Whenever approaching a buoy, check to see if you are being set on to it by the tide!

If a vessel is on a collision course with a buoy, the buoy will appear to be fixed against the background.

If the background appears to be moving to one side of the buoy, that is the side of the buoy that the vessel will end up.

Crews must be trained to make this judgement every time they approach a mark of any sort, especially when sailing in tidal waters.

In the Solent, the boat may be set off the course steered by as much as 45°, in conditions like that it is very easy to be pinned down on to a buoy and cause considerable damage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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