If you are the stand-on vessel and you detect increasing risk of collision, what should you do?

• A. Maintain course and speed to show resolve.
• B. Sound two short blasts to warn.
• C. Be prepared to take early action to avoid collision.
• D. Turn off all navigational equipment.

Answer: (C)

When there’s an increasing risk of collision, the stand-on vessel must be ready to take early action to avoid collision. Even though you’re expected to maintain course and speed while the other vessel should act, you can’t rely on the other vessel to do all the avoidance if danger develops; being prepared to maneuver promptly—reducing speed, altering course, or combining both as needed—helps ensure a safe separation.

Communicating intentions with signals can be part of the process, but the key requirement is that you’re ready to act early to prevent contact. Turning off navigational equipment would create a dangerous situation, and simply maintaining course and speed or signaling alone without being prepared to maneuver wouldn’t address the growing risk.