Unless the vessel was following an designated traffic lane, you had right of
way. Argh! Man the guns! Away the boarding party!
MMC

"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
Say, did the right of way rules for commercial passenger vessels
change when they became official terrorist targets under the
protection of homeland security?

The ferry crews in this part of the world have always seemed very
competent and courteous to me and I've had a number of professional
dealings with them. We were finishing up a day sail today in shifty
and increasing winds that shortly after turned into a squall. There is
a large anchorage that has a pair of red and greens in it that used to
guide the largest vessels up to a long abandoned navy oil depot. It
isn't a channel in the normal sense but marks the deepest area in the
center.

We were close hauled and I was alone on deck with everyone below
cleaning and straightening up. One of the little 65 foot ferries was
proceeding down the bay through the buoys as if it were a channel. The
ferry was going slowly, we were converging, the bearing didn't change.
There was plenty of room for a minor correction that would take them
astern and I really didn't want to tack. I started looking for a head
in the pilot house and couldn't see any faces so I finally luffed up
which took some finessing in the shifty conditions as we slowed down
and began to lose rudder authority.

The ferry passed about 50 feet in front of us and a lady who looked a
lot like she might be the captain stuck her head out and studied us
intently without waving as if she was trying to read the numbers on
the bow.

As I sailed on over the next half mile of 20 + foot deep and
unobstructed water, I found myself wondering if she could really think
that the rule about vessels in a channel and constrained by their
draft really applied to her.

No question that we would have hit if I hadn't luffed or taken some
more dramatic action. She proceeded like she was on autopilot. Just
coming up to normal speed or a 10 degree course change early on would
have avoided any possibility of contact. This was quite out of
character for the outfit. I wonder what she was thinking?


--

Roger Long

Another factor may be the area you sail in. My home port has traffic
lanes marked in 'magenta colour' on the charts. Pleasure boats are
supposed to cross them at right angles as quickly as possible.
Most people don't...but if a major commercial vessel..such as a post
panamax containership comes in...we get out of the way.

I wish my point could point well enough to have come left. I'd win
every race I entered!

The easiest action for the ferry to have taken would have been a
slight diversion to the middle of the channel. There was not other
traffic that would have been a factor.

She may have assumed that I would tack to stay in the channel so as to
keep at least 20' of water under my keel

--

Roger Long

I carry charts and try to be well aware of things like that.

--

Roger Long



"Don White" wrote in message
...
Another factor may be the area you sail in. My home port has traffic
lanes marked in 'magenta colour' on the charts. Pleasure boats are
supposed to cross them at right angles as quickly as possible.
Most people don't...but if a major commercial vessel..such as a post
panamax containership comes in...we get out of the way.

"Jack Dale" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 2 Jul 2006 00:23:11 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:



On the first and last one cited, I agree. On the traffic separation zone,
I
don't think it would make a difference. Just because someone is using the
correct lane for their course, doesn't give them license to ignore the
other
rules.


That could depend on the application of Rule 10 (j)

(j) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel
shall not impede the safe passage of a power driven vessel following a
traffic lane.

This would not apply as Roger's chart does not show a TSZ.

Jack

_________________________________________
Jack Dale
ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
CYA Advanced Cruising Instructor
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
_________________________________________

Interesting... There doesn't appear to be any language about size of vessel
using the separation zone. I can just imagine a skiff claiming rights. :-)

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

400' ships have status over a sailing vessel in a restricted situation. I
don't know about the Great Lakes, but I've been in an overtaking situation
with a tanker in the Pacific Ocean. Being prudent, when we spotted her
coming up on the stern, we made ready to change course. However, the tanker
changed course and went around us, as they should according to the rules.

You're right, just because you have rights doesn't mean being foolish.
However, they're not following the rules and should be contacted. What's
wrong with hailing them? I don't think this has anything to do with being a
rich or ugly American. I'm sure the CG wouldn't be averse to reminding them
of their obligations.

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

"Denny" wrote in message
oups.com...
Having sailed the Great Lakes for some 60 years I have had ample
experience with the solid stream of freighters... They don't turn,
period... Usually there is not even anyone visible in the bridge
windows...
I long ago developed the attitude that I will immediately turn away as
soon as I see a converging track developing... I am not burning
hundreds of dollars an hour of fuel... I can turn on a dime... I like
tacking... I am sailing for pleasure... Being ground up underneath a
400 foot cement hauler is not my idea of pleasure...
And, likely the person on the bridge (if any) does not speak english
and doesn't particularily like 'rich', 'ugly americans'... Just a fact
of life for a yachtsman... Just because you think the Colregs say you
don't have to turn, doesn't mean you shouldn't...
If I were pulling a fish net or dredging, I would ignore the big guy
and let him make the quivering explanations in the Admiralty Court as
to why he ran someone down... I'm not, so I give way...

denny

Roger, despite what the others have said so far, Don and Tom, there are no
special rules that I'm aware of regarding ferries. There are some for
approaching large vessels, but I can't see how they would apply to a ferry
that can have twice or three times your speed on open water. If there are,
I'd love to see a link.

I looked on the Washington State ferry system web site but couldn't find
anything. I've emailed them to ask about it, and I'll post their response
when I hear from them.

Tom Dacon

"Tom Dacon" wrote in message
...

Roger, despite what the others have said so far, Don and Tom, there are
no special rules that I'm aware of regarding ferries. There are some for
approaching large vessels, but I can't see how they would apply to a
ferry that can have twice or three times your speed on open water. If
there are, I'd love to see a link.

I looked on the Washington State ferry system web site but couldn't find
anything. I've emailed them to ask about it, and I'll post their response
when I hear from them.

Tom Dacon

Tom,

I've been looking on the CG site also, but can't find anything. But, you
never know of course. I know I have to stay a bit further away from
military, cruise liners, tankers, etc. But, why the heck would I want to be
close to those...

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

Here's what I got from the Washington State ferry system. It's an advisory
from the Port of Seattle. It looks like (paraphrasing the relevant
paragraph) the Coast Guard has established, for Puget Sound, security zones
around larger passenger vessels such as ferries and cruise ships. Vessels
should slow to minimum speed while within 500 yards, and mantain at least
100 yards distance unless they have obtained permission to approach. To get
permission to approach within the zone, among other things they can contact
the patrol or the master of the passenger vessel on VHF 16 or 13. Civil
penalties up to $27,500 for violations.

Here's the link:
http://www.portseattle.org/about/sec...security.shtml

When this was being publicized, I imagined that it was nation-wide, but all
I know about for sure today is Puget Sound. No doubt the Coast Guard in each
jurisdiction has made their own decisions about doing something like this if
they felt it was warranted. So this is the situation in Puget Sound anyway -
I don't what the situation might be where Roger sails.

Regards,
Tom Dacon

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
"Tom Dacon" wrote in message
...

Roger, despite what the others have said so far, Don and Tom, there are
no special rules that I'm aware of regarding ferries. There are some for
approaching large vessels, but I can't see how they would apply to a
ferry that can have twice or three times your speed on open water. If
there are, I'd love to see a link.

I looked on the Washington State ferry system web site but couldn't find
anything. I've emailed them to ask about it, and I'll post their response
when I hear from them.

Tom Dacon

Tom,

I've been looking on the CG site also, but can't find anything. But, you
never know of course. I know I have to stay a bit further away from
military, cruise liners, tankers, etc. But, why the heck would I want to
be close to those...

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

"Tom Dacon" wrote

(snip) Vessels should slow to minimum speed while within 500 yards,
and maintain at least 100 yards distance unless they have obtained
permission to approach.

I don't what the situation might be where Roger sails.

Well, we don't have anything similar that I'm aware of. With a 1000
yard wide harbor, it would be chaos it we did. There usually is a
boat with a blinking blue light just off the stern of any cruise ships
that are in town (room for one only) but I've never seen them chase
anyone.

There was a lot of amusement a year or so ago when the USCG was
escorting the ferries back and forth. I don't know whether it was the
laughter or the fuel bills that ended that foolishness.

--

Roger Long