93016 Near Miss Overtaking x 3

 Overtaking or Crossing?
- Yellow Sea. Night time. Good Visibility.
- Report No. 93016.

2000. Own course 3550. Three vessels situated 3 points abaft the port beam, distance 8 miles closing slowly.

2100. Planned alteration of course to 3430 means ships now closing more rapidly. I calculate their courses to be 0030 - 0050 by plotting.

2300. Vessel #1 looks as though he will cross very close across my stern but he changes his mind and comes on a parallel course, overtaking on my port side, 3 cables distance. When he is still close ahead he alters course across my bow, forcing me to give him more room by altering course to 3550. When he is clear I alter back to 3430.

2330. Vessel #2 now closing for collision on port quarter. I give him a "bunch of fives" (reporter's words, not mine) on the Aldis and he pulls away to overtake on the port side at a distance of 6 - 7 cables. When he is slightly forward of my bow he also alters course to starboard. This time I have to go into hand steering and go to port, - he's too damn close.
It is now close to midnight and I have a planned course alteration to 3190. Having come on to 3200 whilst dodging #2 I decide to maintain that course. This causes some consternation to #3 who is now stuck forward of the beam on my port side. I decide to take pity on him and alter course across his stern to 3000, leaving the Second Mate to get us back on course once the other vessel is clear.

Irrespective of whether the other ships were crossing or overtaking they were on my port quarter and should have given way. They could have all altered course across my stern a long time before they got into close quarters and saved everyone a lot of worry. There seems to be some great mental difficulty about altering course across the stern of another ship. I have to point out to my Mates that there is absolutely no reason to come within five cables in an overtaking situation in open waters, and by altering early only a small course change is required.