Outline of incident
On the evening of 16 December 1985, Lysaght Endeavour was proceeding northwards, in ballast, along the southern NSW coast. Shortly before 2200, the Watch Officer saw a single, small white light one point to port & the lookout reported the light shortly afterwards. No target was depicted on the radar screen & as the light remained on a steady bearing, the officer assumed that he was overtaking a small vessel, which was on a converging course. He therefore made a broad alteration to port, then gradually came back to the original course, keeping the other vessel fine to starboard. The white light suddenly disappeared under the starboard bow & Lysaght Endeavour collided with the fibreglass yacht Grunter, which was sailing on a southerly heading & stated to be displaying a tricoloured lantern at the masthead.
Grunter suffered only minor damage & was able to proceed to port unassisted.
The red section of Grunter's tricoloured lantern was found to have degraded to such an extent that it showed a white light. However, doubt was raised as to whether the bulb in the red section was working & that in fact the yacht was displaying the all-round white anchor light.
Conclusions
Grunter was not showing the correct navigation lights, in that it was not displaying a red port sidelight.
Although there was one on board, Grunter did not carry a radar reflector in a prominent position, to enhance detection by radar.
The Watch Officer aboard Lysaght Endeavour misjudged the distance of the white light & resumed the original course too soon.