Another Ferry Boat Question
- Thread starter jibes138
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I do not think you noted my posting on your previous enquiry.
The word FERRY does not occur in the COLREGS (International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea).
This is an International Maritime Organisation document to which most nations - including USA - have committed themselves. IT IS THE LAW.
Thus no ferry has any special rights unless there is a local variation in force in a particular area.
If you sail on a lake or up a river, navigation may be under a different regime.
The word FERRY does not occur in the COLREGS (International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea).
This is an International Maritime Organisation document to which most nations - including USA - have committed themselves. IT IS THE LAW.
Thus no ferry has any special rights unless there is a local variation in force in a particular area.
If you sail on a lake or up a river, navigation may be under a different regime.
I agree there may be no official reg that gives the ferry boat captain the right of way but give the guy a break. He is at work. Just feel bad for him and move out of his way. Besides, there is another law at work here...... size does matter!
On the Chesapeake, this type of question comes up alot due to the large number of recreational boats as well as the large number of larger, commercial vessels. Technically, you may be the stand on vessel if you ignore the manueverability issue. However, large ships can not manuever well and maybe the same applies to ferries. So, while you could stand on, you might not survive the collision. Therefore, just alter course a little and let the big guys go on their way.
Danger Will Robinson!
I have one thing to say about this, "might makes right!"
They won't even feel the crunch. Why take a chance. If in doubt, hail them on VHF.
I have one thing to say about this, "might makes right!"
They won't even feel the crunch. Why take a chance. If in doubt, hail them on VHF.
Donalex is right.
For those of you unfamiliar with the original topic that Dave mentioned in his question: http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=118415
The answer to the question is pretty clear, somewhere in those four ro five pages. That's what Donalex means.
For those of you unfamiliar with the original topic that Dave mentioned in his question: http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=118415
The answer to the question is pretty clear, somewhere in those four ro five pages. That's what Donalex means.
It gets beaten to death over, and over, and over. People can cite rules and laws all day long, but one rule comes above all others. That would be the rule of tonnage. We have even applied that to large recreational power boats. If we see a big power boat, we will hope that he realizes we are stand-on, but if the relative angle doesn't change, we will take evasive action if necessary.
You ARE the stand on vessel in such a case ..... but maybe also risking the monicker of one of those 'recreational idiot boaters'.
On INLAND (not beyond the COLREGs demarcation limits, not ocean nor Mississippi River, etc.), Channel 13 is the usual ***commercial contact channel*** and if you dont use it and make contact of any 'close-by' commercial vessel to state and clarify YOUR intentions, ask the NEEDS of the commercial, their intentions, etc. etc., then you can (appropriately) expect to get severely waked, stared at, (single finger salute in NYC harbor) etc. The COLREGS imply **CONTACT** to 'work out' passing, crossing and 'close approach' situations. CHANNEL 13 is the COMMERCIAL VESSEL contact channel when no response is gained on 16.
Well, if the ferry's tied to the dock, would it be a "crossing situation"?
But neglecting the second post, I re-iterate that there's The Law, and there's What You Should Do. The latter clearly is what most have posted: alter course and let the ferry pass. But the Questions concerns the former: are you Stand-On or Give-Way? And again I feel that IF the ferry is in a marked ferry route, it's the same as a vessel in a shipping lane, and it is Stand-on. Since you stated it was not, YOU are Stand-On.
druid - used to ducking BIG ferries: there's usually NINE going through Active Pass...
But neglecting the second post, I re-iterate that there's The Law, and there's What You Should Do. The latter clearly is what most have posted: alter course and let the ferry pass. But the Questions concerns the former: are you Stand-On or Give-Way? And again I feel that IF the ferry is in a marked ferry route, it's the same as a vessel in a shipping lane, and it is Stand-on. Since you stated it was not, YOU are Stand-On.
druid - used to ducking BIG ferries: there's usually NINE going through Active Pass...
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