Bone-head moves

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Bob V

Bob V

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Mar 13, 2008
235
Catalina 42mkII Lagoon Point
We have all made them, some are more noteworthy. If there were a contest I think the clear winner is the "captain" of the vessel that t-boned the Maltese Falcon in SF bay and then tried to flee the scene of the accident.

Kudos to the photographer that was in the right place at the right time.

http://lyonsimaging.smugmug.com/gallery/61...386640001_ojnQx
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
One would think that he had seen the ship.
 
Blake

Blake

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Apr 20, 2008
137
Macgregor 26S Red Lodge
Right-of-Way?

A bonehead move for sure, would never try to cross in front of a boat that big and fast, but technically didn't the smaller boat have the right-of-way scince he was on a starboard tack and the Maltese Falcon on the port tack.:confused:
 
A

Allan R

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May 31, 2004
197
Catalina 36 MK II Havre de Grace, MD
Re: Right-of-Way?

The smaller vessel was the stand on vessel from what I can tell by the pictures. But "dead right is still dead". Luckily that wasn't the case here.
 
Bob V

Bob V

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Mar 13, 2008
235
Catalina 42mkII Lagoon Point
Which vessel was "burdened"?

The two boats were sailing a parrallel course just before the collision. The Big MF (Maltese Falcon not that other MF) was probably constained by draft, traffic or just the laws of physics. The harbor was quite crowded at the time and winds were high.

It looks like the little guy wanted a closer look. If he had his sails under control he probably could have slowed enough to let her get past and slip close behind. If he had arrived a bit sooner and crossed their bow it could have gotten really ugly but I doubt there would have been any damage to the MF that could not be "buffed out".
 
A

Allan R

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May 31, 2004
197
Catalina 36 MK II Havre de Grace, MD
Re: Which vessel was "burdened"?

How could it be a parrallel course if the one T-boned the other? Am I looking at the pictures wrong?
 
Bob V

Bob V

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Mar 13, 2008
235
Catalina 42mkII Lagoon Point
The 40 ft sailboat tacked

shortly before the impact leaving little time for the ship to respond. With other traffic all around trying to get a close look and good speed on all vessels, it probably would have been dangerous for the MF to do anything other than stand on. If I were at the helm (i wish) and saw the toy boat change directions to come towards me I would have assume that he intended to pass close behind. If that were the case, a consistant course would have been the best thing to steer.
 
CalebD

CalebD

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Jun 27, 2006
1,479
Tartan 27' 1967 Nyack, NY
I doubt that 'right of way' or 'burdened' has much to do with this

When there is another boat that is bigger than yours (say 3x bigger) in a narrowish navigation channel you should treat them as if they were a tug and barge. The smaller boat is the more nimble and easier to maneuver than the bigger one and is thus the boat that must keep out of the way of the vessel restricted in maneuverability (the big boat in this case). In any admiralty court they would be found guilty of causing this accident, IMHO.
Who knows what was going on the minds of the folks on that smaller (40') sailboat but they were dead wrong and could have ended up dead or in the water. There was considerable damage to the Maltese Falcon that was caused by the smaller boat that will be paid by the smaller boats owner and/or insurance company.
Pretty stupid behavior on the small boat skippers part IMHO.
 
J

John Howitt

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Jul 1, 2007
169
hunter 29.5 Nanaimo BC
bonehead

As My wife has said to me in the past( with just cause) .
How stupid can you be!!!
 
Grizz

Grizz

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Jan 13, 2006
179
Hunter 28.5 Park Ridge, IL
"Fiberglass in 3, 2, 1!"

Starboard or not, 'rights' or not, the apparent absence of panic, recognition or reaction on-board the sloop is incredible, as seen in the photo array. And then to be shoved off (bear off?) and then chased down by the MF is incredible. If this were a movie scene you'd have a right to be be thinking "only in Hollywood".

Can't wait to see this insurance claim written up in Boat US!
 
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letterman

letterman

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Jan 27, 2007
383
Irwin 37' center cockpit cleveland ohio
can you say fake?

Never happened...somebody got creative with Photoshop.
 
J

JoshGray

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Nov 20, 2006
109
- - Chapel Hill, NC
Wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it

There's a vigorous discussion concerning this at one of the other sailing forums (SA). Funny to see all the racers give their $0.02 on what happened, often mixing racing rules with their (mis)understanding of the COLREGS.

Hard to tell what happened as the pictures start after the smaller vessel has altered course to starboard. Apparently they were both on parallel courses prior to the collision. It looks like MF is on a broad port reach, the other vessel would've had to harden up quite a bit to end up on a starboard tack. Perhaps the helmsman was trying to get his camera and autotacked? Who knows. In any case, this guy has got quite a story to (not) tell back at the YC.

As for "fleeing" the scene. I'm not sure about this. You'd have to have a serious combination of stupidity and shock to even attempt that. Fleeing in a sailboat? LOL. More likely that he was concerned that a large part of his bow was missing and wanted to get to safety ASAP. I doubt he was worried about exchanging numbers with the MF owner, everyone and their grandmother knows the owner of that big beast. BTW, the smaller vessle, "Stand-By", is not USCG documented and doesn't show up in the database.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
JoshGray said:
BTW, the smaller vessle, "Stand-By", is not USCG documented and doesn't show up in the database.
Click to expand
I think he and his boat will soon be nick named "STAND ON" not "Stand By" by his YC buddies.. :D:D

If you blow up the photos on that site you can see that he was totally clueless the MF was even there until the absolute last minute. :confused:

Perhaps he's a blind or vision impaired sailor and the ADA will kick in??;)


Rule number one AVOID COLLISION!!!
 
Bob V

Bob V

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Mar 13, 2008
235
Catalina 42mkII Lagoon Point
Not Photoshopped Tho52mas

News of this is all over the web from different sources and if you want to get an idea of how they may be constrained in their ability to manuever take a look at this link. You have to scroll down a ways to see the long ariel shot with the other traffic crowding the MF. That did it for me. I was planning on ordering one of these ;) but then realized I would never have any of the quiet seclusion that sailing my Catalina provides. It looks like a cloud of mosquitos around her with all the little boats trying to get a close look. Can you imagine being in that crowd and trying to keep track of colregs.

http://sailboats.wordpress.com/
 
Jim Seamans

Jim Seamans

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Mar 21, 2004
2,175
Hunter 356 Cobb Island, MD
Insurance??

Can you imagine what this guys insurance is going to go up to!!:eek:
 
R

rodsailshunter5020

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Mar 3, 2007
8
- - Holland, mi 1987 45
One large boat

I'm not sure but reviewing those pictures it looks like the Maltese Falcon came up on the wind altering its course which may have forced it into the collision. Even though it's a bigger boat I believe it still has to attempt to avoid a collision and Obey Starboard, Port Rules.
 
SirWm

SirWm

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Sep 27, 2008
25
Macgregor 26S Evansville, IN
tho52mas said:
Never happened...somebody got creative with Photoshop.
Click to expand
I have Googled "Maltese Falcon Collision" several times in the last couple of days and keep getting the same hits. The links all seem to be to sailing forums. I can't find any link from a news service like AP or UPI. Not ready to call it a hoax yet but if it is it is a dandy. :Liar:

Anybody else a little suspicious? :stirthepot:
 
J

jhallmj

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Oct 6, 2008
1
Catalina 36 Atlanta
Bone Head Moves

If you look aft on the "Maltese Falcon" in the sequence of events photos you will see that there are several crew members in various positions of alarm. They evidently knew that a collision was about to happen. If you look in the cockpit of the 40' sailboat there are two men, neither of which show any body movement of alarm. The one in the yellow jacket actually has his back to the "Maltese Falcon". It is human nature to be looking at the event if you know that it is about to happen. The two men look as if they are having a conversation. I question whether or not they had a "proper lookout" and even knew the "Maltese Falcon" was there. In the sequence photos I do not see any attempt to avoid the "Maltese Falcon" on the part of the smaller sailboat and " If the situation deteriorates to the point where collision cannot be avoided by the give-way vessel alone, the stand-on vessel must take action..." according to COLREGS. Yes, the smaller vessel was on a starboard tack and is the stand-on vessel technically but I feel he was wrong on at least two counts: improper lookout and not attempting to avoid collision, not to mention the common sense one that the "Maltese FAlson" was a LOT bigger than he was.
 
T

TimCup

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Jan 30, 2008
304
Catalina 22 St. Pete
ANYTIME someone collides at 8 mph...

Stupid is the word of the day!!

When you're gonna hit a building, or something that big, you stop. Or turn. Or slow down. Or panic. Or yell your particular religious rant before committing hari-kari.

It's obvious to me this wasn't caused by a lack of knowledge of regulations, this was medical.

His cranium was so deep in his anal cavity, he could neither hear, nor see the danger ahead..


too strong?


cup
 
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