--

Roger Long



"Gary" wrote in message
news:CzWxg.242858$iF6.196743@pd7tw2no...
Capt. Bill wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 00:08:23 GMT, "Roger Long"

wrote:


"Wayne.B" wrote



Roger, with all due respect, a large wake should be regarded as
just
another wave in a seaworthy and decent sized boat such as yours.
It
is unreasonable to expect people to slow down except in a confined
area where you could lose control.

Agreed and I am not a wake nazi. But we're talking here about the
wake within the first two or three waves as a result of a vessel
passing far closer than is prudent. No danger but it took some
finesse in those conditions to get through without getting soaked.
Actually, the wind blanketing of the close approach was more of an
issue. I can coax a boat through just about anything but I could
have been one of many people out there that could have gotten
knocked down or backed trying to get the boat moving again.


With regard to the right of way situation, did you sound a danger
signal or attempt contact on channel 13 or 16? That is the proper
course of action, preferably before the situation becomes
critical.


You really think someone in a an enclosed, air conditioned,
pilothouse is going to hear the pipsqueak horn a sailboat can carry
far enough against a 20 -25 knot wind to have any beneficial
influence on the situation? Back when I used blow horns because I
believed what I read in books, I never noticed that anyone seemed
to hear them in situations like this.

As for the radio, my theory is that someone oblivious enough miss
seeing a 32 foot sailboat directly ahead isn't going to be on the
ball enough that I want to waste time talking to them. It was
another of those days when I was using both hands for the boat. I
doubt he could have understood the handheld out in the wind even if
he hadn't been out on the bridge wing sucking a cig.


Well, it takes two to tango, and your last paragraph proves it. You
made no effort to contact them!? Time to stop your bitch'n and take
a look in the mirror.
Yup. That last paragraph is all attitude.

Gary

"Gary" and "Bill" wrote
You made no effort to contact them?"
Time to stop your bitch'n and take a look in the mirror.
Yup. That last paragraph is all attitude.

Gary

Come on. The radio has it's place and some meeting situations demand
it for sorting out but this was a crystal clear situation in wide open
water. If the radio was used between small vessels and larger ones in
every situation this simple, nobody would be able to get a word in
edgewise.

If a vessel clearly is either not keeping a watch or blatantly
violating the right of way rules, why waste time on the radio?
Easier, especially single handed in strong winds, to just shrug and
divert. The guy who was dressed like a captain was out on the bridge
wing. By the time he heard the radio or someone came out to tell him
there was a call, it could have been too late for a safe course change
by me.

This was just a big recreational powerboat, remember. Large
commercial vessels can be counted on to maintain a watch and respond
crisply.

I'm not bitching, just warning. This was a non-event for me except
for having to sheet everything flat again single-handed in a strong
wind. Plenty of people out there that this could have been a set up
for a problem though.

--

Roger Long

Roger Long wrote:
"Gary" and "Bill" wrote

You made no effort to contact them?"
Time to stop your bitch'n and take a look in the mirror.

Yup. That last paragraph is all attitude.

Gary


Come on. The radio has it's place and some meeting situations demand
it for sorting out but this was a crystal clear situation in wide open
water. If the radio was used between small vessels and larger ones in
every situation this simple, nobody would be able to get a word in
edgewise.

If a vessel clearly is either not keeping a watch or blatantly
violating the right of way rules, why waste time on the radio?
Easier, especially single handed in strong winds, to just shrug and
divert. The guy who was dressed like a captain was out on the bridge
wing. By the time he heard the radio or someone came out to tell him
there was a call, it could have been too late for a safe course change
by me.

This was just a big recreational powerboat, remember. Large
commercial vessels can be counted on to maintain a watch and respond
crisply.

I'm not bitching, just warning. This was a non-event for me except
for having to sheet everything flat again single-handed in a strong
wind. Plenty of people out there that this could have been a set up
for a problem though.

More attitude and lots of conjectu
"clearly is either not keeping a watch or blatantly violating the right
of way rules"
"The guy who was dressed like a captain"
"just a big recreational powerboat, remember"
"I'm not bitching"
"This was a non-event for me"

"Gary" wrote

More attitude and lots of conjectu

How about some conjecture from you.

Why else would a recreational vessel in open water be maintaining a
dead straight course towards another with the right-of-way? NOAA
vessels doing surveys do but they fly the appropriate day shapes.

Please explain a scenario under which this vessel was not violating
the rules.

My only attitude is that it is interesting and helpful to discuss
these things. If I didn't have a skin thick enough to shrug off those
who always try to turn it back to personality, I wouldn't be here.

--

Roger Long

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:33:29 GMT, "Roger Long"
wrote:

Why else would a recreational vessel in open water be maintaining a
dead straight course towards another with the right-of-way? NOAA
vessels doing surveys do but they fly the appropriate day shapes.

Please explain a scenario under which this vessel was not violating
the rules.

How close were you when you decided that the power boat was not going
to give way? They are under no obligation to change course 1/2 mile
in advance, only in time enough to avoid collision. That may not be
as much room as you'd like but it is all that the situation demands.

I can tell you from experience that evading oncoming sailboats is
problematic. Many times I have made an early course change only to
have the sailboat react to a header or lift with another course change
of their own. Even more irritating to a powerboat is entering into
one of these ballet dances only to discover that the oncoming vessel
is actually motor sailing and has no rights. It hapens a lot.

Roger Long wrote:
Yes, it very well could be the Cayman's and it's a much more likely
registry for a vessel like this. We see so many Canadian flags here
that I didn't look too closely.


That's good...everyone knows Canadians are courteous and law abiding! ;-)

Roger Long wrote:
There has been a Canadian flag mega yacht in the 150 - 200 class named
"Floridan" tied up in Portland for the past couple weeks. It's about
as big a private yacht as I've seen up this way in the past couple
years.

I was heading back in today solo and close hauled in a good fresh
breeze with the boat working hard under two reefs and hoping to clear
Ram Island without having to make a short tack. The "Floridan" was
coming out and settled on exactly the opposing course with her
stemhead exactly lined up with her mast. I watched for a long time
thinking they must take a slight deviation out into the 3000 or so
miles of open water to their starboard but the angle never changed.

Finally, at about half a mile, I eased the sheets and bore off until I
could at least could see a little angle on the hull and it wasn't like
staring directly down the sights of a shotgun from the wrong end.
Cursing the loss of 100 yards on what was going to be a pretty tight
squeak to clear the island, I watched her pass about 100 feet off my
beam. Then, I got to deal with the wake of a large displacement hull
going nearly hull speed on top of an already considerable sea.

The captain was standing on the bridge wing having a ciggy with the
autopilot on and never even waved.

As someone said, Yes, the rich are different than you and I.

Keep an eye out for this turkey if you're cruising downeast. It's a
bad one.

--

Roger Long

I hate to say this, but it's just common sense to stay away from large
vessels, right of way or not. Their are plenty of people who felt they
had the right of way that were killed in the process. Try not to join
their ranks.

As far as wakes, if you don't like them, I would suggest finding
another hobby, they are a fact of life on the water. If I had a nickel
for everytime I had to deal with a sailboat that wanted to run under
sail, in a narrow waterway, loaded with boats, and wanted everyone to
get out of his way, I'd never have to work another day in my life. My
point being, their are problem children on both the power and sail
sides, let's all try not to be one of them.

"Roger Long" wrote in message
...


Come on. The radio has it's place and some meeting situations demand it
for sorting out but this was a crystal clear situation in wide open water.
If the radio was used between small vessels and larger ones in every
situation this simple, nobody would be able to get a word in edgewise.

Can't fully agree with this. If the radio is used on the correct channels be
it for a simple meeting situation, or a complicated one, there would be far
fewer collisions and near misses. Keep the conversation to a minimum to pass
needed info.
A good number of meeting situations, as you say, need no radio contact, but
as soon as it starts to become apparent that, as in your case, the other guy
is not doing what he should, then it's always a good idea to start using ALL
your options, and a radio call is a good one.
As for the rest.......... this is a prime example of the type of situations
you can run into that are best thought about for future reference as to what
may happen or can happen.

otn

"Wayne.B" wrote in
I can tell you from experience that evading oncoming
sailboats is
problematic.

yeah, it's a real bitch to turn that steering wheel.

SBV

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 14:07:14 -0400, "Scotty"
wrote:

"Wayne.B" wrote in
I can tell you from experience that evading oncoming
sailboats is
problematic.

yeah, it's a real bitch to turn that steering wheel.

Your sarcasm runneth over.

Try it sometime from the other helm and report back. Most large
powerboats are run by autopilot in open water, and course corrections
are usually done in one or two degree increments, not dodging all over
the ocean for a sailboat that may or may not decide to tack in front
of you, or may or may not be lifted by the latest puff of wind. On my
boat, which is substantial but no where near mega yacht size, I will
typically close to within 100 or 200 yards before I even begin to
commit to one side or another. If the other boat makes an unexpected
course change inside of 100 yards they can create a very dangerous
situation. I can crash stop in about 50 yards (3 boat lengths) but it
is very tough on the engines and transmissions.