"Scotty" wrote in
news
Last week while sailing up a river channel, about 200yds
wide, doing 3 kts in light. wind, I spotted , off my
starboard stern quarter,2 powerboats, 'sitting' next to
each other. I figured they were fishing, or just talking to
each other. Then they seemed to be trolling, very slowly up
river, as I was cutting across the channel at an angle, I
figured I had plenty of time to cross in front of them,
rather than behind in case they WERE trolling lines.
Then the lead PB starts honking his horn ( like a NYer, when
the light turns green) and yelling. I heard something about
my Mother, and towing and privilege. Since we were both
going slow, and not real close, I continued on my coarse. he
never got closer than 100 ft. Only after they passed did I
see the small towing line between them.

Would a 'tow' like this have 'privilege?

Not necessarily

Would he be
considered a RAM?

Possibly....if he cannot deviate from his course/speed up/slow down

Wouldn't he need to be displaying a day
shape?

Can't remember where I read this, but no. If a vessel is not normally
engaged in this type operation and would not normally carry these type
day shapes because of their size then they need not be displayed but they
should make every effort to inform (blowing a horn like a NY taxi driver)

Given that I had ample time to cross, was I still
wrong to do so?

If you could do so safely with ample clearance, no.... ample clearance is
the key phrase.


Even if it had been a properly marked 'real' towboat, and
someone crossed in front, causing the tow to turn, but no
collision happened, what if anything could/should be done to
the crossing boat?

First off, a "real" towboat is still obligated to obey the normal
steering and sailing rules unless they are RAM (and RAM is not an
automatic designation for a towboat), so there can be any number of
possibilities as to right or wrong in your maneuver.
In answer to your question..... no harm no foul.... expect a tongue
lashing. Naturally if your maneuver was "illegal" and the turn the
towboat had to make to avoid a collision endangered or caused injury to
the tug,it's tow,or crew then you should expect a report to the various
authorities and possible actions, collision or not.

Is there penalties for near misses?

To date, not generally.


otn