Signalman 1 & C - Historic Naval Ships Association

Figure 9-29.—Vessel constrained by her draft.Navigation lights must be exhibited from sunriseto sunset.Except when it has been determined that a risk ofcollision does not exist, every vessel that hearsapparently forward of the beam the fog signal of anothervessel must reduce her speed to the minimum that shecan be kept on course; take all way off if necessary; ornavigate with extreme caution until the risk of collisionis over.LookoutIn restricted visibility, lookouts are placed as farforward and as low to the water as possible. Theremust be two at each station, one to serve as the lookoutand the other as the phone talker. They reporteverything they see or hear.Give-way VesselsAll vessels are give-way vessels in restrictedvisibility. They are required to maneuver to avoid eachother and to avoid turning towards any fog signalsheard. Only the required fog signals will be soundedunless vessels sight each other, in which case thenormal steering and sailing whistle signals will besounded.EquipmentEach power-driven vessel must have a whistle, abell mounted in the forward part of the vessel, and fora vessel 100 meters or more in length, a gong in theafter part of the vessel. Vessels less than 12 meters arenot required to have the whistle, bell, and gong, butthey must have the means to make an efficient signal.Types of Sound SignalsA prolonged blast is one of from 4 to 6 seconds induration; a short blast is about 1 second in duration.As can be seen in figure 9-30, fog signals are soundedat 2-minute intervals unless otherwise noted.A power-driven vessel making way through thewater in a fog or thick weather of any kind is requiredby the International and Inland Rules to sound aprolonged blast at intervals of not more than 2minutes. Under both sets of rules, a power-drivenvessel under way but stopped, and having no way onsounds two prolonged blasts, with about 2 secondsbetween them, at intervals of not more than 2 minutes.9-30