Under which condition is a sailboat under sail the give-way vessel when encountering a power-driven vessel?

• A. Always the give-way
• B. When visibility is restricted
• C. When not overtaking
• D. When the sail boat is overtaking the power driven vessel

Answer: (C)

The basic idea is who must take action to avoid a collision. A sailing vessel under sail generally must give way to a power-driven vessel because the power-driven vessel is harder for the sailing vessel to detect and avoid, and it often has limited maneuverability when engines are involved. The only time the sailing vessel does not have to yield is when it is overtaking the power-driven vessel; in that situation the vessel being overtaken has the right of way and the overtaking sailor must keep well clear.

So, the sailboat under sail is the give-way vessel when it is not overtaking the power-driven vessel. In that non-overtaking scenario, it’s the one expected to take early action to avoid a collision. If the sailboat is overtaking, the situation changes and the overtaking vessel must ensure it passes clear, while the other vessel maintains its course.