Rules that save lives

by Gary Jobson, Cruising World
It’s foggy on a dark night. Our boat is sailing through a narrow channel at 10 knots. We hear a foghorn. Two minutes later, the horn sounds closer.

A few more horns are sounded. Out of the mist, a tugboat appears, crossing our bow at short range. As the vessel passes, I notice a hawser line extending from the stern into the water. I realize the tugboat is towing something.

Instantly, I turn the wheel and sail 180 degrees away from the tugboat. Our crew could hear the waves of an oncoming craft. We watched in horror as the faint outline of a barge slipped past.

Had I not maneuvered away, the barge would have rammed us. The sad episode took place more than 40 years ago, and I still have nightmares about what could have happened.

This near collision is a good example of why every boat should maintain a diligent lookout. – Full report