A motorboat is approaching a sailboat head-on. What should the motorboat do?

In a situation where a motorboat is approaching a sailboat head-on, it is crucial for the motorboat to navigate safely and avoid potential collisions. The appropriate action is to take early action to keep well away from the sailboat. This approach emphasizes the importance of anticipating potential conflict and ensuring enough distance is maintained to prevent accidents.

Maintaining a safe distance is particularly important in this scenario due to the differences in maneuverability between motorboats and sailboats. Motorboats can typically change speed and direction more quickly than sailboats, which are often dependent on wind conditions for their movement. Therefore, the motorboat operator should proactively adjust their course or speed to ensure they pass safely and give the sailboat ample space.

In this case, increasing speed to pass quickly, changing direction without a clear plan, or relying solely on sounding the horn are not optimal choices. While these actions can sometimes be appropriate in other contexts, they may not effectively communicate intentions or ensure safety in a head-on approach scenario. Thus, taking early and decisive action to create distance is the best practice to uphold safety on the water.