OzOne wrote:
On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 05:44:53 GMT, otnmbrd
scribbled thusly:



And the idea that fiberglass boats are not easily seen with radar is
not one to be discarded

Of course not, but their construction may have nothing to do with the
fact that they weren't seen. Fiberglass construction is not a catch all
for poor radar visibility, just as steel in not a catch all for good
radar visibility.


True, but being in a fiberglass boat will make you less visible

To whom, under what conditions? A small boat with a low output radar, or
a ship with 25KW radar? Calm conditions or rough conditions? On what
relative heading?


snipped a bunch of items, intended to bolster your position
I look at items such as these as examples of possible problems, not
absolutes ... you remember these things, and work around them, apply
them to your conditions, find them in error at times, find them true at
other times, etc.


OK, I surrender, fiberglass small boats will paint just as well as a
steel hul in the same conditions

Yeah right!!

LOL keep trying .... some fiberglass hulls will paint better than some
steel hulls under some conditions..... THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTES!!!!!!


So there are conditions where you wouldn't notice a small boat or
yacht!

Of course ..... in good visibility, bad visibility, day or night.


Yep, that's what you said, I was just confirming it so that we'd
understand that in conditions where you don't have the added ability
of clear vision then its inherently dangerous to be steaming around at
25kts.

Once Again .... LOL... WRONG ! Clear vision is no guarantee of safety.
It may be just as dangerous to travel at night or daylight, at 25k, as
it is in fog .... it depends on the conditions and available equipment,
as to whether this is safe, or at least, minimizes the danger.


Why did he change course? (can think of any number of possibilities)


Who knows. but if you were driving the sucker and you'd seen us would
you have altered your course onto a collision course in open ocean?

Nope I'd have held my course and speed till extremis. When dealing with
small boats, experience has taught me that this is my safest course.
(G know you won't like that one..... there is an exception to this rule. )


otn