When navigating in restricted visibility, what precaution should you take?

Navigating in restricted visibility requires heightened awareness and caution due to the increased risk of collisions with other vessels or obstacles. Reducing speed is vital because it allows for greater control and more time to react to any unforeseen circumstances, such as encountering another vessel or a fixed object in the water. Slowing down also minimizes the impact of a potential accident.

Using sound signals is critical in these conditions because they serve as a means for vessels to communicate their presence and intentions to one another, as visibility may prevent the visual identification of other boats. The sound signals help ensure that all operators are aware of each other’s locations and movements, significantly enhancing safety while navigating in low visibility.

This precaution is essential because increasing speed would diminish control and response time, maintaining a straight course without adjustments could put you at risk of colliding with unseen obstacles, and relying solely on visual cues is ill-advised as they are often obscured in hazy or foggy conditions. Taking these proper measures effectively promotes safer navigation practices in restricted visibility scenarios.