Thank you Jeff for giving the right answers. I hope otn reads your post.
I've been arguing with him. I've proved he's wrong but he won't be a man
and admit it. Like you say. Scotty's little pleasure boats towing each other are
not RAM according to the rule. That's what I said too. That's what my instructor
says.
You made my day....

Cheers,
Ellen





"Jeff" wrote in message . ..
| Scotty wrote:
| 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?
|
| No, not unless they asked for it.
|
| Would he be considered a RAM?
|
| Not unless they so claimed. Even then, if there was an incident, they
| would have to prove they really were RAM.
|
| Wouldn't he need to be displaying a day
| shape?
|
| Yes, or a suitable substitute. Unfortunately, in the dark, there's no
| easy way for small boats to convey the nature of this situation.
|
| Many, if not most, recreational boaters make the assumption that if
| they're doing something special, like towing, they magically have
| right of way and everyone has to stay clear. The truth is they have
| not such rights, though you should stay clear because they are
| probably incompetent. The other assumption they make is that everyone
| can clearly understand what is going on, even its dark and they have
| no lights.
|
| Given that I had ample time to cross, was I still
| wrong to do so?
|
| No, they were wrong to assume you would understand their situation.
| The fact that you didn't realize it was a tow until after the fact, is
| a good indication they did not adequately convey the situation. If
| you cleared with over 100 feet and they did not have to alter course
| or speed, you were not too close.
|
|
| 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?
|
| Unless they declare RAM, you are standon. And a real towboat would
| have the means to do so.
|
| Is there penalties for near misses?
|
| Not typically. The ColRegs themselves don't specify any punishment,
| so it would have to be under some other law.