On autopilot or not, if I'm approaching your boat from your starboard side, regardless of what gear either of us are trolling with, I am the 'stand on' vessel and have the right of way. It follows that you must be approaching my vessel on my port side and are the 'give way' vessel so you are required to make an early and clear change in direction to avoid a collision.
With that said, if you're the stand on vessel and the other boat is pinched by an obstruction such as a net or other vessels, make your move early to help out just to be cool. It's always nice to be courteous but sometimes when people are the stand on vessel and don't understand the rules they turn away and head fake you into going the wrong direction. The stand on vessel should hold their course whenever possible just to avoid confusion.
If you're intentionally out in fog without radar, God has a special spot for you. Even if you have radar, small craft don't always show up and they will end up sitting beside you at the gates when you run them over. If you get stuck out in fog, slow down and sound your horn that's about all you can do and it's the law. The Canadian Coast Guard ship Griffon killed 3 commercial fisherman off of Port Dover not that long ago and they had all the gear.
http://tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/marine/1991/M91C2004/M91C2004.html
With that said, if you're the stand on vessel and the other boat is pinched by an obstruction such as a net or other vessels, make your move early to help out just to be cool. It's always nice to be courteous but sometimes when people are the stand on vessel and don't understand the rules they turn away and head fake you into going the wrong direction. The stand on vessel should hold their course whenever possible just to avoid confusion.
If you're intentionally out in fog without radar, God has a special spot for you. Even if you have radar, small craft don't always show up and they will end up sitting beside you at the gates when you run them over. If you get stuck out in fog, slow down and sound your horn that's about all you can do and it's the law. The Canadian Coast Guard ship Griffon killed 3 commercial fisherman off of Port Dover not that long ago and they had all the gear.
http://tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/marine/1991/M91C2004/M91C2004.html
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