Practical Sailorvideo
Sailboat vs Fishing Boat - Rules of the Road
15 June 2024 · 8 min · 23K views
What this video covers
Sailing a CL-14 while short-tacking a shallow channel crowded with stationary fishing boats prompted a close reading of COLREGS right-of-way rules as they apply to fishing vessels.0:07 Under Rule 3D, only vessels fishing with nets, lines, trawls, or gear that restricts maneuverability qualify as "engaged in fishing" — trolling boats do not meet that standard.2:04 Recreational anglers in bass boats, regardless of whether they are trolling or drift fishing, hold no more right of way than any other powerboat.6:13 A fishing vessel that fails to display the proper day shapes or lights during daylight hours cannot claim any special privileges at all.2:39 Vessels drifting — including a heaved-to sailboat, a skiff with lines over the side, or a container ship waiting offshore — are considered underway, not anchored, and carry no special status.3:52 Boats using GPS-integrated trolling motors such as the Minn Kota Spotlock to hold position over a wreck or shoal are also underway, with no ground tackle down, making the approaching vessel potentially the burdened one.4:44 A sailboat under sail alone in a restricted channel, with no engine, holds right of way over motorized fishing boats that have not anchored.5:12 Practical seamanship — giving 50-foot clearance, watching for planer boards and lines over the transom, and yielding regardless of who technically stands on — resolves most encounters without confrontation.7:08
Boats in this video
More from Practical Sailor
From Practical Sailor — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.