SOLAS V
Chapter V of SOLAS (Safety of life at Sea) refers to the Safety of Navigation for all vessels at sea.
SOLAS V for pleasure craft
SOLAS V contains regulations for vessels under 150 GT (gross tonnage) used for pleasure.
Specific regulations for pleasure craft (less than 150 gross tonnage)
The following regulations are the elements of SOLAS V relevant to pleasure craft under 150 GT.
Regulation wording:
2.1 All ships irrespective of size shall have:
2.1.1 a properly adjusted standard magnetic compass, or other means, independent of any power supply to determine the ship’s heading and display the reading at the main steering position;
2.1.4 nautical charts and nautical publications to plan and display the ship’s route for the intended voyage and to plot and monitor positions throughout the voyage; an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) may be accepted as meeting the chart carriage requirements of this subparagraph;
2.1.7 if less than 150 gross tonnage and if practicable, a radar reflector or other means, to enable detection by ships navigating by radar at both 9 and 3 GHz;
In plain English
All craft, regardless of size, must have a magnetic compass, charts & necessary nautical publications for the area they are navigating, and a radar reflector.
What does this mean for us?
Compass:
You must have a magnetic compass capable of determining your heading. This could be a hand-bearing compass in the case of small vessels; however, in most pleasure craft, this would be the steering compass mounted somewhere near the helm position.
Charts & publications:
The regulation requires everyone to carry charts and nautical publications suitable for and capable of planning a voyage and plotting positions. It specifically refers to electronic charts; however, these are only considered suitable if they are ECDIS compliant, which most leisure craft chart plotters are not.
Radar reflector:
Specifically aimed at vessels less than 150GT, there is a requirement to have a radar reflector fitted or available for use when necessary. You should fit the largest radar reflector (Radar Cross Section (RCS)) practicable and follow the manufacturer’s instructions, mounting it as high as possible for maximum detection range.
Why is this important?
All these things become very relevant in restricted visibility, but even during the ordinary course of safely navigating, we need to determine where we are and what navigational hazards are around us. This includes (but is not limited to) other vessels, charted constraints or hazards.
Having a magnetic compass, paper navigation charts and appropriate navigation publications, we remove reliance on electronic equipment. We can fall back to navigating using these tools if the worst happens.
Whilst we are not obliged to have radar systems, it is important to be visible on a ship’s radar, as many large ships rely on radar to spot other vessels in the area. (The MCA provides further pleasure vessel-specific guidance in MGN 599 paragraph 7.4.)
Even outside of restricted visibility, our safety can be greatly enhanced if we are visible to large ships on radar. A radar reflector provides visibility enhancement.
Regulation wording:
An illustrated table describing the lifesaving signals* shall be readily available to the officer of the watch of every ship to which this chapter applies. The signals shall be used by ships or persons in distress when communicating with lifesaving stations, maritime rescue units and aircraft engaged in search and rescue operations.
* Such lifesaving signals are described in the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual Vol.III, Mobile Facilitie, and illustrated in the International Code of Signals, as amended pursuant to resolution A.80(IV).
In plain English
An easy-to-understand one or two-page overview of the internationally recognised lifesaving signals should be carried on board every vessel and made easily accessible.
What does this mean for us?
A table of lifesaving signals is available from many sources, including the MCA website. This regulation says everyone should have one on their boat and ensure it is readily available at sea.
The MCA provides a caveat for small exposed vessels acknowledging that carrying a copy on board may not be suitable. However, when this is the case, it says the table should be studied before departure.
The familiar orange card is often found in easy-to-see areas, such as attached to a bulkhead near the navigation area.
Why is this the case?
MCA guidance says that as the signals are to be used by any ship or person in distress when communicating with SAR units, mariners must be familiar with them, whether engaged in commercial or leisure activities.
Regulation wording:
Regulation 31 – Danger messages
- The master of every ship which meets with dangerous ice, a dangerous derelict, or any other direct danger to navigation, or a tropical storm, or encounters sub-freezing air temperatures associated with gale force winds causing severe ice accretion on superstructures, or winds of force 10 or above on the Beaufort scale for which no storm warning has been received, is bound to communicate the information by all means at his disposal to ships in the vicinity, and also to the competent authorities. The form in which the information is sent is not obligatory. It may be transmitted either in plain language (preferably English) or by means of the International Code of Signals.
- Each Contracting Government will take all steps necessary to ensure that when intelligence of any of the dangers specified in paragraph 1 is received, it will be promptly brought to the knowledge of those concerned and communicated to other interested Governments.
- The transmission of messages respecting the dangers specified is free of cost to the ships concerned.
- All radio messages issued under paragraph 1 shall be preceded by the safety signal, using the procedure as prescribed by the Radio Regulations as defined in regulation IV/2.
Regulation 32 – Information required in danger messages
The following information is required in danger messages:
- Ice, derelicts and other direct dangers to navigation:
- The kind of ice, derelict or danger observed.
- The position of the ice, derelict or danger when last observed.
- The time and date (Universal Co-ordinated Time) when the danger was last observed.
- Tropical cyclones (storms)
- A statement that a tropical cyclone has been encountered. This obligation should be interpreted in a broad spirit, and information transmitted whenever the master has good reason to believe that a tropical cyclone is developing or exists in the neighborhood.
- Time, date (Universal Co-ordinated Time) and position of ship when the observation was taken.
- As much of the following information as is practicable should be included in the message:
- barometric pressure, preferably corrected (stating millibars, millimetres, or inches, and whether corrected or uncorrected);
- barometric tendency (the change in barometric pressure during the past three hours);
- true wind direction;- wind force (Beaufort scale);
- state of the sea (smooth, moderate, rough, high);
- swell (slight, moderate, heavy) and the true direction from which it comes. Period or length of swell (short, average, long) would also be of value;
- true course and speed of ship.
Subsequent observations
- When a master has reported a tropical cyclone or other dangerous storm, it is desirable but not obligatory, that further observations be made and transmitted hourly, if practicable, but in any case at intervals of not more than 3 hours, so long as the ship remains under the influence of the storm.
- Winds of force 10 or above on the Beaufort scale for which no storm warning has been received. This is intended to deal with storms other than the tropical cyclones referred to in paragraph 2; when such a storm is encountered, the message should contain similar information to that listed under the paragraph but excluding the details concerning sea and swell.
- Sub-freezing air temperatures associated with gale force winds causing severe ice accretion on superstructures:
- Time and date (Universal Co-ordinated Time).
- Air temperature.
- Sea temperature (if practicable).
- Wind force and direction.
In plain English
The wording of regulations 31 & 32 is very much aimed at the master of a commercial ship. Distilled for our use, it breaks down as follows:
Regulation 31 – Danger messages
For pleasure craft skippers, the essence of Regulation 31 is the responsibility for passing on information about navigation dangers the Coastguard are not already aware of. This should be done using any means possible.
Examples of navigational dangers include:
- A dangerous derelict or other hazardous obstructions.
- Tropical storms.
- Winds of Force 10 or more for which no warning has been received.
Subsequent communication of the information given is the responsibility of the Coastguard to propagate.
Regulation 32 – Information required in danger messages
Regulation 32 deals with what information to include in a danger message and gives examples.
The message needs to provide sufficient information about any navigation dangers you experience or witness to enable subsequent recipients to make appropriate navigational decisions, such as:
- the position,
- the nature of the danger,
- the time seen/witnessed,
- and any other helpful information.
Regulation wording:
- The master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance on receiving a signal from any source that persons are in distress at sea, is bound to proceed with all speed to their assistance, if possible informing them or the search and rescue service that the ship is doing so. If the ship receiving the distress alert is unable or, in the special circumstances of the case, considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to proceed to their assistance, the master must enter in the log-book the reason for failing to proceed to the assistance of the persons in distress, taking into account the recommendation of the Organization, to inform the appropriate search and rescue service accordingly.
- The master of a ship in distress or the search and rescue service concerned, after consultation, so far as may be possible, with the masters of ships which answer the distress alert, has the right to requisition one or more of those ships as the master of the ship in distress or the search and rescue service considers best able to render assistance, and it shall be the duty of the master or masters of the ship or ships requisitioned to comply with the requisition by continuing to proceed with all speed to the assistance of persons in distress.
- Masters of ships shall be released from the obligation imposed by paragraph 1 on learning that their ships have not been requisitioned and that one or more other ships have been requisitioned and are complying with the requisition. This decision shall, if possible be communicated to the other requisitioned ships and to the search and rescue service.
- The master of a ship shall be released from the obligation imposed by paragraph 1 and, if his ship has been requisitioned, from the obligation imposed by paragraph 2 on being informed by the persons in distress or by the search and rescue service or by the master of another ship which has reached such persons that assistance is no longer necessary.
- The provisions of this regulation do not prejudice the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Assistance and Salvage at Sea, signed at Brussels on 23 September 1910, particularly the obligation to render assistance imposed by article 11 of that Convention.*
* International Convention on Salvage 1989 done at London on 28 April 1989 entered into force on 14 July 1996.
In plain English
This regulation applies to all craft, including pleasure vessels. Distilling it down, it simply says you are required to respond to any distress signal you see or hear, and you must help anyone or any boat in distress as best you can.
Regulation wording:
- Prior to proceeding to sea, the master shall ensure that the intended voyage has been planned using the appropriate nautical charts and nautical publications for the area concerned, taking into account the guidelines and recommendations developed by the Organization.*
- The voyage plan shall identify a route which:
- takes into account any relevant ships’ routeing systems;
- ensures sufficient sea room for the safe passage of the ship throughout the voyage;
- anticipates all known navigational hazards and adverse weather conditions; and
- takes into account the marine environmental protection measures that apply, and avoids as far as possible actions and activities which could cause damage to the environment.
- The owner, the charterer, or the company, as defined in regulation IX/1, operating the ship or any other person, shall not prevent or restrict the master of the ship from taking or executing any decision which, in the master’s professional judgement, is necessary for safe navigation and protection of the marine environment.
* Refer to the Guidelines for Voyage Planning, adopted by the Organization by resolution A.893(21).
In plain English
The MCA expects all mariners to carefully assess any proposed voyage, considering all dangers to navigation including;
- weather forecasts,
- tidal predictions,
- suitability and conditions of the vessel and
- suitability and welfare of the crew.
For small vessels and pleasure craft, the degree of voyage planning will depend upon the size of the vessel, its crew and the length of the voyage.
This regulation changes the status of passage planning on small boats from good practice to a requirement under UK law for vessels proceeding to sea (proceeding outside of ‘categorised waters’ see MSN 1837). However, the MCA says, “Although regulation 34 only applies when proceeding to sea, small craft users should adhere to the voyage planning principles when also sailing in categorised waters”.
Regulation wording:
The use of an international distress signal, except for the purpose of indicating that a person or persons are in distress, and the use of any signal which may be confused with an international distress signal, are prohibited.
In plain English
This regulation is pretty straightforward. It reinforces that distress signals have a life-saving role and should not be misused. For example, letting off flares for any purpose other than raising the alarm is prohibited.
