Alas, I disagree … again.
I return to why this thread started in the first place, when the case cited was a fishing boat stopped at night showing only a white light and being found to have been partly responsible for being hit by another fishing boat by not showing NUC lights, or at least there was some element of blame in only showing a single white light.
I disagreed. Nobody has the right to ram a stationary, single white light. Furthermore, nobody has the right to ram a stopped vessel no matter how burdened that vessel is under the rules. That’s my entire thesis and, in the case above, it’s entirely justified by a single white light being the sole rules requirement for numerous circumstances, notwithstanding the requirement under Rule 2 ‘ordinary practice of seamen’.
The debate raged on about all the things the stopped or anchored vessel should have done in other cases with examples cited as if responsibility is equally shared.
I don’t know who’s asking your rules test question, but I’d suggest they ask better ones.
The entirety of your case depends on the relative bearing on which the approaching vessel closes on the stopped vessel. If from astern (and a single white light showing) the stopped vessel has absolute rights. But if from ahead the crossing rule 15 or head on rule 14 things change. Reading those rules you find that both vessels must be moving, “When two power driven vessels are meeting” or “when two power driven vessels are crossing” imply clearly that both are meeting (moving) head on or crossing each other.
Additionally, one action offered by the rules in general to avoid a collision is stopping Rule 8 or reducing speed Rule 19. Stopping stops collisions.
I simply cannot believe that sensible mariners on this site would advocate standing on towards a vessel stopped for whatever reason muttering, ‘get out of my way you imbecile, don’t you know the rules?’
The answer is simple: go around a stopped vessel.
Everyone who thinks that stopped vessels must move please continue ramming everything that doesn’t comply with your rules.