If S could have avoided contact by hailing, and did not, then she breaks rule 14. So, although the rules are not explicit in this situation, a hail may be implicitly required.
This is a stretch.... linking a hail that is not required because you are the ROW boat ... to not taking action in avoiding a collision This is a bogus concatenation of your responsibility.... If you could avoid the collision and did not take action... you violate rule 14. period!
Injecting this yes and no interpretation is silly and contributes to the confusion that leads to.. well.... he did not hail starboard so that I thought he gave me permission to cross... (see this thread in fact)
No one will disagree with you on
Either way, when both boats know one another is aware of the situation, and understands the other's intentions, problems are far less likely to occur.
However, Communication like hails of "starboard" is frequently a class culture issue. In tornado's... they think you are a hick from the sticks if you are constantly hailing boats on every cross.... they are pros... they know the rules. They tell you to shut up.... (If you don't figure it out on your own.)
So...Yes... communication can't be wrong and No communication may not be warranted... Yes and NO guidance on things like class culture ... no problem... Yes and no answers on the rule requirements is misleading.
