On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 06:51:16 -0400, "Sal's Dad"
wrote:

OK Capt. Bill, I'll bite.

Just how DOES the "wake rule" work? And please, if you can, provide
citations or links? Apparently I have misunderstood all these years; I
would welcome an opportunity to be educated.

Sal's Dad


At least here in Florida from what I've been told by LE you are held
to a "reasonable person" standard.

In other words if your motoring down the ICW in a non-restricted speed
zone and your wake travels lets say, a 1/2 mile out and behind you,
and tips over a kayak-er that you couldn't see or be expected to know
was there you most likely would not be held liable.

"Gary" wrote in message
news:e0dyg.245823$iF6.163191@pd7tw2no...

I don't think that the R of R were created thinking of
hull and foil
characteristics. I think it has more to do with the slow
speed and
limited freedom of movement of large sailing craft as
compared to
similar sized power driven vessels. A large square rigger
who has to
fall off the wind to give way to a freighter may take a
day to get back
to where he was. A freighter could recover in minutes.
It also takes
and entire crew to alter a large sailing vessel and one
guy to alter a
power driven vessel. The rules were originally written
with shipping in
mind, not small handy vessels.


According to Wayne, it's very hard for a power vessel to
alter it's course.

SBV

Heh...

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

"Gary" wrote in message
news:Q2dyg.247980$Mn5.59608@pd7tw3no...
Capt. JG wrote:
"Gary" wrote in message
news:kucyg.245719$iF6.215069@pd7tw2no...

DSK wrote:

KLC Lewis wrote:


Can we all just agree that EVERY skipper has the duty and obligation to
avoid collisions with other vessels, and to make our intentions known
to other boats on the water?


Now there is a good idea... oddly enough it is mentioned in ColRegs,
too. Make helm corrections early, make them obvious, so the other vessel
doesn't ahve to guess your intentions.


... Generally speaking, however, powerboats (or sailboats under power,
being the same thing) are much more maneuverable


Actually I think sailboats... especially under power... are a lot more
maneuverable. The larger rudders & keels have something to do with it,
I'm guessing!

If sailboats were more maneouverable they would get the right of way most
of the time. Under power they are not sailboats.

and/or free to take any heading they like, than sailboats. When
singlehanding my ketch, I also use autopilot quite a bit --
nevertheless, that doesn't relieve me of the obligation to avoid
collisions.


Uh-oh, now you're expecting common sense?!?

We've had people walk out on their foredeck and angrily yell at us to
keep out of their way because they were on autopilot. Haven't had that
happen when we were anchored, but that'll probably occur any day now.

I recently had a shrimp trawler yell at me to get out of his way. He was
trawling, I was anchored. Oh well.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King


Gary, the least maneuverable tend to have higher status.. that's why
there is restricted-by-maneuverability rule for example. Perhaps you need
to rethink this.

You must read what I meant not what I said. If sailboats were more
maneouverable they wouldn't have the right of way most of the time.

Sorry.

"Capt. Bill" wrote
On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 06:51:16 -0400, "Sal's Dad" wrote:

OK Capt. Bill, I'll bite.

Just how DOES the "wake rule" work? And please, if you can, provide
citations or links? Apparently I have misunderstood all these years; I
would welcome an opportunity to be educated.

Sal's Dad


At least here in Florida from what I've been told by LE you are held
to a "reasonable person" standard.

In other words if your motoring down the ICW in a non-restricted speed
zone and your wake travels lets say, a 1/2 mile out and behind you,
and tips over a kayak-er that you couldn't see or be expected to know
was there you most likely would not be held liable.

This doesn't sound too bad at first, but as I think about it, I'm not so
sure I understand what it really means.

Seems to me, it is reasonable to assume people will be on and near the
water, in boats (or swimming, or playing in tidal pools...) appropriate to
the conditions they are likely to encounter. If you are going to change
those conditions, creating a new and hazardous series of breaking waves,
you could reasonably expect to have an impact...

I'm not familiar with the ICW, but from what I've heard it's pretty much a
congested Interstate; perhaps anybody playing on the edges should
reasonably expect rough water all the time. Where I am (on a "major" tidal
river) there might be one or two vessels that create a major wake in a
week... not sure what a "reasonable person" (whether wake-making, or
inconvenienced party) should expect...

Can anybody offer clarification?

Sal's Dad

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 11:11:48 -0400, "Sal's Dad"
wrote:

I'm not familiar with the ICW, but from what I've heard it's pretty much a
congested Interstate; perhaps anybody playing on the edges should
reasonably expect rough water all the time.

Exactly right.

A reasonable person does not go boating in a craft not suited to
normal conditions.

Let's try some perspective on what I was originally trying to
communicate about the wake.

You don't go driving on the road unless you are prepared to accept
breathing diesel exhaust from buses as being just one of those things.
However, if a bus rudely cuts you off in traffic and you end up stuck
behind it, you're going to feel differently about breathing his
exhaust than you normally would.

--

Roger Long

In article ,
Capt. Bill wrote:

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 06:51:16 -0400, "Sal's Dad"
wrote:

OK Capt. Bill, I'll bite.

Just how DOES the "wake rule" work? And please, if you can, provide
citations or links? Apparently I have misunderstood all these years; I
would welcome an opportunity to be educated.

Sal's Dad


At least here in Florida from what I've been told by LE you are held
to a "reasonable person" standard.

In other words if your motoring down the ICW in a non-restricted speed
zone and your wake travels lets say, a 1/2 mile out and behind you,
and tips over a kayak-er that you couldn't see or be expected to know
was there you most likely would not be held liable.

As it happens, the captain of a freighter transiting the C&D canal up
here a few years ago was prosecuted for serious damage, as I recall
including a death, due to his wake.

In Admirality Court, the "reasonable person" standard is adjudicated by
those who know what a professional mariner should know. It's not like
civil court.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/