Advanced Scenario Check: Pilotage

Your yacht is holding outside a fictional harbour at night. Port signals permit movement, but a ferry reports that it is departing. One leading light becomes obscured by background lighting. The chartplotter and tablet show the same position, but both depend on the yacht's GNSS receiver. The echo sounder is shallower than the planned trend, and the engine will not reach the revolutions used for the cross-stream timing calculation.

The movement signal does not make the entrance safe. Name each failed assumption: traffic occupies the commitment area; the leading-line observation is incomplete; the two electronic displays share a common source; depth does not match the model; and manoeuvring performance is reduced. Any one may justify delay. Together they remove the evidence and capability needed to open the gate.

Hold or abort outside the commitment point using the briefed safe route. Assign the lookout to identify the ferry and full leading-light sequence, the navigator to establish position and depth from independent evidence, and the helm or engineer to confirm controllable speed and engine response. Contact port control for current movement information without transferring the navigation decision to them.

Re-plan the stage with the actual tide, depth trend, vessel speed, stream exposure and traffic window. Rebrief the route, reports, minimum evidence and new escape trigger to the whole team. If a safe independent picture and controllable manoeuvre cannot be restored, do not enter. Written revision can rehearse this decision model, but it cannot demonstrate practical pilotage, command or Yachtmaster competence aboard.