Except as provided in 33 CFR 164.15, when the automatic pilot is used in—

(a) Areas of high traffic density;

(b) Conditions of restricted visibility; and

(c) All other hazardous navigational situations, the master shall ensure that—

(1) It is possible to immediately establish manual control of the ship's steering;

(2) A competent person is ready at all times to take over steering control; and

(3) The changeover from automatic to manual steering and vice versa is made by, or under, the supervision of the officer of the watch.

[CGD 75-074, 42 FR 5963, Jan. 31, 1977]