Lookout, Risk of Collision and Steering Rules
Applying lookout, safe speed, collision-risk assessment and encounter rules with early, substantial and monitored action.
How to prepare for Yachtmaster Theory
Refresh source and compass discipline, master position and tidal calculations, then integrate electronic cross-checks, weather, IRPCS, publications, offshore passage planning and emergency judgement.
Core concepts
Concept 1
Every vessel must maintain proper lookout by sight, hearing and all available appropriate means and proceed at a safe speed suited to visibility, traffic, manoeuvrability and environment.
Exam cue: Establish visibility, traffic scheme, vessel status and risk before naming the encounter rule.
Concept 2
Collision risk is assessed from bearing, range, visual aspect, radar or other reliable information; scanty information and assumptions are unsafe.
Exam cue: State the required action and how its effectiveness will be monitored.
Concept 3
Stand-on and give-way responsibilities do not remove the duty to avoid collision, and action should be positive, made in ample time and monitored until finally past and clear.
Exam cue: Check whether a narrow channel, traffic separation scheme or restricted-visibility rule changes the ordinary encounter analysis.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Calling a vessel stand-on before identifying both vessels' status and the applicable water.
Guardrail: Do not present the 601-item authoring target or internal study sections as an official RYA paper structure and do not treat shorebased study as evidence of practical Yachtmaster command competence.
Making a series of small course changes that are unclear to the other vessel.
Guardrail: Do not present the 601-item authoring target or internal study sections as an official RYA paper structure and do not treat shorebased study as evidence of practical Yachtmaster command competence.
Using AIS CPA alone as proof that risk does or does not exist.
Guardrail: Do not present the 601-item authoring target or internal study sections as an official RYA paper structure and do not treat shorebased study as evidence of practical Yachtmaster command competence.
Memory anchors
Lookout–Risk–Rule–Action
Observe, assess collision risk, identify the rule and act clearly.
Safe Speed Is Contextual
Visibility, traffic, stopping ability and environment all matter.
Early and Substantial
Make a change large enough to be readily apparent.
Past and Clear
Keep monitoring until the vessels are safely separated.
All Means
Use sight, hearing, radar and other appropriate information together.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
What does Rule 5 require of every vessel?
Which factor belongs in the Rule 6 assessment of safe speed?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
What is Pass Harbor?
Completely free exam prep for 247 UK exams.
- Practice questions
- Flashcards
- Study guides
- Mock exams
- No registration
- No paywall
- Start instantly
“No more expensive exam prep. Quality study tools should be accessible to everyone.”