If you have to pass closer that 100 yards from a US Navy ship, How can
you do it legally today with the homeland security rules in place?.

How large is the Navy Vessel Protection Zone ? and at what distance to
a US Navy ship do you have to go at a minimum speed?

Joe

I believe you should hail them and state your intentions. Otherwise, they'll
hail you (with bullets).

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
If you have to pass closer that 100 yards from a US Navy ship, How can
you do it legally today with the homeland security rules in place?.

How large is the Navy Vessel Protection Zone ? and at what distance to
a US Navy ship do you have to go at a minimum speed?

Joe

Capt. JG wrote:

I believe you should hail them and state your intentions. Otherwise, they'll
hail you (with bullets).



At our marina there is a big poster saying that the
exclusion zone around military vessels is 500 yards.

There are a couple of "interesting" spots along the ICW such
as the area around Norfolk Naval Base, the main ICW channel
goes right along the piers and there is military/gov't
activity on both sides. This part of the channel is
regularly patrolled by armed small boats and helicopters.

Then there is the Onslow Beach area that is used by both
Navy and Marines for exercises, such as amphib exercises and
artillery training. We've been putt-putting down the canal
through here and seen a bunch of amphibs rumble out of the
woods and into the water, across the canal and up onto land
on the other side. Interesting to watch but we stopped
immediately and waited until they'd cleared the area.
Unfortunately they weren't listening to VHF. The artillery
guys do broadcast warnings on VHF plus there is a large sign
with flashing yellow lights.

Then there is the military depot near Wilmington. The ICW
doesn't go past it, but the ICW channel does merge with the
Cape Fear river sea channel right at the spot where the
depot shipping channel splits off into their basin. A lot of
people follow the wrong markers and end up being escorted
out of the basin by security boats with .50cals aimed at
them.... these guys are *very* touchy when a big ship is
loading ammo or anything sensitive for overseas missions.

It has occasionally happened that we sail through an
exercise operation with several ships, usually we get a few
aircraft flying over to check us out. The Navy is very good
about radio communications... wonder why...

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..

. A lot of people follow the wrong markers and end up being escorted out of
the basin by security boats with .50cals aimed at them.... these guys are
*very* touchy when a big ship is loading ammo or anything sensitive for
overseas missions.


A good thing to try is to take a single piece of black electrical tape and
put it over your two eyebrows. Get an American flag, set it afire, take a
long olive drab colored tube (6" diameter) and aim it at the
helicopters/ships. I bet you'll get a rise out of them.

I believe that's in the regs... slow when within 500 yards. Personally, I
don't want to get even that close. We go the other way.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..
Capt. JG wrote:

I believe you should hail them and state your intentions. Otherwise,
they'll hail you (with bullets).



At our marina there is a big poster saying that the exclusion zone around
military vessels is 500 yards.

There are a couple of "interesting" spots along the ICW such as the area
around Norfolk Naval Base, the main ICW channel goes right along the piers
and there is military/gov't activity on both sides. This part of the
channel is regularly patrolled by armed small boats and helicopters.

Then there is the Onslow Beach area that is used by both Navy and Marines
for exercises, such as amphib exercises and artillery training. We've been
putt-putting down the canal through here and seen a bunch of amphibs
rumble out of the woods and into the water, across the canal and up onto
land on the other side. Interesting to watch but we stopped immediately
and waited until they'd cleared the area. Unfortunately they weren't
listening to VHF. The artillery guys do broadcast warnings on VHF plus
there is a large sign with flashing yellow lights.

Then there is the military depot near Wilmington. The ICW doesn't go past
it, but the ICW channel does merge with the Cape Fear river sea channel
right at the spot where the depot shipping channel splits off into their
basin. A lot of people follow the wrong markers and end up being escorted
out of the basin by security boats with .50cals aimed at them.... these
guys are *very* touchy when a big ship is loading ammo or anything
sensitive for overseas missions.

It has occasionally happened that we sail through an exercise operation
with several ships, usually we get a few aircraft flying over to check us
out. The Navy is very good about radio communications... wonder why...

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

. A lot of people follow the wrong markers and end up being escorted out of
the basin by security boats with .50cals aimed at them.... these guys are
*very* touchy when a big ship is loading ammo or anything sensitive for
overseas missions.



Bob Crantz wrote:
A good thing to try is to take a single piece of black electrical tape and
put it over your two eyebrows. Get an American flag, set it afire, take a
long olive drab colored tube (6" diameter) and aim it at the
helicopters/ships. I bet you'll get a rise out of them.


Yeah that sounds like a lot of fun... especially to watch
you do it first.

DSK

Capt. JG wrote:
I believe that's in the regs... slow when within 500 yards.

AFAIK the regs are to not go within 500 yards at all;
nothing about going slow.


... Personally, I
don't want to get even that close. We go the other way.


One saving grace is that Navy ships are a *lot* more
maneuverable than similar sized commercial vessels. So you
don't have to be quite as paranoid about getting run down.

Years ago I was on the bridge of a Knox class frigate (long
since melted down for razor blades) entering Newport RI
harbor. It was very interesting to see how many small boats
& sailboats blundered along right in front of us, often
disappearing under the bow. Then again, at other ports we
occasionally had brushes with anti-nuke protestors who would
try to get us to run them down. So the exclusion zone is not
free of political tainting (surprise surprise).

DSK

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
If you have to pass closer that 100 yards from a US Navy ship, How can
you do it legally today with the homeland security rules in place?.

How large is the Navy Vessel Protection Zone ? and at what distance to
a US Navy ship do you have to go at a minimum speed?

A few years ago, there was a big event in the Solent that featured US
warships. An exclusion zone was in force around the US ships. As I
approached the USS Enterprise (IIRC??), I noticed that she had a RIB out on
the water keeping other boats at bay. As the RIB was busy at her stern, I
sailed under her bow. I was amazed at the clearance between the top of my
mast and the bow of that ship!!! It was absolutely enormous. Nobody shot
at us, although a guy did shake his fist (or was it a gun) at us.



Regards


Donal
--

This was in the LNtM:

A 100-yard security zone is in place surrounding all cruise ships, tank vessels, or any other vessel that the U.S. Coast Guard deems to be a high interest vessel within San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay and Humboldt Bay. A security zone is in place around all U.S. Naval Vessels greater than 100-feet in length within the navigable waters of the U.S. This permanent protection zone extends 100-yards around all naval vessels and it includes a 500-yard slow zone in which all mariners must operate at the minimum speed necessary. At the Golden Gate and Oakland/San Francisco Bay Bridges, a 25-yard security zone is in place around all bridge abutments and piers. For further details or comments contact the Sector Command Duty Officer at 415-399-3547.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"DSK" wrote in message .. .
Capt. JG wrote:
I believe that's in the regs... slow when within 500 yards.

AFAIK the regs are to not go within 500 yards at all;
nothing about going slow.


... Personally, I
don't want to get even that close. We go the other way.


One saving grace is that Navy ships are a *lot* more
maneuverable than similar sized commercial vessels. So you
don't have to be quite as paranoid about getting run down.

Years ago I was on the bridge of a Knox class frigate (long
since melted down for razor blades) entering Newport RI
harbor. It was very interesting to see how many small boats
& sailboats blundered along right in front of us, often
disappearing under the bow. Then again, at other ports we
occasionally had brushes with anti-nuke protestors who would
try to get us to run them down. So the exclusion zone is not
free of political tainting (surprise surprise).

DSK

He was just giving you the finger...

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Donal" wrote in message
...

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
If you have to pass closer that 100 yards from a US Navy ship, How can
you do it legally today with the homeland security rules in place?.

How large is the Navy Vessel Protection Zone ? and at what distance to
a US Navy ship do you have to go at a minimum speed?

A few years ago, there was a big event in the Solent that featured US
warships. An exclusion zone was in force around the US ships. As I
approached the USS Enterprise (IIRC??), I noticed that she had a RIB out
on
the water keeping other boats at bay. As the RIB was busy at her stern, I
sailed under her bow. I was amazed at the clearance between the top of
my
mast and the bow of that ship!!! It was absolutely enormous. Nobody
shot
at us, although a guy did shake his fist (or was it a gun) at us.



Regards


Donal
--