Question 185 Rules of the Road

The correct answer is A. The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) state that a sailing vessel with the wind forward of the beam on her port side shall keep out of the way of a sailing vessel with the wind forward of the beam on the starboard side. This is known as the "starboard tack" rule, which gives the right-of-way to the vessel with the wind on the starboard side. The other options are incorrect because: B) A vessel sailing with the wind abaft (behind) the beam does not have to keep out of the way of a vessel sailing into the wind. C) When both vessels have the wind on the same side, the vessel to windward (not the leeward vessel) shall keep out of the way.