For those that receive a copy of the Telegraph, you should have received a copy of the Autumn edition of CHIRP along with the October Telegraph... Inside it they cover a point that has, I wouldn't say annoyed, but bothered me since qualifying.
To summarise;
Someone has wrote in enquiring why at a particular caribbean island (although this happens all over the world) there are numerous vessels who are drifting but have turned on "Not Under Command" lights. The CHIRP response amongst other things condones said behaviour and highlights the worrying concern that it has become an informal practice which is not in compliance with the regulations.
Now having only served on passenger vessels myself, I haven't spent much time "drifting" awaiting orders, however to save fuel we did trial drifting overnight in the Gulf of Aqaba and in the Mediterranean Sea, during such times we shut down the engines, which were on immediate notice (10 mins start time) and drifted - we did not exhibit NUC signals and remained "underway". Several vessels passed us during this time - all clearly identified that we were drifting and through the practice of common sense / good seamanship kept clear of us - only 1 vessel called us up to enquire if we were "drifting" and then they altered to keep clear without having to be asked to / required to under the colregs.
So the question is, on the vessel's you have been on, if drifting do you exhibit NUC or do you remain correctly "Underway"?
To summarise;
Someone has wrote in enquiring why at a particular caribbean island (although this happens all over the world) there are numerous vessels who are drifting but have turned on "Not Under Command" lights. The CHIRP response amongst other things condones said behaviour and highlights the worrying concern that it has become an informal practice which is not in compliance with the regulations.
Now having only served on passenger vessels myself, I haven't spent much time "drifting" awaiting orders, however to save fuel we did trial drifting overnight in the Gulf of Aqaba and in the Mediterranean Sea, during such times we shut down the engines, which were on immediate notice (10 mins start time) and drifted - we did not exhibit NUC signals and remained "underway". Several vessels passed us during this time - all clearly identified that we were drifting and through the practice of common sense / good seamanship kept clear of us - only 1 vessel called us up to enquire if we were "drifting" and then they altered to keep clear without having to be asked to / required to under the colregs.
So the question is, on the vessel's you have been on, if drifting do you exhibit NUC or do you remain correctly "Underway"?
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