COLREGS Rule 2 — Responsibility

Q: What is the 'General Prudential Rule' and when may you depart from the Rules?

Rule 2(b) — the general prudential rule. In construing and complying with the Rules, due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger. Trap: you may depart only to avoid *immediate* danger — not for convenience — and Rule 2(a) still holds you to the ordinary practice of seamen.

Q: The other vessel is the give-way vessel and does nothing. Rule 2 — are you blameless if you stand on and hit her?

No. Rule 2(a) says nothing exonerates any vessel from the consequences of neglect to comply with the Rules or of any neglect of the ordinary practice of seamen or of the special circumstances of the case. A stand-on vessel that holds course into a collision she could have avoided has neglected Rules 17(a)(ii)/17(b) and the practice of seamen. Lead: the Rules never license you to stand on into a collision.

(a) Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.

(b) In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.

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Rule 2

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Rule 2(b) — the general prudential rule. In construing and complying with the Rules, due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.Trap · you may depart only to avoid *immediate* danger — not for convenience — and Rule 2(a) still holds you to the ordinary practice of seamen.

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No. Rule 2(a) says nothing exonerates any vessel from the consequences of neglect to comply with the Rules or of any neglect of the ordinary practice of seamen or of the special circumstances of the case. A stand-on vessel that holds course into a collision she could have avoided has neglected Rules 17(a)(ii)/17(b) and the practice of seamen.Lead · the Rules never license you to stand on into a collision.

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Rule 2(b) — depart from the Rules to the extent necessary to avoid immediate danger. The Rules are a means to avoid collision, not an end in themselves; where obeying the letter of a Rule would cause the very collision it exists to prevent, good seamanship and Rule 2(b) require the departure.Trap · you may depart only to avoid *immediate* danger, and you must be able to justify it — not use 2(b) as a general escape from an inconvenient Rule.

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Not under Section II — the Rules always assign one give-way and one stand-on in a crossing/head-on/overtaking case. But in restricted visibility (Rule 19) there is no stand-on vessel — effectively both give way. And under Rule 2/special circumstances a situation not squarely covered may require both to act with the ordinary practice of seamen.Watch · 'both give way' is the fingerprint of Rule 19, not Section II.

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All COLREGS Rules and Annexes

Part A · General

Part B · Steering and sailing rules

Part C · Lights and shapes

Part D · Sound and light signals

Part E · Exemptions

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Part F · Verification of compliance

Annex I · Positioning and technical details of lights and shapes

Annex II · Additional signals for fishing vessels fishing in close proximity

Annex III · Technical details of sound signal appliances

Annex IV

Annex IV — Distress Signals

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