The vessel shown in illustration D025DG has broken down and you are going to take her in tow. The wind is on her starboard beam. Both vessels are making the same amount of leeway. Where should you position your vessel when you start running lines?
• Effect of wind on the starboard beam and which side becomes the lee (sheltered) side of the disabled vessel • Safe relative position of the towing vessel when passing heaving lines to a disabled vessel making the same leeway • How being ahead, abeam, or astern of the tow affects control once the towline is made up
• First, decide from which direction the wind is blowing relative to the disabled vessel in the picture. Which side of that vessel is the lee side? • If both vessels are making the same leeway, will you drift toward each other or maintain roughly the same lateral separation? How does that influence which side is safer to be on? • When the towline is about to come taut, would you rather be slightly ahead of, directly abeam of, or abaft the disabled vessel to maintain steering control and avoid collision?
• Be sure you’ve correctly identified which side is windward and which is leeward in the illustration • Confirm that the chosen letter puts you on the lee (more sheltered) side of the disabled vessel for safer line handling • Check that your position is slightly ahead of or abaft, rather than directly beam‑to‑beam, to avoid being set into the casualty when the towline comes tight
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