LETTERS

Time to change Rule 19

While sailing north in the Irish Sea in fog I was contacted by VHF by a large ship that I had been observing on AIS for the last hour approaching us on our starboard bow. As we were going to pass too close we agreed a course that the ship would take to ensure a good safety margin. He would turn to port and we would maintain our course. He passed down our starboard side less than half a mile away, just visible.

Rule 19 states: ‘A vessel which detects by radar alone the presence of another vessel.’ It also states that: ‘the following shall be avoided: (1) an alteration of