Graham Frankland wrote:

You want to try the Irish Sea for fast ferries, there are quite a few
running between Ireland/England/Isle of Man/Scotland/Wales. A couple of
years ago we were on passage from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead, around 55
miles, and
saw the Stena Explorer 5 bloody times as she came past on the same route but
at 40 kts compared to our 6kts. Called her up on one pass and was glad to
hear their radar was picking us up at approx 8 miles each time.

Have a look at:-

http://www7.stenaline.co.uk/servlet/...t.presentation
.Main?data.node.id=1879&data.language.id=2

Graham.



I don't know about you lot, but if I was doing 40kts in the Irish Sea
24/7/365 *I'd* want some blody good radar too. Just think "Lost
Container"...

Andy.

On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 20:51:50 UTC, Andy Champ wrote:

: I don't know about you lot, but if I was doing 40kts in the Irish Sea
: 24/7/365 *I'd* want some blody good radar too. Just think "Lost
: Container"...

Are containers a real threat? They keep getting mentioned, but I
haven't yet seen any account of anyone actually hitting one ... and
I've seen claims that, not being airtight, they generally sink very
quickly. Anyone ever seen one washed up on the beach?

Ian

--

Ian Johnston wrote:
On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 20:51:50 UTC, Andy Champ wrote:

: I don't know about you lot, but if I was doing 40kts in the Irish Sea
: 24/7/365 *I'd* want some blody good radar too. Just think "Lost
: Container"...

Are containers a real threat? They keep getting mentioned, but I
haven't yet seen any account of anyone actually hitting one ... and
I've seen claims that, not being airtight, they generally sink very
quickly. Anyone ever seen one washed up on the beach?

Ian


They're a potential threat. How real a threat they are is still up for
grabs, though, if you should hit one some night, the threat will indeed
be real.

As for radar on these high speed ferries ...... you'll find many of them
are using a high speed scanner, so that their picture is more frequently
updated.

Are containers a real threat?

They can be. If you keep an eye on the marine news sites (like
marinelink.com and others) or even NOTAM's you'll see frequent reports
about ships loosing containers. I've heard more rumours of folks
hitting containers than actual reports though. We hit something about
mid-ocean on a trip from San Diego to Hilo back in 2000, damaging our
rudder. Not sure what it was, as we never saw it. Could have been a
container.

I doubt if your RADAR would help much with a floating container. Unless
it was empty and just hit the water, it'll probably be floating just
barely above (or below) the surface. Not a very good RADAR target.

--

=-------------------------------------------------=
Renewontime
A FREE email reminder service for licensed mariners
http://www.renewontime.com
=-------------------------------------------------=

On Mon, 7 Mar 2005 00:27:09 UTC, renewontime dot com
wrote:

: Are containers a real threat?
:
: They can be. If you keep an eye on the marine news sites (like
: marinelink.com and others) or even NOTAM's you'll see frequent reports
: about ships loosing containers.

Indeed. But I am not sure that they idea that they bob around for
ages, lurking just beneath the surface, is anything other than a scare
story.

: I've heard more rumours of folks
: hitting containers than actual reports though. We hit something about
: mid-ocean on a trip from San Diego to Hilo back in 2000, damaging our
: rudder. Not sure what it was, as we never saw it. Could have been a
: container.

Or, with all due respect, any number of other things. Of course it
doesn't really matter, after the event, what one hits ...

Ian

Armond Perretta wrote:
Well, I won't defend a statement I never made. Still, I wonder how much
difference it makes to the target whether he or she is killed by a "ferry"
or a "ship" (ignoring for the moment that many folks cannot accurately
define "ship.")

A ship has three square rigged masts. I thought everyone knew that!

--
Nikki Locke, Trumphurst Ltd. PC & Unix consultancy & programming
http://www.trumphurst.com/

Otnmbrd wrote:
G Commercial fishermen. I forget at times that we all may have
different views as to what constitutes "commercial".
A commercial fisherman is indeed "commercial", but I treat them with
"small boats" except that I have far fewer concerns when dealing with
them, as I am generally comfortable with meeting them, especially when
it's a group, that they will stay clear of me .... but YOU should not
feel the same..... and if it's a one on one open ocean condition I treat
them under the "rules".

Surely you should be keeping clear of them (assuming they are "engaged in
fishing")?

--
Nikki Locke, Trumphurst Ltd. PC & Unix consultancy & programming
http://www.trumphurst.com/

Rhys wrote:
Perhaps I should have said "running (hull) lights are always on at
dusk". I switch on the trilight when I see circumstances merit it
(i.e. away from the harbour and into the dark lake). Then I SWITCH OFF
the running lights, leaving the mast-top trilight alone if under sail,
and the steaming light plus trilight if motor-sailing.

Steaming light below tri light means...

From one direction you might be a trawler
From another direction you might be a fisherman
From another direction you might be a large ship
From any other direction you are a fool who is showing the wrong lights

--
Nikki Locke, Trumphurst Ltd. PC & Unix consultancy & programming
http://www.trumphurst.com/

Nikki Locke wrote:
Armond Perretta wrote:
... I wonder
how much difference it makes to the target whether he or she is
killed by a "ferry" or a "ship" (ignoring for the moment that many
folks cannot accurately define "ship.")

A ship has three square rigged masts. I thought everyone knew that!

I am afraid you are a bit overconfident about this.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/

"Nikki Locke" wrote in message
...
Otnmbrd wrote:
G Commercial fishermen. I forget at times that we all may have
different views as to what constitutes "commercial".
A commercial fisherman is indeed "commercial", but I treat them with
"small boats" except that I have far fewer concerns when dealing with
them, as I am generally comfortable with meeting them, especially when
it's a group, that they will stay clear of me .... but YOU should not
feel the same..... and if it's a one on one open ocean condition I treat
them under the "rules".

Surely you should be keeping clear of them (assuming they are "engaged in
fishing")?

G Surely.....
The problem is that frequently, as mentioned above, you run into them
fishing as a fleet or group.
If possible, and you've seen them soon enough, have sea room, can figure the
general movement of the "group", etc., then you can alter course out around
the "group".
In reality, what frequently happens is that you find yourself moving through
the group and at any one time you may be on a collision course with multiple
targets.
At times like this, if the ship holds it's course and speed, then all the
fishing boats know exactly what to expect from the ship and they can
maneuver in a way that best suits their needs ...... not exactly legal, but
it works.
The same applies to a ship running across a group of recreational boaters.

otn