How does this happen?

nat55

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Feb 11, 2017
210
Gulfstar 1979 Gulfstar 37 BELFAST
I've sailed on the Schooner Bowdoin and she doesn't come around into the wind unless everything is in her favor. I think Capta said they might have missed their tack, sounds very plausible.

 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Is this really the Wander Bird from Sausalito? If so, that would be a true loss. I actually lived aboard Wander Bird in the City Marina in Sausalito for a time. She had one of the most beautiful handcrafted interiors I've ever seen.
Anyway, from what I read, the sailboat was trying to tack and failed, perhaps by a current against the bow scenario (the ship was downbound). If memory serves, she had an offset prop, as many vessels built before engine installations were common on small sailing vessels, so it is possible, even with the engine in gear, she just couldn't tack (turn) in time, nor did she have the power to back away from the encounter, and was run down. Sounds most plausible to me.
Given that scenario, then the discussion becomes what would you have done in those circumstances to prevent the collision?
Interesting. And probably correct.

To prevent? Well at some point in that boat, as Caesar would have said, 'Alea iacta est'. If your boat can be put into a position where you cannot perform a maneuver, you can never forget it. So you have to think about the worst-case scenario two moves ahead, and be in a position where the worse case is NOT you getting run over.
 
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Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
"She was built as a pilot boat in Hamburg in 1883. Famous life here on the west coast as WANDER BIRD. Wonderful ship." - http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?254715-Schooner-ELBE-5-ex-WANDER-BIRD-Sunk

It doesn't look like there was a lot of maneuvering room. I don't know what her draft was, but I'm inclined to agree with Jackdaw's point. You learn your vessel's limitations and plan your actions accordingly. I know those big ships move deceptively fast because of their size, but an experienced captain knows this and the traffic conditions in an established waterway.
How heartbreaking for all involved. I'm glad no one was killed and I feel bad for the captain. What a thing to live with.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Yes. Learning the limits is important. I have learned that gybing the trimaran is more certain and effective than trying to come about into the wind, especially in high winds. It does not mean I don’t do it. I just calculate the situation.
Sounds like this captain may have played the margin.
 
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DArcy

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Feb 11, 2017
1,690
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa

Jim26m

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Apr 3, 2019
579
Macgregor 26M Mobile AL
Watched it several times. Couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Everyone appeared to see what was coming and nobody was trying to avoid. Then, the choice of action was to cut across the ship’s path. Incredible.

Passed a container ship in the bay Thursday sailing with a buddy on his Potter 19. We altered course early so he could tell that we weren’t going to try to beat him to the crossing. Never crossed our minds to try to make a close pass in front of him. Still can’t imagine what the skipper was thinking.
 
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jwing

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Jun 5, 2014
503
ODay Mariner Guntersville
I propose that all vessels be required to reduce their speeds to match the slowest vessel within a 360-degree view. This could be enforced by radar and drone surveillance and increased Coast Guard and US Navy presence in busy boating areas. I'm not sure of the details, like how does one matched the speed of an anchored boat or a row boat or SUPer. Please discuss. I'm open to learning, so criticism of my not-so-carefully thought out scheme are welcome.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I propose that all vessels be required to reduce their speeds to match the slowest vessel within a 360-degree view. This could be enforced by radar and drone surveillance and increased Coast Guard and US Navy presence in busy boating areas. I'm not sure of the details, like how does one matched the speed of an anchored boat or a row boat or SUPer. Please discuss. I'm open to learning, so criticism of my not-so-carefully thought out scheme are welcome.
Well, first there is a legal issue. The US Military can not be used for law enforcement within US boundaries, that leaves the Navy out of the picture.

In some areas, such as the St Lawrence Seaway, there are speed limits for commercial traffic, it is either 11 or 13 knots (can't remember which). The Seaway control does monitor the commercial traffic via AIS and mandatory reporting locations.

Ultimately, with a scheme such as you propose, the onus of responsibility is shifted from the individual skipper to every one else and to a law enforcement agency. I have some problems with that shift of responsibility. So by analogy, if there is no cop at the stop sign, do I have to stop? The answer of course is yes and most of us stop or come close to stopping ("Officer, it was a rolling stop." ;)) at every stop sign we encounter.

Finally, it would be prohibitively expensive to monitor that many areas. There are much better places to spend tax dollars.
 

jwing

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Jun 5, 2014
503
ODay Mariner Guntersville
OK, OK, forget about the enforcement details. Let's discuss the speed limit set by the slowest vessel that can be seen.
 
May 17, 2004
5,028
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
I propose that all vessels be required to reduce their speeds to match the slowest vessel within a 360-degree view. This could be enforced by radar and drone surveillance and increased Coast Guard and US Navy presence in busy boating areas. I'm not sure of the details, like how does one matched the speed of an anchored boat or a row boat or SUPer. Please discuss. I'm open to learning, so criticism of my not-so-carefully thought out scheme are welcome.
I just don't think that's a practical solution. In a crowded area you're likely to have many different types of boats going very different speeds. I'm thinking for example of an area like Annapolis, where you have a lot of pleasure traffic, probably moving at say 2 knots on a calm day. There's also significant commercial traffic traversing the Chesapeake in the same area. The commercial traffic stays in the main channel, separate from the pleasure craft, but your proposal would limit all of that commercial traffic to 2 knots.

For another example, think of a narrow section of the ICW. Your proposal basically means there is no passing permitted. All vessels need to follow the slowest one on each section.

Also consider that restricting everyone's speed will prevent overtaking collisions, but not prevent collisions in crossing situations. There will still be plenty of collisions between vessels crossing at equal speeds.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Why did they turn to starboard? I heard what I thought was somebody yelling "turn to port" but then I saw a gaggle of guys pushing the tiller to port!!!
 
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