What should you do when hearing a fog signal ahead of the beam?

When hearing a fog signal ahead of the beam, slowing down to minimum speed is the best practice because it allows for increased situational awareness and time to assess the situation. In foggy conditions, visibility is often significantly reduced, making it challenging to identify nearby vessels or navigational hazards. By reducing speed, you ensure that you have control over the vessel and the ability to react appropriately to any unexpected developments.

This approach conforms to the rules of navigation, where vessels are required to maintain safe speeds in reduced visibility to avoid collisions. Slowing down gives you the chance to listen for further fog signals and to see if you can identify the source of the sound, which could indicate other vessels in close proximity.

Maintaining current speed, speeding up, or changing course immediately could lead to dangerous situations. Continuing at the current speed may not provide enough reaction time to navigate safely through fog. Speeding up might increase the risk of collision, as it limits the time available to respond to other vessels or obstacles. Changing course immediately without proper evaluation could result in unpredictable movements, putting your vessel and others at risk.