotting, at 500 yards, but it may be more or less than this without modifying the principle involved, except in one special case to be hereafter considered.

As we cannot suppose that a in this case has time to watch for a change of bearing, or that she will have any information of b's course and speed beyond that given by a red and white light, we must consider that, so far as a's knowledge goes, b may be heading anywhere between the lines bx and by. If, however, she is heading nearly along bx, she is safe to pass astern of a;' and if she is heading well off toward by, the danger of collision, although it may still exist, will be comparatively remote. The situation will not be one of serious emergency unless b is heading on some course within the sector sbt.

If A turns to starboard and reverses, using helm and engines together to the best advantage, she will follow the heavy line (approximately). If she has twin screws and reverses the inner one, at the same time putting her helm aport, she will follow the light line. In either case, if she does not turn clear of the danger sector, she will cut only a few of its lines (that is to say, only a few of the possible courses of b); and she will at the same time present her stem to b, thus reducing, at once, the danger of collision and the damage to be expected if collision occurs. If she

* It will be noted that a could, by turning with the starboard screw backing, collide with b even if b is heading along bx; but long before this cocald happen, a would see b's green light and would resume her course.

turns to port, she not only cuts every one of the courses of b within the danger sector, but she throws herself across b's path broadside on, inviting the most fatal blow that one ship can give another.

If it be contended that, in placing the ships 500 yards apart, we have taken too

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