If radar indicates a vessel on a collision course abaft your beam, which action should you avoid?

If radar indicates a vessel on a collision course abaft your beam, which action should you avoid?

• A. Altering course toward the vessel
• B. Reducing speed
• C. Stopping
• D. Turning to starboard

Answer: (A)

When a radar blip shows another vessel on a collision course abaft your beam, the priority is to avoid steering into that vessel. Turning toward the other vessel would bring you directly into its path, increasing the risk of collision. The safer choices are to reduce your speed or stop, which lowers the closing rate and buys you time, or to turn to starboard to steer away and increase the angular separation. In this situation, changing course toward the vessel undermines your chances of avoiding a collision, so that action should be avoided.

When a radar blip shows another vessel on a collision course abaft your beam, the priority is to avoid steering into that vessel. Turning toward the other vessel would bring you directly into its path, increasing the risk of collision. The safer choices are to reduce your speed or stop, which lowers the closing rate and buys you time, or to turn to starboard to steer away and increase the angular separation. In this situation, changing course toward the vessel undermines your chances of avoiding a collision, so that action should be avoided.