Rule 8

Action to avoid collision

Any visibility

Avoiding action must be positive, early, and big enough to be obvious to the other vessel.

In plain language

When you act, act like you mean it: early, and with a course or speed change large enough that the other vessel can see it by eye or on radar. A string of small nudges is exactly what the rule forbids — it looks like nothing on the other bridge. If needed, slow down or stop entirely, and keep checking until the other vessel is finally past and clear.

Takeaway

Act early, act big — one obvious alteration beats a string of small ones.