Rule 37 and good seamanship are the core of safety at sea

Outline

• Start with the core idea: Rule 37 puts safety first by promoting good seamanship.

• Explain what “good seamanship” covers beyond just following the rules.

• Show why safety is the heart of Rule 37, especially for vessels with limited maneuverability.

• Acknowledge secondary benefits (efficiency, fuel use, crew morale) as welcome byproducts.

• Offer practical ways to strengthen seamanship on any vessel.

• Close with a reminder: when seamanship is strong, everyone on the water has a better day.

Rule 37 and the heartbeat of the sea

If you’ve ever wondered why Rule 37 gets so much attention in the COLREGs, here’s the simple truth: it’s all about safety. Rule 37 isn’t a clever trick or a mandate for perfect technique. It’s a reminder that good seamanship—that blend of skill, judgment, and teamwork—keeps people and ships safe when the sea throws its curveballs. In practical terms, Rule 37 nudges every vessel to operate with care, predictability, and clear communication. When someone is not fully able to maneuver—think of a barge losing maneuverability in a squall or a small vessel starved for power—that emphasis on safe navigation becomes non negotiable.

What “good seamanship” really means on the water

Good seamanship is a broad concept, not a single action. It’s a bundle of habits and practices that, together, generate safer outcomes. Here are the core pieces you’ll hear about most often:

• Situational awareness: keep your eyes on the horizon and your mind on the next few moves. That means watching for other vessels, small craft, buoys, and weather shifts. It also means understanding your own vessel’s limits and how fast you can respond if trouble looms.

• Clear, concise communication: use every tool at hand—VHF radio, sound signals, light signals, and plain, direct bridge-to-bridge talk. Don’t leave room for guesswork about what you intend to do next.

• Proper vessel handling: trim your speed to the conditions, maintain adequate distance, and be ready to slow down or change course to avoid a risk. It’s not about speed; it’s about control.

• Adherence to navigation rules: the COLREGs aren’t a menu; they’re a shared language. Following them helps every vessel “speak” the same way on the water.

• Lookouts and crew coordination: a good lookout isn’t just eyes on the water; it’s a team activity. Everyone knows their role, from keeping a watch to log-keeping and equipment checks.

• Equipment readiness: functioning lights, proper sound devices, reliable communication gear, and up-to-date charts matter as much as steering and engines do.

• Weather and sea state management: you plan for what you can’t control. That means checking forecasts, noting wind shifts, and planning for reduced visibility or rough seas if needed.

Why safety sits at the center of Rule 37

Let me explain it this way: when the sea gets gnarly, your training is only as good as your ability to apply it. Rule 37 is the safety net that ties everything together. It recognizes that even the most well-intentioned vessel can find itself in a tight spot. In those moments, good seamanship isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s the difference between a near miss and a catastrophe.

Consider a scenario that you might encounter along a busy coast. A vessel not under command—perhaps one with a faulty engine or a maneuvering restriction—needs other boats to act with extra care. Rule 37 reminds everyone still on the water to behave with caution, communicate clearly, and give space where it’s needed. That shared discipline helps prevent collisions, reduces the chance of an emergency, and keeps everyone safer. Safety isn’t abstract here—it’s a practical, daily choice.

The secondary benefits that happen when seamanship is strong

Yes, safety is the main event, but there are pleasing side effects when a crew lives in good seamanship:

• Efficiency in operation: careful navigation, smoother speed changes, and fewer last-minute maneuvers mean less wear and tear on machinery and a steadier voyage.

• Lower fuel consumption: deliberate, well-planned progress uses fuel more efficiently. It’s not about saving pennies; it’s about making the journey less wasteful and more predictable.

• Crew morale and confidence: when the crew knows the plan, trusts the comms, and sees that procedures are followed, spirits rise. Confidence and calmness on board are contagious.

• Reduced stress for nearby traffic: nearby vessels benefit from predictable behavior. It reduces the mental load for everyone sharing the water, which, in turn, lowers risk for all.

A few real-world touchpoints to ground the idea

Trust me, you’ve seen this in action even if you didn’t label it as “seamanship.” Think about a foggy harbor morning. The rules of the roads come alive when ships slow down, increase lookouts, test signals, and verify their intended path with the other vessels on the channel. Or picture a small sailboat passing a larger tanker at dusk. The Trent-like hum of the engine fades as both boats apply steady course changes, maintain safe distance, and communicate their intentions. These moments aren’t dramatic headlines; they’re the quiet, steady application of seamanship that Rule 37 celebrates.

The boring-but-crucial toolkit for stronger seamanship

If you’re crew or captain, here are practical ways to cultivate these habits—without turning every voyage into a training montage:

• Build a reliable lookout routine: assign roles, rotate watchkeeping, and confirm targets on the radar and AIS where available. A simple checklist can keep everyone aligned.

• Sharpen communication protocols: agree on phraseology and who speaks when during critical moments. Short, direct messages beat long, meandering explanations every time.

• Maintain your gear: routine checks on lights, signals, radios, and navigation equipment aren’t glamorous, but they’re essential. A well-tuned system reduces surprises when the sea gets cranky.

• Practice early risk assessment: ask “What’s the likely trouble here?” before you reach a bottleneck or crossing—then adjust speed, course, and communication accordingly.

• Plan with weather in mind: keep an eye on forecasts, visibility notes, and sea state. If conditions worsen, have an escape route ready and communicate it clearly if needed.

• Drill and document: simple drills—man overboard, engine failure, losing communications—prepare the crew to respond quickly and calmly. Debrief afterward to lock in useful improvements.

A conversational nudge: seamanship as a shared culture

Here’s a thought that helps keep this idea from feeling academic: seamanship is a culture as much as a set of rules. It’s about the way a crew looks out for one another, treats small problems before they become big ones, and respects the other folks on the water. Rule 37 isn’t a stern lecture; it’s a backbone for that culture. When you hear a captain emphasize “safety first” or see a deck crew double-check a maneuver, you’re seeing Rule 37 in action. And yes, you’ll notice that when this culture is strong, everyone benefits—not just the people on your own vessel but every vessel nearby.

Bringing Rule 37 to life on your own vessel

If you’re navigating a busy harbor, a narrow channel, or even a remote anchorage, the same principle applies: safety starts with how you operate. Keep your lookouts sharp, your communications crisp, and your vessel under good control. When you align those elements, you’re not just obeying a rule; you’re building a safer, more predictable waterway for everyone who shares the sea.

A quick reminder about the bigger picture

Rule 37 is like the quiet steward of the COLREGs. It doesn’t shout from the bridge with loud commands; it nudges crews toward a calmer, safer approach to every passage. In the end, it’s about reducing risk and protecting lives and property at sea. That’s why good seamanship matters so much. It’s the practical craft that underpins every other rule, and it’s the reason we keep showing up on the water ready to navigate with care.

If you’re curious about the day-to-day feel of this on the water, look for moments when boats slow for a crossing, when a master double-checks a signal, or when a lookout calls out a small vessel that others might miss. Those are the real-world heartbeats of Rule 37 at work. And they’re a good reminder that, at sea, safety isn’t a single action—it’s the sum of careful habits, clear communication, and shared respect for the rules of the road.