Skysail

Feedback is welcome IRPCS

click on www.skysailtraining.co.uk Training

for more tests on Weather and CEVNI,

and to buy Colregs, VHF, Safety, CEVNI
and more navigation skills charts.

Colregs - IRPCS - Collision Regs

Test yourself online
RYA Day Skipper and Yachtmaster
International Regulations for
Preventing Collisions at Sea

Mouse click or Page Down to start

1 of 63
© 2008 WWW.SKYSAILTRAINING.CO.UK
 Skysail

Day Skipper Colregs IRPCS

Training

Before the detailed Collision Regs examples,

there is a short section on what you need to
know for the RYA Day Skipper course.

The full text of IRPCS is here:

http://www.btinternet.com/~keith.bater/irpcs_colregs_complete.htm

2 of 63
 Skysail

Day Skipper - Colregs 2 IRPCS

Training

 General Rules for Priority:  Sailing Rules

1. Not Under Command
2. Restricted Ability to Manoeuvre
3. Constrained by Draught
4. Fishing
5. Sail
6. Motor (including motor sailing) Tugs
are treated as motor vessels, unless
they are also RAM or CBD
Exceptions to General Rules:
Narrow channels
Traffic Separation Schemes.
 Overtaking boats keep clear - sail and
power.
1. Starboard tack boat
2. Port tack boat
Sailing boats on the same tack:
Windward boat keeps clear.
 Motoring Rules
Boats meeting head on - both turn
to starboard.
If two power vessels are crossing,
the boat which has the other on
her own starboard side shall keep
out of the way.
3 of 63
 Skysail

Day Skipper Colregs 3 IRPCS

Training

What is the meaning What are the rules

of this sign? concerning lookout?

Vessel at anchor Keep a good lookout at

all times by all possible
means

What is the meaning Do the words ‘Right of

of this flag ? Way’ appear in the
Rules?

Diver down No
Keep well clear at slow speed
4 of 63
 Skysail

Day Skipper Colregs IRPCS

Training

Two motor boats meet

What is the meaning head on, what action is
of this sign? required?

Sailing vessel
Head on:
Motor sailing Turn to Starboard
Keep to Starboard side of
channel

What is the meaning Two motor boats

of this sign? converge A

Converging:
Boat on right stands on
Vessel fishing B goes behind, slows
down or stops
B
5 of 63
 Skysail

IRPCS
Day Skipper Colregs 5 Training

give type of vessel, size and aspect

What vessel carries
these lights? What vessel carries
Over 50m long this light?
Motor vessel
from ahead

What vessel carries • Vessel at anchor

this light? • Stern light - any vessel
Sailing • Small craft
Port side

6 of 63
 Skysail

Overtaking - Rule 13 IRPCS

Training

When is a vessel overtaking?

When it is approaching from an angle
22.5º
more than 22.5º abaft the beam of
another vessel
(ie in the arc of the stern light).

A planing sailing dinghy is overtaking a

motor cruiser.
Which keeps clear?
Any overtaking vessel must keep clear
7 of 63
 Skysail

Rule IRPCS
Training

Which vessels can you distinguish as

either ‘under way’ or ‘making way’ at
night?
1. Not Under Command
2. Restricted Ability to Manœuvre
3. Fishing

All other vessels can only be identified as

‘under way’ at night.

8 of 63
 Skysail

Rule IRPCS
Training

How do vessels at night indicate they

are making way?
 Not Under Command:
shows side and stern lights
NB no steaming light at masthead.

 Restricted Ability to Manœuvre, and Fishing:

show side lights, stern lights and masthead
(steaming) lights.

9 of 63
 Skysail

Rule IRPCS
Training

Which vessels can only be distinguished

as ‘under way’ at night?
1. Sail
2. Power
3. Constrained By Draught
4. Pilot

Define Tugs as ‘Towing’.

10 of 63
 Skysail

Definitions - Rule 21 IRPCS

Training

Match the lights listed to their arcs of

visibility:
Masthead light, Sidelight, Stern light, All
round light
360º All-round light
112.5º on each side of bow Masthead light
112.5º on one side of bow only Side light
67.5º on each side of stern Stern light
(overtaking sector is
22.5 º aft of the beam)

11 of 63
 Skysail

Rule 24 IRPCS
Training

What additional lights are shown by a tug

with:
length of tow 200m or less
 One additional masthead light.
 Yellow towing light at the stern

length of tow greater than 200m?

 Two additional masthead lights
 Yellow towing light at the stern
12 of 63
 Skysail

Rule 24 IRPCS
Training

What lights are shown by a vessel

being towed?

 Sidelights and a Sternlight

(Same as a sailing vessel, ie no power)

13 of 63
 Skysail

Fishing Vessels - Rule 26 IRPCS

Training

What additional lights must a vessel

engaged in trawling show at night?
All-round green over all-round white
What shape must it show by day?
Two cones, apex together

14 of 63
 Skysail

Rule 26 IRPCS
Training

What additional lights must a vessel engaged in

fishing other than trawling show at night?

All-round red over all round white

When its gear extends more than 150m to the side

what further additional light and shape must it
show?
All-round white light in the direction of the gear

15 of 63
 Skysail

Rule 27 IRPCS
Training

What additional lights are shown by a

vessel not under command?
Two all-round red lights

What shape does it show by day?

Two balls in a vertical line

16 of 63
 Vessels not under command or Skysail

IRPCS
restricted in ability to Training

manoeuvre - Rule 27
What additional lights are shown by a vessel
restricted in its ability to manœuvre?
All-round red, white, red in a vertical line

What shapes does it show by day?

Ball, diamond, ball in a vertical line

1 metre
apart

17 of 63
 Skysail

Rule 27 IRPCS
Training

What lights and shapes are shown by

a vessel engaged in dredging or
underwater operations to show which
side to pass?
Unsafe: two 360º red lights vertical
Two balls vertically
The safe side?
Safe: two 360 º green lights vertical
Two diamonds vertical
18 of 63
 Skysail

IRPCS

Rule 27 Training

What additional lights are shown by a

minesweeper at work?
Three all-round green lights, one
at the masthead and one at the end
of each yard
What shapes by day?
Three balls located as above

19 of 63
 Skysail

IRPCS
Rule 28 Training

What additional lights are shown by a

vessel constrained by her draught?

Three all-round red lights

What shape is shown by day?

A cylinder 1m x 2m

20 of 63
 Skysail

Rule 29 IRPCS
Training

What additional lights are shown by a vessel

on pilot duty?
All-round white over all-round red
What will the pilot vessel
show by day?
Flag ‘H’
What sound signals are made by a pilot
vessel on duty
Four short blasts (Morse ‘H’)
21 of 63
 Skysail

Rule 30 IRPCS
Training

What lights are shown by vessels less than 50m in

length at anchor?
All-round white light forward
What shape by day?
A ball forward

What additional light is shown at anchor by a

vessel > 50m long?

An all-round white light low down near the stern

> 50 m port aspect
22 of 63
 Skysail

Rule 30 IRPCS
Training

What lights are shown by vessels

aground?
Anchor lights plus two vertical all-round red lights

Port side > 50m)

What shape by day?

Three balls in a vertical line

23 of 63
 Skysail

Manœuvring and Warning IRPCS

Training
Signals - Rule 34
When a vessel makes the following sound
signals in good visibility what do they mean?
One short blast
I am altering course to starboard
Two short blasts
I am altering course to port
Three short blasts
I am operating astern propulsion
Five or more short rapid blasts
What are your intentions
24 of 63
 Skysail

Manœuvring and Warning IRPCS

Training

Signals - Rule 34
What do the following signals mean when
made between vessels in a narrow channel?
One long blast
Vessels approaching blind bend (here I come sounding one)
Two long followed by one short blast
I intend to overtake on your starboard side
Two long followed by two short blasts
I intend to overtake on your port side
One long, one short, one long & one short
‘Affirmative’ (by vessel being overtaken)
25 of 63
 Skysail

Manœuvring and Warning IRPCS

Training
Signals - Rule 35
What sounds should the following
vessels make in restricted visibility?
A vessel not under command
A vessel restricted in ability to manoeuvre
A vessel constrained by draught
A fishing vessel
A sailing vessel
A tug

One long followed by two short blasts every 2 mins

26 of 63
 Skysail

Manœuvring and Warning IRPCS

Signals - Rule 35 Training

What sounds should the following vessels

make in restricted visibility?
Power vessel making way
One long blast every 2 minutes
Power driven vessel stopped, not making way
Two long blasts every 2 minutes
A vessel constrained by draught
One long followed by two short every 2 mins
A sailing vessel
One long followed by two short every 2 mins
A Pilot boat on duty
Four short blasts
(in addition to one long blast for a motor vessel)
27 of 63
 Skysail

Manœuvring and Warning IRPCS

Training
Signals - Rule 35
In fog , you hear one long blast followed by three
short. What is it?
A vessel under tow (last vessel in tow)
In fog, you hear a bell rung rapidly for 5 seconds.
What is it?

A vessel less than 100m long at anchor

In fog, you hear this signal. What is it?

Warning of collision - signal by vessel at anchor 28 of 63

 Skysail

Manœuvring and Warning IRPCS

Training
Signals - Rule 35
In fog , you hear one long blast followed by three
short. What is it?
A vessel under tow (last vessel in tow)
In fog, you hear a bell rung rapidly for 5 seconds,
then a gong, every minute. What is it?

Forward Aft

A vessel >100m long at anchor

29 of 63
 Skysail

Distress Signals - Rule 37 IRPCS

Training

What are the International Distress signals?

30 of 63
 Skysail

More IRPCS Test Questions IRPCS

Training

In the questions that follow, give all possible

information:
Type of vessel (NUC, RAM, CBD etc)
Power or sail
Under way or making way
Length
Aspect (starboard, port, stern, bow)
Length of tug and Length of tow

It can help to draw up a table like this, and complete all

possible items
Vessel type Power / sail Length Aspect Underway Tug Tow
Making way

31 of 63
 Skysail

More IRPCS Test Questions IRPCS

Training

You see a single white light.

What is it? (3 answers)

1. The stern light of another boat

2. An anchor light

3. A light shown by a vessel < 7m and < 7 knots

eg a small motor boat or dinghy with a torch

32 of 63
 Skysail

More IRPCS Test Questions IRPCS

Training

When does a sailing vessel on

starboard tack give way to another
vessel?
1. When it is overtaking boat
2. When it is to windward of another boat on starboard tack
3. When it meets another vessel which is NUC, RAM, CBD,
Fishing.
4. When it meets a motor vessel which can only navigate
within a narrow channel, or in a Traffic Separation
Scheme.
33 of 63
 Skysail

More IRPCS Test Questions IRPCS

Training

What vessel shows the following lights?

> 50m long

Constrained
by Draught
Under way Motor vessel

Bow aspect
34 of 63
 Skysail

More IRPCS Test Questions IRPCS

Training

What vessel shows the following lights?

Vessel
Not under command

Starboard aspect
Making way
Length not known

35 of 63
 Skysail

More Colregs Test Questions IRPCS

Training

What vessel shows the following lights?

Vessel Trawling

Stern aspect
Making way

Length not known

36 of 63
 Skysail

More Colregs Test Questions IRPCS

Training

What vessel shows the following lights?

Vessel towing
Stern aspect

Length not known

37 of 63
 Skysail

More Colregs Test Questions IRPCS

Training

What vessel shows the following lights?

Sailing Vessel
Under way
Starboard aspect
Length < 20m

38 of 63
 Skysail

More IRPCS Test Questions IRPCS

Training

What vessel shows the following lights?

Vessel at anchor

Starboard aspect
Length > 50m

39 of 63
 Skysail

More Collision Regs questions IRPCS

Training

What vessel carries these lights?

 Vessel towing. Length over 50m.
Port side.
Tow less than 200 metres long

What vessel carries these lights?

 Vessel towing, length under 50m.
Starboard side
 Tow over 200 metres long
40 of 63
 Skysail

More IRPCS Test Questions IRPCS

Training

What is meant by the following sound signals??

Motor vessel – stopped in restricted visibility

Additional warning – vessel anchored in

restricted visibility
My engines are in astern propulsion

Pilot vessel – making way in fog

I intend to overtake to starboard

I intend to overtake to port

Affirmative

41 of 63
 Skysail

IRPCS
Training

Colregs, IRPCS,
International Regulations for
Preventing Collisions at Sea

42 of 63