Harbour safety bulletins

Effective lookout and collision avoidance

Background investigation into a recent incident at Kirkcudbright Harbour where an outbound fishing vessel and an inbound yacht had a near miss, at night, in the vicinity of No.24 buoy, has raised the following safety points.

Lookout and collision avoidance could have been improved by:

1. ensuring wheelhouse lighting is suitable for night passages and eyes have been given time to adjust for night vision
2. ensuring VHF Ch12 /16 is being monitored and used to bring attention to other vessel, or, highlighting your vessel's movements and intentions
3. AIS is switched on and monitored
4. all appropriate navigation lights are in use, at all times
5. appropriate sound signals are made
6. other methods to bring attention to your vessel, such as torches and flares, are easily to hand

All vessels are requested to review their operations to ensure these observations are incorporated to improve safety.