In addition to listening to VHF traffic, visual cues like smoke rising from a ship’s stack indicate that a ship may be getting to raise anchor and get underway. Little boats have the burden of staying out of the way.

"Patrick, what's your buddy here up to?" asks the captain as we glass a nearing sailboat from the bridge of our commercial work boat, about fifty feet above the water. As the token sailor aboard the ship, I often take the heat for the entire sailing population, and although the captain is kidding, there’s legitimate concern behind his words. “What’s this rag boat going to do now?” he asks, and looking down at the smaller vessel, I shrug my shoulders and admit that I don’t know.

As a professional mariner working aboard large commercial vessels as well as a frequent recreational sailor, I often witness unnecessary incidents, accidents, and close calls between the two types of vessels as well as the drama and animosity that can result. It's often repeated that when encountering a large commercial vessel in a small boat, leave it plenty of room. Many incidents occur despite that well-worn advice. What's not always understood is: what is "plenty of room?" One trick to answering this question is to consider it from the bridge of the other vessel. You may be adept at tacking your fin-keeled racer in about a boat-length, but how does the other skipper know that you will? Your intention to turn is not visible to the other vessel. They must view the situation in terms of how many boat lengths of theirs are necessary to take evasive action. Is avoidance even possible? Is the vessel operating in a shipping lane or deep-water channel? Are there other vessels nearby (possibly not even in sight) that they may need to take into account? What may seem like a safe distance from your boat can look quite different from up on the bridge of a large, moving steel vessel.

Know the local commercial traffic. One thing we sailors can do to reduce the potential for problems is to ask ourselves, "What kind of commercial boats operate in my area?" When sailing near a large vessel, ask yourself what its purpose is. Is it about to turn toward an oil platform, or deploy fishing gear? Could it be towing some barges well astern? In addition to knowing the Coast Guard rules of the road and the various light configurations, take the time to learn about local traffic separation schemes. Observe the routes and routines. Many large vessels operate on a fairly regular schedule. Consider it prudent seamanship to pay attention to the routines of the boats you see operating on a regular basis. Becoming familiar with these boats will lead to an understanding about what to expect.

Oil rigs like this one bring with it the chance of a crew boat stationed coming, going, or moored near by.

Recently, I was sailing as foredeck crew on my usual Saturday race boat, when a 75-ton crew boat approaching the harbor crossed into the race course (right through the middle of the fleet!). After we all listened to some colorful language over channel 16, the crew boat explained to the committee boat that he is required to stay within a narrow corridor when entering the harbor, and could not deviate from the designated approach. The boat in question makes the same scheduled trip six days a week. A dangerous situation could have been avoided, and a better race sailed, if course officials had taken the time to learn the local traffic separation scheme, or even observe that one of the biggest boats in the harbor was routinely entering at the same time from the same direction, almost every day.

Communicate your intentions When near a large vessel, handle your boat predictably. Your vessel's intentions are transmitted through the helm, and turning a few degrees might not send a clear enough signal to the other captain, who is watching to see where you’re going, and basing his decisions on your actions. Steer well ahead of or well behind any large vessel, and make as few course or speed changes as possible. Consider how it looks from the other vessel's bridge, where there is a helmsman basing his decisions primarily on the predictability of your vessel. Often, there is no formal communication between two close boats, so each captain trusts the other not to make any sudden moves.

A charter captain I know actually collided with a commercial fishing vessel while under sail, more than a mile off-shore. As the two boats closed upon each other, the fishing vessel reversed, and then came to a stop. Assuming this large power boat was conceding right-of-way, my friend held his course, even though this would still have him crossing close in front of the fishing boat. Just as he crossed, the big boat resumed moving forward at exactly the wrong moment, and the two boats hit. How did this accident happen? First, the two vessels were obviously too close together. But equally important is that there was never any communication of crossing intentions between the two vessels. The captain of the fishing boat had been down in the engine compartment, fixing a broken transmission control and did not see the sailboat until after he felt the impact. Right-of-way aside, an attempt to communicate, such as a blast of the horn, could have saved some fiberglass and a bow roller. Even an unanswered VHF hail from the sailboat would have acted as a warning to leave more room.

Also keep in mind that container ships will be traveling four to five times the speed of the average 35 foot cruising boat. When in doubt of whether you’ll cross safely, aim for the stern.

Remember: These guys do this every day. Most of the captains and crew aboard ships and work boats are very experienced and also licensed by the Coast Guard. They are required to practice fire, abandon ship, and man overboard drills regularly. They constantly monitor channel 16, greatly increasing the chances that a distress call will be heard. Professional mariners often possess local knowledge and familiarity with weather conditions in all seasons and sea states. Many of the crew (like me) are also experienced small boat sailors or fishermen. Larger vessels and ships are required to carry rescue boats, usually a powerful rigid hull inflatable (or "RHIB") boat and have been responsible for countless rescues of recreational boaters. Attentive sailors can learn a lot by asking a few simple questions of these guys, or by simply observing where and how they handle their boats. Just remember to do so at a safe distance.