COLREG 1972 Vocabulary and Key Regulations

Flashcards covering key terms, definitions, and technical parameters from the 1972 COLREGs convention.

Vessel

Includes every description of water craft, including non-displacement craft, WIG craft and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.

Power-driven vessel

Any vessel propelled by machinery.

Sailing vessel

Any vessel under sail provided that propelling machinery, if fitted, is not being used.

Vessel engaged in fishing

Any vessel fishing with nets, lines, trawls or other fishing apparatus which restrict manoeuvrability, but does not include a vessel fishing with trolling lines or other fishing apparatus which do not restrict manoeuvrability.

Seaplane

Any aircraft designed to manoeuvre on the water.

Vessel not under command

A vessel which through some exceptional circumstance is unable to manoeuvre as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.

Vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre

A vessel which from the nature of her work is restricted in her ability to manoeuvre as required by these Rules and therefore is unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.

Vessel constrained by her draught

A power-driven vessel which because of her draught in relation to the available depth and width of navigable water, is severely restricted in her ability to deviate from the course she is following.

Underway

A condition in which a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.

Restricted visibility

Any condition in which visibility is restricted by fog, mist, falling snow, heavy rainstorms, sandstorms or any other similar causes.

Wing-In-Ground (WIG) craft

A multimodal craft which, in its main operational mode, flies in close proximity to the surface by utilizing surface-effect action.

Look-out

A proper observation maintained at all times by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.

Safe speed

A speed at which a vessel can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions.

Give-way vessel

Every vessel which is directed to keep out of the way of another vessel and must, so far as possible, take early and substantial action to keep well clear.

Stand-on vessel

The vessel required to keep her course and speed when one of two vessels is to keep out of the way of the other.

Masthead light

A white light placed over the fore and aft centerline of the vessel showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of $225^\frac{\text{o}}{}$ and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to $22.5^\frac{\text{o}}{}$ abaft the beam on either side of the vessel.

Sidelights

A green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side each showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of $112.5^\frac{\text{o}}{}$ and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to $22.5^\frac{\text{o}}{}$ abaft the beam on its respective side.

Sternlight

A white light placed as nearly as practicable at the stern showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of $135^\frac{\text{o}}{}$ and so fixed as to show the light $67.5^\frac{\text{o}}{}$ from right aft on each side of the vessel.

Towing light

A yellow light having the same characteristics as the sternlight, showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of $135^\frac{\text{o}}{}$.

All-round light

A light showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of $360^\frac{\text{o}}{}$.

Flashing light

A light flashing at regular intervals at a frequency of $120$ flashes or more per minute.

Whistle

Any sound signalling appliance capable of producing the prescribed blasts and complying with the specifications in Annex III to these Regulations.

Short blast

A sound signal blast of about $1\text{ second}$ duration.

Prolonged blast

A sound signal blast of from $4$ to $6\text{ seconds}$ duration.

Audit

A systematic, independent and documented process for obtaining audit evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which audit criteria are fulfilled.

Height above the hull

The height above the uppermost continuous deck, measured from the position vertically beneath the location of the light.

Luminous intensity formula

The formula $I = 3.43 \times 10^6 \times T \times D^2 \times K^{-D}$ used to calculate minimum luminous intensity of navigation lights in candelas.

Luminous intensity table (K = 0.8)

A table listing range of visibility $D$ in nautical miles alongside luminous intensity $I$ in candelas for $K = 0.8$.

Whistle audibility range table

A table establishing required $\frac{1}{3}\text{rd}$-octave band level at $1\text{ metre}$ in $\text{dB}$ referred to $2 \times 10^{-5}\text{ N/m}^2$ and audibility range in nautical miles based on vessel length.