"Bruce" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:15:26 -0400, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

"Bruce" wrote in message
. ..
On Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:45:05 -0400, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

"otnmbrd" wrote in message
68.3.70...


Prime example of that great American idea... "everyone else is
responsible
for my irresponsibility" coupled with that other great American idea
of
"deep pockets"


So true. Why, just yesterday I was in a crossing situation with my
6-foot,
2HP motor dinghy having on her port bow a fifty-foot trawler. Did the
trawler do anything but stand on causing me to have to turn to port and
pass
astern to avoid a collision? Negative. Probably well fewer than half the
people operating motorboats these days know or understand the simplest
of
the Rules of the Road. It's a crying shame. And even sadder is the fact
that
they will litigate rather than admit they are in the wrong if and when
they
cause a collision.

Wilbur Hubbard

Ah willie-boy, but I see you are another of the great unwashed loudly
trumpeting "His Rights". I assume that you have firmly fixed in your
pointy little head all the rules of the roads and if in your tiny
little sailboat would demand that the Emma Maersk give way.

You stand a long way from reality.
Cheers,



Ah! I see you don't understand even the basics of the COLREG Rules of the
Road.

The meeting and crossing rules confer specific legal rights and duties of
all vessels involved when it comes to collision avoidance. Briefly, the
Rules that apply to a crossing situation state the vessels involved may
not
deviate from following the Rules up to the point where following the Rules
would result in a close-quarters situation and possible collision. One is
only released from the obligations under the Rules when it is necessary to
take other actions to avoid a collision.

The primary duty of vessels meeting is to avoid a close quarters situation
by taking the proper action in plenty of time to avoid a close quarters
situation. That a vessel does not do so, as in the case of the trawler, is
a
good indication that the helmsman thereof has his head up his ass - but
this
should come as no surprise as that is the usual state of affairs
respecting
motor boat helmsmen these days. Big bank accounts/small cranial capacity.

Wilbur Hubbard


Unfortunately you are wrong. While the rules of the road do describe
various situations and provide guide lines for who should do what,
they are not laws, per se.

In the instance you described why didn't you copy down the offending
vessel's particulars and report him to the Coast Guard? Had you would
they have trundled out and arrested him?No they wouldn't because no
law had been broken.

While you may argue about this it is fact that busy harbors all have
"harbor regulations" that are laws and you will be punished if you
break them. Run into the West bound traffic lane while heading East in
Singapore harbor and you will be stopped and you will be prosecuted in
Singapore courts and not a mention of the colregs. A few years ago
this did happen and a collision occurred and blame was apportioned and
the court never even mentioned colregs during discussions.

As usual willie-boy you are wrong.

Cheers,

Bruce



You should try reading with comprehension, Bruce. Try reading what I wrote
again and then ask yourself where you ever managed to come up with the
erroneous statement that I said the COLREGS were 'laws'.

What I did say was the Rules confer specific legal rights and duties
respecting vessels and vessel traffic. And, yes, one may be cited by the
Coast Guard for a violation of the Rules. And, when it comes to litigation
purposes, the Rules figure prominently in the maritime proceedings. If you
are ignorant of the Rules and your ignorance leads to a collision then
chances are VERY GOOD your insurance company will end up paying the lion's
share of the costs.

Now, my advice to you would be to study the COLREGS. Perhaps even take some
sort of boating class that includes a study of the COLREGS. Do your fellow
boater a favor and lose your ignorance.

Wilbur Hubbard