Are Long-Range Singlehanded Skippers Automatically at Fault in Collisions?

I have been following the Velux 5 Oceans Race online. In that event, sailing yachts are raced around the world by their skippers singlehandedly in five high-speed legs, called “ocean sprints.” The race, the boats and the skippers are all pretty amazing. I was wondering, however, about how the Rules of the Road affect these boats. Each ocean sprint covers thousands of miles and calls for the boats to be at sea for weeks at a time. Since a singlehanded sailor is physically incapable of keeping watch 24 hours a day, would they automatically be at fault in the event of a collision with another vessel? Our reader is concerned that singlehanded racers would automatically be liable in the event of a collision, since they are unable to post a proper lookout at all times. His concern is well founded. However, as with so many other legal questions, the answer will depend on all of the facts of the particular case. Let’s take a closer look at this. We should first give a tip of the hat to the race that our reader is referring to. The Velux 5 Oceans Race is a round-the-world singlehanded yacht race, sailed in stages, that has...