"Gary" wrote in message
news:ya4zg.277406$Mn5.147616@pd7tw3no...
Roger Long wrote:
It was outside the COLREG line.

An aside on the radio aspect of this:

Whatever you think about my not making a radio call, the fact that I was
not calling or possibly responding to a call they might be making, should
have caused them to give me a little more room. The safety margin for a
vessel you are in communication with can be a smaller because there is
more certainty about their intentions.

Just last night in slightly less wind, I watched a Pearson lose rudder
control and shoot wildly up into the wind for a good distance. If he had
been the boat in this encounter and it had happened just before the
passing, he could have been struck. Whoever was driving the mega yacht
had no way of assessing the nature of my vessel's underbody configuration
or my helmsmanship abilities. Just think of the cost of repairing the
hull scratches on something that large and highly polished to say nothing
of the paperwork, bad press, and lawsuits.

Good seamanship dictates passing, when possible, by a sufficient distance
to accommodate the unexpected. Even powerboat to powerboat, it isn't
wise to put the stand on vessel in a position where spotting something
like a floating log might force them to hit either it or you.

Good points. Of course one does not normally make passing arrangements
based on the likelihood that the opposing ship will lose control. Good
seamanship, however, does demand a certain degree of prudence.

Prudence should also dictate reducing sail when there is a risk of
rounding up and loosing control in narrow channels. It is also easier on
gear.

Gary

And, you should see some of the turkeys on the SF bay when the wind is the
normal 20kts with gusts to 30. An amazing number of expensive boats rounding
up over and over and over. You'd think they'd get it, but they don't.

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