The rules of the road are specially designed set of rules which after a lot of research were enforced for collision avoidance. No doubt that if followed, these rules can take any ship out of any situation well in advance before any unfortunate accidents. And here are the few set of tips that might come in handy during navigation.
Best Navigational Tips For Navigators
Read about the best ship navigational tips, that will come handy for you while navigating the ship, boat etc at sea. So, let’ read them.
VESSEL ON STBD
Everyone is updated with the rules, so here is the tip, when the vessel is on your starboard side try to make your heading towards the stern of the target vessel (STBD) and steady the ship on that course, after few minutes you will notice after few minutes an increase in CPA.
OVERTAKING
As a navigating officer it is your responsibility not only to look forward but back as well. Therefore if a vessel is overtaking you or about to overtake you, you must not make any unnecessary alterations in quick successions in order to adjust your off-course or anything similar which might confuse the other vessel of your intentions. They might start calling you on vhf and then anything can happen.
FISHING VESSELS
At night in areas with high concentration of fishing boats and other small boats always the range of the radar shall be kept small in order to distinguish the targets better in this situation. An additional lookout is always preferred because some fishing vessels may only display the lights when the vessel will come close to their nets and then they might flash lasers, directly at bridge and constantly disturb you on the vhf.
WAYPOINTS
While creating way points it is always preferred to mark an alteration with respect to a fix object such as a light house, and when you do arrive at that point it should be visible to you at the same bearing hence confirming the accuracy of your course and making your alteration smooth.
TRAFFIC
In the areas of heavy traffic concentration it is not only advised to keep a sharp lookout but also to make you full aware of the situation which may develop. If you have a course alteration, a good navigator will well in advance follow all the vessels in vicinity in respect to his own vessel so as to know what course they are doing and which situation he might be in after the alteration is made.
All the decisions we take must be the right one hence it might help to put yourself in the situation of the target vessel and note the aspect with respect to your own vessel so you will know what it might seem to the other vessel when your vessel will take action.
