Why Radar Training is a Legal Requirement for Boat Owners

Understanding Your Obligations Under the International Collision Regulations

If you have radar fitted on your boat, you are legally required to know how to use it. This is not a recommendation or best practice suggestion; it is a requirement under international maritime law. Yet many boat owners install sophisticated radar systems without fully understanding either the equipment or their legal obligations when operating it.

The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, commonly known as COLREGS or the “Rules of the Road”, govern how all vessels must behave to avoid collisions. These regulations apply to every vessel on the high seas and in connected waters navigable by seagoing vessels, from supertankers to small powerboats. Within these regulations, specific rules address the use of radar, creating legal obligations for anyone who has this equipment fitted.

Rule 5: The Lookout Requirement

Rule 5 of the COLREGS states that every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions. The phrase “all available means” is the crucial element here.

If you have radar fitted and operational, it constitutes an available means. The rule therefore requires you to use your radar as part of your lookout, particularly when conditions suggest it would be appropriate. In practice, this means using radar in restricted visibility, at night, in congested waters, or whenever other vessels may be difficult to detect visually.

Failing to use available radar when conditions warrant it could constitute a breach of Rule 5. In the event of a collision, this breach could have serious implications for liability, insurance claims, and even criminal prosecution under maritime law.

Rule 7: Determining Risk of Collision

Rule 7 goes further, specifically requiring proper use of radar equipment if fitted and operational. The rule states that such use should include long-range scanning to obtain early warning of risk of collision and radar plotting or equivalent systematic observation of detected objects.

This is remarkably specific. The regulations do not simply require you to have radar switched on; they require you to use it properly for two distinct purposes: early detection through long-range scanning, and systematic tracking of targets to determine whether a collision risk exists.

The reference to “radar plotting or equivalent systematic observation” means you must do more than glance at the screen occasionally. You need to track targets over time, noting their bearing and distance at intervals, to determine whether they are on a collision course. Modern radar systems with ARPA (Automatic Radar Plotting Aid) or MARPA (Mini Automatic Radar Plotting Aid) can automate this process, but you still need to understand what the system is telling you.

The Consequences of Non-Compliance

The legal consequences of failing to use radar properly can be severe. In collision investigations, maritime authorities examine whether both vessels complied with COLREGS. Evidence that a vessel had radar fitted but the operator did not use it effectively, or did not understand how to interpret the display, can establish negligence.

Civil liability for collision damage can run into millions of pounds. If your failure to use radar properly contributed to a collision, you could face claims for damage to other vessels, cargo, and injury to crew or passengers. Your marine insurance policy almost certainly requires you to operate your vessel in compliance with maritime regulations; failure to do so could void your coverage.

In serious cases, criminal prosecution under the Merchant Shipping Act is possible. Skippers have been convicted of offences following collisions where improper use of navigation equipment was a contributing factor. The courts take a dim view of operators who install expensive electronic equipment but cannot demonstrate they knew how to use it.

What Proper Use Actually Means

Complying with the radar provisions of COLREGS requires more than simply switching the set on. You need to understand how to set up the display correctly for the conditions, adjusting gain, sea clutter, and rain clutter controls to achieve a clear picture. You must know how to interpret different display orientations (head-up, north-up, course-up) and understand their limitations.

Critically, you need to understand the limitations of radar itself. Small vessels, particularly those made of fibreglass, may not return a strong echo. Sea clutter can mask genuine targets. Targets can be hidden in shadow sectors behind your own vessel’s structure. False echoes can appear where no target exists.

The RYA RADAR Course teaches all of these skills over a concentrated one-day programme. Using simulator exercises, you practise interpreting radar displays and making collision avoidance decisions in a controlled environment. This is vastly more effective than trying to learn while simultaneously skippering a boat in busy waters.

Rule 19: The Restricted Visibility Challenge

Rule 19 of COLREGS governs conduct in restricted visibility, and this is where radar knowledge becomes absolutely critical. When you cannot see other vessels, radar becomes your primary tool for avoiding them.

The rule requires that if radar detects another vessel, you must determine whether a close-quarters situation is developing. If it is, you must take avoiding action in ample time. The rule even specifies how to alter course: avoiding alteration to port for vessels forward of the beam (except when overtaking) and avoiding alteration towards vessels abeam or abaft the beam.

Applying Rule 19 correctly requires you to interpret radar information, calculate whether a collision risk exists, and take appropriate action. Without formal radar training, most boat operators struggle to do this effectively. The RYA RADAR Course specifically addresses Rule 19 scenarios, ensuring you understand both the theory and practical application.

The Yachtmaster Standard

If you are working towards an RYA Yachtmaster qualification, examiners will test your radar competence. Yachtmaster candidates are expected to demonstrate they can use radar for collision avoidance and apply Rule 19 in restricted visibility scenarios.

Even if you are not pursuing formal qualifications, the Yachtmaster standard represents a reasonable benchmark for the level of competence expected of anyone skippering a radar-equipped vessel. The RYA developed this standard based on what a competent skipper should know, and meeting it demonstrates you have fulfilled your duty to be properly trained.

Taking Responsibility

Ultimately, if you choose to fit radar on your boat, you are accepting responsibility for using it correctly. The technology provides tremendous advantages for safe navigation, but only in the hands of a trained operator. In untrained hands, radar can create false confidence or even contribute to collisions through misinterpretation.

The RYA RADAR Course at Ocean Sports Tuition provides the training you need to meet your legal obligations. Over one day, you will learn to set up, interpret, and use marine radar effectively. You will practise collision avoidance scenarios on the simulator and understand how COLREGS applies to radar-equipped vessels.

Investing one day in proper training is a small price for compliance with maritime law, protection of your insurance coverage, and, most importantly, the safety of everyone on the water.

Next Steps

Ready to ensure you are meeting your legal obligations? Book your place on our RYA RADAR Course or call us on 02381 242159 to discuss your training needs.

You may also want to consider complementary courses including the RYA VHF Radio Course for essential communication skills and RYA Yachtmaster Theory for comprehensive navigation knowledge.

For more information about COLREGS and your obligations, see the official RYA guidance at RYA RADAR Course page.