Any one who ventures to take charge of even a small yacht should be familiar with the Board of Trade regulations for preventing collisions at sea, and not only with those rules which have been laid down for his own guidance, but with those applying specially to steamers, to fishing boats or other craft differing from his own, that he may recognize their manoeuvres when he comes across them, and thus be able to avoid collision with them.

We will now quote the Board of Trade regulations, making such comments and explanations as we think will be useful.

Art. 1.—In the following rules every steam ship which is under sail and not under steam is to be considered a sailing ship; and every steam ship which is under steam, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a ship under steam.

The following are the Rules concerning Lights:—

Art. 2.—The lights mentioned in the following Articles, numbered 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, and no others, shall be carried in all weathers, from sunset to sunrise.

Art. 3.—A seagoing steam ship when under way shall carry—

Art. 4.—A steam ship, when towing another ship, shall, in addition to her side lights, carry two bright white lights in a vertical line one over the other, not less than three feet apart, so as to distinguish her from other steam ships. Each of these lights shall be of the same construction and character, and shall be carried in the same position as the white light which other steam ships are required to carry.

Art. 5.—

Art. 6.—A sailing ship under way, or being towed, shall carry the same lights as are provided by Article 3, for a steam ship under way, with the exception of the white light, which she shall never carry.

Art. 7.—Whenever, as in the case of small vessels during bad weather, the green and red side lights cannot be fixed, these lights shall be kept on deck, on their respective sides of the vessel, ready for use; and shall, on the approach of or to other vessels, be exhibited on their respective sides in sufficient time to prevent collision, in such manner as to make them most visible, and so that the green light shall not be seen on the port side nor the red light on the starboard side.

To make the use of these portable lights more certain and easy, the lanterns containing them shall each be painted outside with the colour of the light they respectively contain, and shall be provided with proper screens.

Art. 8.—A ship, whether a steam ship or a sailing ship, when at anchor, shall carry, where it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding 20 feet above the hull, a white light in a globular lantern, of not less than 8 inches in diameter, and so constructed as to show a clear uniform and unbroken light visible all round the horizon, at a distance of at least one mile.

Art. 9.—A pilot vessel, when engaged on her station on pilotage duty, shall not carry the lights required for other vessels, but shall carry a white light at the masthead, visible all round the horizon, and shall also exhibit a flare-up light or flare-up lights at short intervals which shall never exceed fifteen minutes.

A pilot vessel, when not engaged on her station on pilotage duty, shall carry lights similar to those of other ships.

Art. 10.—Open boats and fishing vessels of less than 20 tons net registered tonnage, when under way and when not having their nets, trawls, dredges, or lines in the water, shall not be obliged to carry the coloured side lights; but every such boat and vessel shall in lieu thereof have ready at hand a lantern with a green glass on the one side and a red glass on the other side, and on approaching to or being approached by another vessel, such lantern shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision, so that the green light shall not be seen on the port side nor the red light on the starboard side.

The following portion of this article applies only to fishing vessels and boats when in the seas off the coast of Europe lying north of Cape Finisterre:—

Art. 11.—A ship which is being overtaken by another shall show from her stern to such last-mentioned ship a white light or a flare-up light.

It follows from the above regulations that the following lights must be carried on board a small sailing boat—A white riding light, a green starboard light, a red port light, and a bull’s-eye lantern, with which last one can carry out the instructions conveyed in Article 11.

A very convenient lantern is now sold by the yachting outfitters, which not only combines in itself the port and starboard lights, as permitted by Article 10; but on the removal of a slide serves as a riding-light as well.

Small yachts are generally provided with lanterns of smaller size and lesser illuminating power than those enjoined in the regulations; but it is best to comply with these rules if possible, so that one can have the right on one’s side in case of a collision. It often happens again that small lights burn in an unsatisfactory manner, and frequently go out. A riding light that does this is a great nuisance, and spoils one’s night’s rest when one is brought up in a crowded thoroughfare.

We prefer lanterns that burn paraffin, for sea work; if colza is used, some camphor should be dissolved in it: this increases the illuminating power, and in our opinion the light is not so likely to go out when this is done.

The following rules relate to Fog Signals. It will be observed that the old-fashioned fog horn which is sounded with the mouth is not recognized by the present regulations. It is, however, still generally used on small craft, and will certainly make more noise than some of the mechanical fog horns:—

Art. 12.—A steam ship shall be provided with a steam whistle or other efficient steam sound signal, so placed that the sound may not be intercepted by any obstructions, and with an efficient fog horn to be sounded by a bellows or other mechanical means, and also with an efficient bell. A sailing ship shall be provided with a similar fog horn and bell.

In fog, mist, or falling snow, whether by day or night, the signals described in this Article shall be used as follows; that is to say—

Art. 13.—Every ship, whether a sailing ship or steam ship, shall in fog, mist, or falling snow, go at a moderate speed.

Next come the articles relating to the Rules of Steering and Sailing.

In applying these the novice must never forget that when he stands on his deck and looks forward, the port side of his vessel is on his left, the starboard side on his right. When a vessel is on the port tack the wind is blowing from the port or left side of him; when she is on the starboard tack from the starboard or right side.

Let him also remember that though he should observe these rules as closely as possible, Article 23 affords a fine loophole for the huge and clumsy steamers that crowd the Thames and other rivers. It is a well-known fact that big steamers will not get out of the way of small sailing craft, even when they can do so without difficulty, and the little boat is expected to get out of their way.

The moral of this is:—Keep out of the way of the big steamers, not by getting flurried and altering your course at the last moment, against all the rules of the road, and so putting yourself in the wrong if there is a collision, but by altering your course and showing them your intentions some time before they are near you.

Art. 14.—When two sailing ships are approaching one another, so as to involve risk of collision, one of them shall keep out of the way of the other, as follows, viz.:—

Art. 15.—If two ships under steam are meeting end on, or nearly end on, so as to involve risk of collision, each shall alter her course to starboard, so that each may pass on the port side of the other.

Art. 16.—If two ships under steam are crossing, so as to involve risk of collision, the ship which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way of the other.

Art. 17.—If two ships, one of which is a sailing ship and the other a steam ship, are proceeding in such directions as to involve risk of collision, the steam ship shall keep out of the way of the sailing ship.

Art. 18.—Every steamship, when approaching another ship, so as to involve risk of collision, shall slacken her speed or stop and reverse, if necessary.

Art. 19.—In taking any course authorized or required by these Regulations, a steam ship under way may indicate that course to any other ship which she has in sight by the following signals on her steam whistle, viz.:—

The use of these signals is optional; but if they are used, the course of the ship must be in accordance with the signal made.

Art. 20.—Notwithstanding anything contained in any preceding Article, every ship, whether a sailing ship or a steam ship, overtaking any other, shall keep out of the way of the overtaken ship.

Art. 21.—In narrow channels every steam ship shall, when it is safe and practicable, keep to that side of the fairway or mid-channel which lies on the starboard side of such ship.

Art. 22.—Where, by the above rules, one of two ships is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course.

Art. 23.—In obeying and construing these rules, due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation; and to any special circumstances which may render a departure from the above rules necessary in order to avoid immediate danger.

Art. 24.—Nothing in these rules shall exonerate any ship, or the owner, or master, or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to carry lights or signals, or of any neglect to keep a proper look-out, or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.

Art. 25.—Nothing in these rules shall interfere with the operation of a special rule, duly made by local authority, relative to the navigation of any harbour, river, or inland navigation.

Art. 26.—Nothing in these rules shall interfere with the operation of any special rules made by the Government of any nation with respect to additional station and signal lights for two or more ships of war, or for ships sailing under convoy.

The next article relates to Signals of Distress:—

Art. 27.—When a ship is in distress and requires assistance from other ships or from the shore, the following shall be the signals to be used or displayed by her, either together or separately, that is to say:—

In the daytime—

1. A gun fired at intervals of about a minute.

2. The International Code signal of distress indicated by N.C.

3. The distant signal, consisting of a square flag, having either above or below it a ball, or anything resembling a ball.