This is really not a discussion between sailboaters and powerboaters;
its a discussion between boaters who are normally at 8 knots or less,
and those who are over 10 knots.

Wayne.B wrote:
On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:19:42 -0500, jeff wrote:

Spoken like a true powerboater. While that may make sense to you,
sailors can generally say, "I get rolled often by irresponsible
powerboaters, and I've never rolled anyone."

The problem is that many sailors think that all powerboaters leaving a
wake are irresponsible just because the wake inconveniences them in
some way,

I'm sure there are a few sailors that think all powerboaters are scum of
the Earth, but I don't think is widely held. However, I firmly believe
that powerboaters tend to subconsciously alter course to pass in front
of other boats rather than pass behind them. In fact, this will
happpen to me several times a day: a powerboat that is on course to pass
well behind me alters course and passes close ahead of me.

and don't even get me started on sailboats who expect the
right-of-way while under power,

In years of sailing in a crowded harbor, I've only seen them demand room
like this a few times. The recreation fishers who claim rights as
"fishing boats" probably outnumbers them a hundred to one.

or who suddenly tack in front of a
moving powerboat and demand the right-of-way.

I admit I've seen this often, but its almost always inexperienced kids
who naively assume that the powerboaters appreciate their needs. When I
left from or returned to my old marina I passed by four sailing schools;
I could pretty much count on at least one boat of kids tacking in front
of me. Away from the schools I hardly ever see this. In fact, the only
places where I often see it is where there are small sailboats near
their moorings or docks.

Fortunately most of
them seem to understand that five blasts on the air horn is a danger
signal.

If you did that near one of the aforementioned youth programs, you'd
probably have a police boat on your butt real quick!

My other pet peeve is sailboats who don't know how to analyze
a crossing situation, not realizing that I've already altered course
to pass astern of them.

Clearly this is your fault:

"Any alteration of course and/or speed to avoid collision shall, if
the circumstances of the case admit, be large enough to be readily
apparent to another vessel observing visually or by radar; a succession
of small alterations of course and/or speed should be avoided."

Frankly, one of my pet peeves is powerboats approaching at very high
speed, making a long gradual turn, and somehow assuming that I'll be
able to figure out what they're doing, and somehow react to it.
Inevitably, they end up crossing my bow at 35 knots.