Seaman's Handbook
PART B. Steering and Sailing Rules : Safe Speed
Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take proper and effective action to avoid a collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions.In determining a safe speed the following factors shall be among those taken in to account:(a) By all vessels.
- the state of visibility;
- the traffic density including concentrations of fishing vessels or any other vessels;
- the manoeuvrability of the vessel with special reference to
stopping distance and
turning ability in the prevailing conditions; - at night the presence of background light such as from shore
lights or from back
scatter of her own lights; - the state of wind, sea and current, and the proximity of navigational hazards;
- the draught in relation to the available depth of water.
- the characteristics, efficiency and limitations of the radar equipment;
- any constraints imposed by the radar range scale in use;
- the effect on radar detection of the sea state, weather and
other sources of
interference; - the possibility that small vessels, ice and other large floating
objects may not be
detected by radar at an adequate range; - the number, location and movements of vessels detected by radar;
- the more exact assessment of the visibility that may be possible
when radar is used to
determine the range of vessels or other objects in the vicinity.