How do the COLREGs apply to vessels under oar.

Having recently taken up rowing, I was asked how rowing vessels should apply the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs). Looking into it I was surprised that so many organisations had their own take on how to apply the regulations.

Some organisations designate vessels under oars as power driven vessels citing that an oar is a lever and so in the most basic way, could be classed as machinery. It is recorded in one forum however that a response to the subject from the RYA's legal department stated that "the express inclusion of a reference to “a vessel under oars” in Rule 25 and the fact that this Rule applies different requirements for vessels under oars from those applied to power-driven vessels suggests that the expression “power-driven vessel” does not include a vessel under oars."

For me, the steering and sailing rules are succinct in how the rules are applied to vessels under oars and for most situations, the answer is in Rule 18 (Responsibilities). First, let's start will the rules which that clearly apply to vessels under oar. Rules 5 - 8 apply to any vessel regardless of the means of propulsion, which are the requirements:

• To keep a proper lookout
• To proceed at a safe speed
• To determine risk of collision
• To take action if risk of collision exists.

Rules 9 and 10 also apply requirements to vessels under oar for vessels in narrow channels or operating in traffic separation scheme by virtue of their size (<20m) or generically to all vessels.

Rule 13 for overtaking applies to all vessels and requires any overtaking vessel to keep clear of the vessel being overtaken regardless of type of vessel or method of propulsion.

Rule 19 for actions in restricted visibility also applies to all vessels regardless of type of vessel or method of propulsion.

This has already covered a lot of the requirements placed on vessels under oars but how do we apply Rule 18, which doesn't specifically mention vessels under oar? Rule 18 states that fishing vessels keep clear of vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre (RAM) and vessels not under command (NUC), sailing vessels are to keep clear of fishing vessels, RAM vessels and NUC vessels, and power driven vessels are to keep clear of sailing vessels, fishing vessels, RAM vessels and NUC vessels.

None of these vessels are required to keep clear of vessels under oars. In other words, when a vessel is approaching a vessel under oars so that a risk of collision exists, the vessel under oars should take action to avoid collision.

Any vessel should also note what is said in Rule 2 - "due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved." Although, according to Rule 18, the vessel under oars is the give way vessel, any other vessel should consider the limitations of a vessel under oars and take action accordingly.