Part B · Section II

Rule 14 — Head-on Situation

Two power-driven vessels meeting head-on both alter course to starboard and pass port to port.

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Part B · Section II — Conduct of vessels in sight of one another. Who gives way: sailing, overtaking, head-on, crossing and the pecking order between vessel types.

(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 would see the mast head lights of the other in a line or nearly in a line and or both sidelights and by day she observes the corresponding aspect of the other vessel.

(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.

head-ongive-waypower-driven