Keep course and speed; act if give-way vessel does not.
Paragraph (a): Keep course and speed
(i) Where by any of these Rules one of two vessels is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course and speed.
(ii) The stand-on vessel may, however, take action to avoid collision by her manoeuvre alone as soon as it becomes apparent that the give-way vessel is not taking appropriate action.
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Wording follows the International Regulations as printed in the US Coast Guard Navigation Rules handbook (2024), with British spelling, and is shortened in places. Download the rules
Read the whole of Rule 17 on one page
Paragraph (a): Keep course and speed
(i) Where by any of these Rules one of two vessels is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course and speed.
(ii) The stand-on vessel may, however, take action to avoid collision by her manoeuvre alone as soon as it becomes apparent that the give-way vessel is not taking appropriate action.
Paragraph (b): Collision cannot be avoided by give-way alone
When the stand-on vessel finds herself so close that collision cannot be avoided by the action of the give-way vessel alone, she shall take such action as will best aid to avoid collision.
Paragraph (c): Do not turn to port
A power-driven vessel which takes action in a crossing situation under (a)(ii) to avoid collision with another power-driven vessel shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, not alter course to port for a vessel on her own port side.
Paragraph (d): Give-way duty unchanged
This Rule does not relieve the give-way vessel of her obligation to keep out of the way.
Test yourself on Rule 17
What must the stand-on vessel normally do?
Keep her course and speed. Rule 17: where one of two vessels is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course and speed.
A training aid, not the official text. The COLREGs are an IMO convention, and your national authority publishes the version that applies in its waters. Check the rules themselves before you rely on them at sea. Download the rules.