"Terry K" wrote in message
oups.com...

Gerald wrote:
snip

Many sailors think they always have "right-of-way" over powerboats. The
rules DO discuss a few situations where sailboats are the Stand On
Vessel.
While these few cases are probably the most common situations most people
deal with on a day-to-basis - mostly crossing --- the situations in the
rules where a sailboat may be the Give Way vessel are more numerous.
Many
sailors seem to operate onder the "Sail over Power" concept that does not
(I
don't think ever did) exist. Sailboats are frequently under obligation
to
stay clear of motor vessels.

Boo Hoo!

If you ever sailed, you would understand why it seems, wrongly, that
sailors essentially ignore powerboats.

I have been a sailor for many more years than a stinkpotter and I have no
idea what the hell that means. There are some sailors that are as dumb as a
stump. There are some powerboaters that are as dumb as a stump. In either
camp their are varying degrees of smart.


Tough. It's a fact of life that sailors have many encumberances to
their freedom to navigate, unlike power driven vessels who can easily
avoid sailors, who need never fear that a sailor will ever persue them
to harrass them or collide with them or "wake" them or splash them or
manouver to take their picture advantageously.

If you feel that you have many encumberances to your freedom to navigate,
perhaps you need to either learn how to sail safely, or get another hobby.
In my lifetime of sailing I have never allowed a situation where I felt
helpless. I suspect I should feel sorry for you???

Sailors must do some of the things you seem to take as malicious
mischief.

They may "choose" to do such things, I am not aware of what things the
"must do". I my lifetime of sailing, many thousands of miles inland and
offshore, I have never "had" to make a maneuver that forced another vessel
to take an action in response (other than busting balls during a race ---
but that is a different set of rules). You need to get a few minutes out in
front of your situation and anticipate stuff.


That is why the rules seem to create, and actually do create, an
environment where power boats are expected to steer around sailboats.

Generally true. There are, however, various other rules that make the
sailboat the giveway vessle.

We are helpless against your power and especially against your
ignorance.

Please speak for your self helpless one. I have always been able to take
care of myself. Interesting that you suggest that all sailors are a bunch
of helpless wennies ... I don't think they are.

We sailors cannot ensure it, but even so most of us do our best not to
embarrass power boaters who aren't looking or thinking, though we are
having enough trouble keeping clear of shallows, rocks,

How hard is this for you? Do you have charts? Do you plan your trip? How
far ahead of your track line is your knowledge? Do you discover shallow
spots and rocks through the braille method? And just what the hell does any
of that have to do with sailing?

swimmers,

Where the hell are you sailing that you are dodging powerboaters and
swimmers???

deadheads and other sailboats,

Which of course only sailors need to do ...

with all of our dependance on wind
shifts you don't even notice,

True on the one hand the wind does shift. As a sailing vessel you are
normally the stand on vessel relative to a power vessel. As a stand on
vessel you are REQUIRED Rule 17(a) to maintain your course and speed. If
you are the stand on vessel, you cannot suddenly tack in front of a
powerboat and expect the rules to be 100% on your side --- you violated your
obligations. Note that the rules do not say that you must maintain your
course and speed except when the wind shifts, or the water gets too shallow,
or whatever else your problem may be.

depth requirements you don't think about,
and slavishness to 3 knot currents that mean nothing to you.

Why wouldn't I? My full displacement trawler had a 5 1/2 foot draft. Being
a full displacement vessle, it is limited in speed by the same physics as
displacement sailboats. Many larger offshore sportfish have big ass props
hanging down fairly deep and un protected. If one of those babies hits
bottom, it can get a lot more expensive than you dragging your keel. I
witnessed one of these guys hit a shallow spot ... drove the prob shaft
strut right through the bottom of the boat ... boat was on the bottom in
less than 5 minutes --- total loss. I am sure he would like do discuss
depth requirements with you.

God you are a victim.

Our passion is to enjoy nature on the water, not to plow through it at
speed.

Consider us as hazards on a golf course.

Per your request, I will certainly consider you to be one. I consider most
other sailors to be equals and future trawler owners.


Don't hog all the dock outlets, either.

Gotta keep all those air conditioners, refrigerators and 42" hidef plasma
TVs running you know...


Terry K