"Martin Baxter" wrote in message
| John, it's not so much the recreational power boaters as it is the
professionals in the tour boats. We had a tall ships festival up here in
Kingston
| a couple of years ago; I sailed in the opposite direction to line of tall
ships, my boat on autopilot, camera in hand. The recreational power guys all
| were able to recognize a sailboat under sail and keep out of my way, but
the professional skippers in the 280 foot, three deck tour boats didn't
care.
| They didn't actually set a collision course but the course they steered
would have them passing so close as to be dangerous to me and my vessel, so
| I was forced to alter course on several occasions as to avoid having a
steel hull pass within inches of my rub rail, complete with attendant four
foot
| bow wave.

How Odd!!.... here in Halifax the "Professional" Tour boats were made to tow
the line along with the private pleasure craft. There was a no wave/wake
ruling in effect and if the tour boat had to do 3 kph to achieve that.....
it was obeyed. With about 200 cops on the water it didn't take long for the
isolated idiots to clue in or have their vessel seized and impounded.

I saw at least 2000 vessels at a time proceeding in an orderly fashion as if
there was actual lane markers on the water. It was all quite civil. Matter
of fact... when spectator fleet was anchored to enjoy the Tall Ship Race...
I hopped 4 boats over to board a Tour Boat and buy some beers. That's how
thick the fleet was. I think about every 4 th boat had an anchor down and
invited people to tie up alongside.

CM