What should you do if you encounter a large ship while boating?

When encountering a large ship while boating, maintaining a safe distance and adjusting your course to avoid it is crucial for safety. Large vessels have limited maneuverability due to their size and require a significant distance to change direction or come to a stop. By giving the ship ample space, you reduce the risk of collision and increase your safety on the water.

Adjusting your course is essential as well since large ships often have the right of way, depending on their navigation and the rules governing the waterway. Understanding your position relative to larger vessels allows for safer navigation, as they may not be able to see smaller boats and may not have the capacity to avoid them.

While trying to pass in front of the ship can be dangerous due to the limited time for both vessels to react, signaling for a large vessel to change course is impractical, especially considering the crew on large ships may not easily perceive smaller craft. Speeding up to get past a large ship can also be hazardous, as rapid maneuvers in congested waters increase the likelihood of accidents. Thus, maintaining a safe distance is the best practice to ensure safe boating around larger vessels.