Accident w/Coast Guard

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higgs

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Aug 24, 2005
3,736
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vLErvNBf1Y It looks to me like the CG is at fault in this one.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I would title that speed boat hits coastguard boat and

is sunk. Why didn't the civilian change course or reduce speed? There was a constant bearing on a converging course. That's a no brainer. My bet is the guy operating the civilian boat was paying more attention to the girl than to where he was going.
 

Jim

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May 21, 2007
775
Catalina 36 MK II NJ
Looks like they are both at fault

that is a real shame. You can tell both boats are flying.
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,690
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
rarely is it this simple but

the applicable rule states "When two power-driven vessels are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the vessel which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel." The video shows the (priviledged vessel) rec boat op didn't see the CG boat and also that CG clearly did nothing to avoid the collision
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Animal speak plainly! I hold a lifetime appointment

to the common sense school of risk and consequence. If you are driving a Mini and the other guy has an 18 wheeler you stay out of his way no matter what the book says.
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Well...

That was an interesting video. Both are at fault, however, the POB had the right of way and the CG vessel should have attempted to pass astern. So why were both at fault? The skipper of the POB was not maintaining a watch. He should have been paying attention to everything around him. So if that was me and I saw a CG boat moving quickly, I would guess they were in a hurry and would give them ROW. Thanks for posting this. Good lesson learned, but at what cost?
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
We don't have knowledge of CG showing emergency

lights. Not that it would have changed anything. You have to see them to avoid them. Would I travel a thousand yards without looking all around several times? I don't think so. I drive on the roads of this fair land and am completely convinced that everybody is going to try to hit me, so I anticipate every vehicle as a threat to do something stupid. I boat the same way. I have had sailboats cross my bow and tack right back across without regard that for the fact that if I wasn't keeping a watch I would run them down.
 

Jim

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May 21, 2007
775
Catalina 36 MK II NJ
Brian is right

You should aviod accident at all costs. Sure the power boat should have a look out and the Coast Guard should have altered course. Looks like the CG wanted to pass ahead of the bigger boat. The CG must have feel they had the right of way because they were involved in a seach and rescue operation.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Jim, The last time I checked everybody yields to emergency vehicles.

Police, ambulances and firetrucks and CG boats are emergency vehicles. We don't know if sound signals were made or not but how hard is it to figure that a CG boat going 30 knots is probably on a mission especially when he has a chopper in the air with him.
 
Jun 12, 2004
1,181
Allied Mistress 39 Ketch Kemah,Tx.
This is a hard call to make

I think both will be faulted to a degree. The civilian admitted that he never saw the CG boat. Even theough the CG boat has the ROW, he did see and note the speed boat and did nothing to take evasive action. This is probably one that we wont find out the final outcome, but I would bet anything that it will end up in lawsuits. IMHO Tony B
 

Jim

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May 21, 2007
775
Catalina 36 MK II NJ
Ross, I am not aware of any signal requirements

for CG boats responding to an emergency. I have to admit that I have never studied search and rescue. Do you know what they are? Never the less the CG should have went around both boats and the guy in the little powerboat was not paying a attention at all. Never happen to us, we move to slow.
 

Jim

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May 21, 2007
775
Catalina 36 MK II NJ
sailortonyb Allied Mistress 39 there is NO such thing as

Right of way on the water. The new term is stand on boat. All boats must yield to prevent a collusion.
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,690
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
rstandard exercise

I looked in one of my old CG boat op texts from many moons ago and sure enough, this scenario is used as an example of what the CG coxwain is supposed to do in a similar situation. As I mentioned previously, the rules are clear. There is no exception in the CG Rules of the Road manual for emergency traffic. For what it's worth, the recommended practice from the manual is to follow the normal practice which means to pass aft of the converging starboard vessel. There is one over-arching philosophical rule I will always remember the instructor preaching - "assume the other operator is either drunk or stupid, or both".
 
Jun 13, 2005
559
Irwin Barefoot 37 CC Sloop Port Orchard WA
There is no rule for emergency vessels on water

In the situation described in the video the Coast Guard was burdened and was requires by the rules to alter course (usually to pass astern) to avoid the other vessel. The right of way vessel is required to hold course and speed so as to not confuse or otherwise hinder the burdened vessel in keeping clear. This crossing situation occurs quite often with ferries trying to keep schedules, where they are burdened and wish to pass ahead of a privileged vessel. In that case, the ferry sounds two blasts (instead of the traditional one) and if hearing two blasts in return, may proceed to pass ahead. If the privileged vessel answers only one blast, or none, the situation is one of crossed signals, and both are required to stop until the situation is resolved. It would not appear that the CG gave any signals that were responded to, and the speedboat, whether looking or not, did what they were supposed to do. It appears that the CG did not. Joe S
 
May 5, 2006
1,140
Knutson K-35 Yawl Bellingham
The CG boat was at fualt.

The private craft did what he was supposed to do, stand on. That being said, he should've had his head on a swivel at that speed. I know I would.
 
Oct 10, 2006
492
Oday 222 Mt. Pleasant, SC
It appears to me

I just watched the video again and it appears to me that the CG DID try to take evasive actions. It looks like they were taking a hard left several seconds before the collision. If they'd tried to go aft of the boat, they would've hit the other boat. And the brakes on CG boats aren't any better than what we have on our boats.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I concede that the civilian was right

and he was very nearly dead right.
 

paulj

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Mar 16, 2007
1,361
Catalina 310 Anacortes,Wa
Now that the Judge has ruled

let's hear from the jury.....yes or no
 
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