On Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:00:02 -0700, Joe wrote:

On Oct 17, 10:37 pm, otnmbrd wrote:

Naturally the video is only of the last moments so we can't see what led
up to the collision, but if this was a normal head to head or nearly so
they both screwed up in many ways.... especially the boat the video was
being shot from.


Seems the guy on the small boat did a quick half turn to port then
decides to stay on course, and the big boat is clueless. The shaking
of a fist in the air must be a local custom on the big boat

Clowns on auto pilots IMO. At the start you notice there is a fleet of
small vessels heading out all following the exact course. I bet it's
an area with heavy regular crossing situations. Both Captains assuming
the other will give way, until it's to late.

I've really noticed this the last few years, now that everyone has GPS
chart plotters and autopilot. Despite a whole ocean to spread out into,
we're all traveling along the same "ant lines" -- drawn between the same
waypoints on the same popular routes. The close calls are becoming more
frequent, and closer. Years ago we weren't shaving our waypoints so
closely, or steering as straight.

Unfortunately some of the worst games of "chicken" that I've seen were by
skippers of really large powerboats, who were probably professional
captains. I wish I had video to send to the Coast Guard.

Most people do play it safe though.

Matt O.