Under the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 (COLREGS), a sailing vessel must give way to a vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver. Rule 34 of COLREGS provides that "when vessels in sight of one another are approaching each other and from any cause either vessel fails to understand the intentions or actions of the other, or is in doubt whether sufficient action is being taken by the other to avoid collision, the vessel in doubt shall immediately indicate such doubt by giving at least five short and rapid blasts on the whistle."
Every few weeks, we hear five short blasts out on Elliott Bay. Usually, the situation involves a ferry and a smaller boat that the ferry captain fears may be on a collision course. Yesterday, the five blasts involved a sailboat and a container ship.
In this case, Kobe Express, a 294-meter Hapag-Lloyd container ship with a capacity of 4612 TEU's, was on final approach to the east waterway at the Port of Seattle. The sailboat, whose name we were unable to determine, passed directly in front of Kobe Express, earning a well-deserved five blasts from the ship's pilot, all in accordance with the aforementioned Rule 34. Kobe Express missed the sailboat by no more than 100 yards, probably less.
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