Who Has Right Of Way!!
05. Apr, 2009 
5 Comments
Early morning paddle today. On the water in the dark and watched the sunrise as the Cruise Liner Oceana came into Southampton Water.
Not sure who had right of way as it crossed in front of me – I deferred to her superior size and speed and let her past!
Besides, the ship was accompanied by the Harbour Master and I didn’t fancy getting into trouble with him.
Sunrise Off Calshot Spit
Oceana Cruise Liner
Oceana
Unbelievably huge boat – one of a handful of regular visitors to Southampton Docks.
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As I see it, the Oceana has the right of way on three counts:
1. She seems to be navigating a buoyed channel as can be seen by the port? hand buoy just behind the satellite dome. Therefore she is restricted in her manouvrability.
2. Assuming that the two vessels were meeting in open water, the kayak would be the give way vessel as she has the Oceana on her starboard side crossing from starboard to port.
3. Ignoring points 1 and 2 above which are, incidentally, covered by the Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea, a sense of self-preservation should provide the obvious answer! No way is a sea kayak going to win an argument with a powered vessel however small.
Thanks for the comment Richard – made me smile! The Oceana was indeed entering a buoyed channel at the entrance to Southampton Water, by Calshot spit.
This section of the Solent is marked on the charts as a ‘Precautionary Area’ which means that any vessel within them that is over 150m in length has a ‘Prohibitied Zone’ 1000m ahead and 100m to their port and starboard side.
Any vessel under 20m in length (therefore a sea kayak) is prohibited from entering that zone.
The Precautionary Area extends out into the Solent from Stansmore Point (west of Calshot) to Cowes and is the turning area all big ships use entering and leaving Southampton Water so they can avoid the shallows around Bramble Bank.
On a serious note – paddlers out in the Solent may not have to contend with extreme sea conditons that more wild areas of the British coastline exhibit but do paddle in one of the busiest/crowded sections of water.
I would advise any paddler heading out from the shore to examine the charts carefully and be extremely vigilant of the large number of sailing and power boats that use the Solent as well as the more obvious larger ships.
The cruise liners and oil tankers that enter the Solent are deceptively fast and the high speed cats that shoot between Cowes and Southampton can seem to appear from nowhere.
Take your time, observe carefully and if crossing the buoyed channels do so when you are sure the coast is likely to remain clear long enough for you to cross.
A very long debate could be had about maritime rules/bouyage/etiquette, but for kayakers the answer is really simple – avoid/turn away from anything bigger than you, for the sake of self preservation! I always aim at the stern of ships, even if they are miles off – they close incredibly fast and you NEVER manage to pass infront of them, however possible it seems.
On the other hand … I discovered recently that the Solent hovercrafts can travel (fast) in one direction, whilst pointing in another – where the Hell do you aim then???
Having had many a debate, usually in short, loud and often abusive language (them, not me) with Yachties I have come to the conclusion that even though in most situations (excepting boats restricted in ability to manouverabilty, crossing a channel ect) we have right of way being a human powered craft that it is often not worth the hassle.
For paddlers who are thinking of paddling in the busier sections of the Solent, this Guide from Southampton VTS is worth a quick read. Particularly interesting to see the speed that many of the large vessels are moving at with little or no option to change course or slow down.