The last few days have seen some shockingly bad, not to mention dangerous, seamanship in crossing or close maneuvering situations. We’ll start with the example above from the narrow channel leading into Nantucket Island’s harbor.
We were maneuvering around two small sailboats on their way in, as were we, when this high speed ferry came barreling out the channel and what had to be 20 knots. We were forced outside the edge of the channel, to allow them to pass. The channel had at least six other small yachts using it. If anyone has a problem, or makes a small error, there is no way this big cat could stop quickly (we’ve been told there have been accidents).
Second incident: 10:35 August 21, 1035, position 42 degrees 15 minutes north, 70 degrees 17.7 minutes west, we are headed toward Provincetown, after a bit of whale watching. The whale watching vessel Privateer ll is on a collision course, closing at 13/15 knots and aimed at our port beam. We hail them on VHF 13 and 16 with no response. They pass within 50 meters, possibly less, much too close for comfort. Their lack of response to our hail indicates an otherwise occupied watch stander.
We saved the best for last.
The photo above was snapped in a crossing situation as we were closing with an anchorage at the end of Long Island. The yacht Divemaster showed zero CPA, i.e. a collision, based on radar and AIS projections. They were aimed at our port beam, required by the COLREGS to keep clear as the burdened vessel. Because of navigation constraints we had no maneuvering options as the stand on vessel. We hailed this yacht on VHF channel 16, advised them of the imminent collision, and asked their intentions. The reply was “I am going to slow down”.
They did, and we crossed with a boat length to spare. The slightest miscalculation and they’d have tested our side impact engineering. This is an 86-foot yacht, and whomever was at the helm has no business in traffic, until he learns the rules of the road.
For those of you pondering these last two incidents, keep in mind that as the stand on vessel we were obligated to allow the burdened vessel to maneuver around us. Both situations developed in a manner forcing us to maintain a steady course and speed. Had we done otherwise the burdened vessel might have turned into us.
As far as we are concerned, there is no excuse for such poor seamanship from professional or amateurs.
Posted by Steve Dashew (August 25, 2011)
August 25th, 2011 at 6:37 pm
Hi Steve,
Could it be possible that in the aforementioned instances – that they were in a hurry to catch up to Wind Horse and take a REALLY close look?
In the excitement to see WH up close and personal, my course might also appear to be “collision imminent”.
Good luck battening down the hatches for Irene!
Keith C.
August 25th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
I believe that ferry is out of Lewis Bay. I can say first hand that crossing the channel in Lewis bay in a sailboat is all too often a harrowing experience due to that vessel and some of the other ferries.
Good luck in your hurricane hole. If it is near Westbrook it’d be my pleasure to enjoy a beer with you.
Best,
Robert
August 26th, 2011 at 3:35 am
Never trust someone who thinks they have “Authority” on their side!
Hopefully the owners of Steamship Authority” may get to hear that they have a risk-taking F**kwit in their employ. I know what I would do if this person was in control of my boat!
August 26th, 2011 at 6:59 am
Steve,
The downside to crusing on the East Coast from my perspective is that with plentiful harbors and relatively protected waters, anyone with money can buy a boat and roam around, and they do. When I was 16 and working for a sailmaker in Stamford Conn. I installed a sailcover on a Swan 47. When chatting with the owner, he asked if he could hire me as crew for that Saturday. When I arrived and awaited my “orders” I was surprised that my first order was to take the boat from the slip and out into the harbor. After a number of check and an engine warm up I did just that. On the way out he informed me that this was his first boat! I made alot of money teaching him how to use it that summer….but jeeze
On a separate note…where are you holding up for the storm?
August 26th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Hi Scott:
West Bay, off Center Island, W shore of Long Island is the place.
August 26th, 2011 at 8:44 am
It seems that people in their boats are just as rude and inconsiderate as they are in their cars
August 29th, 2011 at 9:29 am
So I’m not the only one who’s frustrated with this sort of behaviour. I see it all the time, most often from 30′ to 60′ high-speed motor yachts. One of the most common ones around here is the type who’s so busy tweaking his $30,000 nav computer that he doesn’t notice he’s plowing through a flock of kayaks, or is about to crash into the side of a thousand-tonne car ferry at thirty knots. His radio is always off. He’s always plowing at half-on-plane speed, so the bow’s so high that he can’t see ahead, and the wake’s large enough to surf on.
It makes for an interesting observation on the state of our society: it is possible and not uncommon to be successful enough in business to earn the considerable fortune required to buy such a boat, while simultaneously being too stupid to figure out how to run it.
Interesting note: I have, on a couple of occasions, been asked (by folks recently subjected to similar experiences) to design a small wake-homing torpedo that can be launched from a dock or dinghy. So far, I have turned them down….
August 30th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Sadly, I think you are missing the fundamental point – they are insured, so the insurance company will pay and, unless someone dies AND it is proved to be their fault, they aren’t going to gaol – welcome to the modern sailing world.
September 4th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
Hi Steve,
Wow, thanks for all the great information and I really enjoy looking at your pictures.
Great details on the boats design.
I’m bobbing around in Marina Del Rey close to Beowulf.
I moved to the marina 5 yrs. ago and have been hooked on sailboats ever since.
I usually go out sailing with the men in my neighborhood and finally got to test myself
last winter during a small craft warning day! It was grand!
Sounds like you guys are having fun!
September 18th, 2011 at 8:56 pm
Hello Steve-
Last saw you a couple of years ago when you took my dock lines at Shilshole.
In the cases of imminent collision cited above you attempted to reach the oncoming vessel by VHF. What is your opinion of sounding the Colregs “standing into danger” horn signal to better get attention?
September 19th, 2011 at 6:24 am
Hi Donn:
Given the nav restrictions and traffic, we felt it best to address the other vessel directly by VHF as we had their name from AIS.