This page contains useful information for leisure users, including:
- Organising events and diving
- Swimming across the Solent
- Guidance for Personal Water Craft users
- How to enter the harbour and other safety information
This page contains useful information for leisure users, including:
Avoid sailing in the commercial shipping channel, especially in poor visibility
Obey Rule 9 of the Collision Regulations (COLREGS) for conduct in narrow channels by keeping to the side of the channel and crossing only when this does not impede the passage of a large vessel that can safely navigate only within the narrow channel.
Do not underestimate the speed of ships
If your boat is slow, allow sufficient time to take effective evasive action in the vicinity of large ships.
Be visible
At night make sure your navigation lights can be seen. If you see the navigation lights of a vessel and you think you have not been seen, get out of the way. Use torches, search lights or a spotlight on sails, or fire a white flare to indicate your position. Carry a radar reflector high on your boat.
Be alert
Look around every so often, especially astern.
Keep an extra vigilant watch at night
Even on a clear night you will have difficulty seeing a big ship approach. You might see it first as a black shadow against a background of shore lights, or as a growing shadow - at that point you are not far apart. Remember that your lights will not be easily spotted from the ship, particularly if seen against shore background lights.
Keep your VHF radio tuned to Channel 11
In an emergency, if you believe you have not been seen or are unsure of a ship's intentions, call them on VHF Channel 11 or 16 then shift to a working frequency or intership safety messages.
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