14
Head-on Situation
When two power-driven vessels are meeting head-on, each shall alter course to starboard to pass port to port.
Rule 14 addresses head-on situations between power-driven vessels.
a
When two power-driven vessels are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision each shall alter her course to starboard so that each shall pass on the port side of the other.
b
Such a situation shall be deemed to exist when a vessel sees the other ahead or nearly ahead and by night she could see the masthead lights of the other in a line or nearly in a line and/or both sidelights.
c
When a vessel is in any doubt as to whether such a situation exists she shall assume that it does exist and act accordingly.
Key Takeaways
1
Both vessels alter to starboard — pass port to port
2
Head-on is when you see both sidelights or masthead lights in line
3
If in doubt, assume it is a head-on situation
4
Only applies to power-driven vessels
Common Mistakes
Altering to port in a head-on situation
Not recognizing a nearly head-on situation as head-on
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