Filing a compliant

Ross · Sep 7, 2010

Yes if you get registration numbers and record the time of day and the apparent number of people on board and the lat-lon position of the event and if you have also a witness. Then you can call the marine police. They will ask if there were any injuries and or damage. this is very much like rude automobile drivers that do really stupid things and drive as though no one else will be as stupid as they.

bffatcat · Sep 7, 2010

Collision course

Maybe: The powerboater probably felt he had room to get by safely. Nothing happened You did not tell us how close. I dont think there is cause for a complaint here. Unless of course your sure the Powerboater was acting in a reckless and irresponsible manner and you have witnesses to prove it.

RON20406 · Sep 7, 2010

Collision course boating

kair said:
Hi everyone,
This past labor day weekend, I was on a collision course with a powerboat. As I had my sails up and was sailing a beam reach, I was the stay on vessel. The powerboat dowever did not change his course and at the last moment, I had to head up and change course to avoid a collision. He just kept on going and pased within 20-40 yards in front of me.

My question, Is there a governing body, such as the FAA for aircraft, to report folks who have no sense or are idiots on the water?

Steve

Steve, you should never assume that any boat, whether power or sail, knows the rules of the road. And, with the advent of autopilots, there may be no one at the helm to make a decision at all. With that said, we have used a successful tactic for rude boaters of all ilks that has worked well. After the situation has occurred, get the name of the vessel, whether power or sail, and any distinctive colors, flags, etc. Try to hail them on Ch. 16 and if they respond, explain to them what they have done and that it not only was a violation of boating safety, but was rude and inconsiderate. Repeat their name numerous times over the radio during your conversation with them and repeatedly mention their rudeness. They'll get the point. If they don't respond, communicate the same information over Ch. 16 so everyone, including the Coast Guard, will hear. If the actions threatened the safety of your vessel, call the Coast Guard on Ch. 16 with the violators name and vessel information/description and file a report with your local Coast Guard when you return to shore. I can assure you they will think twice about repeating their rude behaviour as they do not want their vessels name reported over the radio. One Winter in Miami, while waiting for a window to cross the Gulf Stream, we and other sailboats were repeatedly abused by large sport fishing boats en route to their fishing grounds who threw huge wakes in very close proximity to our moving and anchored vessels. After using the above tactic numerous times, the identical vessels were courteous in passing/crossing situations and observed the rules of the road. Bottom line: they didn't want their vessel's name repeated over the radio in a negative way. It works. Safe Sailing, Ron

RAD · Sep 7, 2010

Also remember this weekend was the weekend where all the nautical nitwits realized that its the last weekend to use the boat so they came out in droves, they don't use them at all till next Fourth of July

tommays · Sep 7, 2010

How many yards would make you feel good as i will take you to a fishing sight that will say the same thing about sailboats tacking to close as they find it a PITA wondering if your really gonna tack or hit them

Freedom77 · Sep 7, 2010

Power Boats

A power boat is as good as the idiot behind the wheel. I've seen kids not old enough to drive a car behind the wheel of a boat with a 454 Chevy engine. Most Powerboaters are courteous and well informed on rules of the road. Just like car drivers it only takes a couple of bad apples to give the barrell a bad name. I have a picture of a powerboat which ran through the side of a sailboat here on Lake Mead. Luckily no injuries. On one occasion a drunk passed by us and threw a whiskey bottle at us which shattered on the deck. I was able to get the National Park Police to find him and arrest him for DUI. Fair Winds, Old Salt...

higgs · Sep 8, 2010

Even you report it, the CC is not going to investigate it. Let it go.

AXEL · Sep 8, 2010

I spent part of my Labor Day dodging power boat wakes as well. How close? Close enough to take on water over the side of my C30. Close enough to see them laughing. Call them names, threaten to report them, even go as far as to report them, it makes no difference. This particular boat was well over 40 feet and you would think the moron would know better and had acquired some respect, nope. Jerks, A holes, morons, inconsiderate, disrespectful SOB’s, most of them. The only justice is karma.

Ross · Sep 8, 2010

I simply avoid going near the boat on Memorial day, July 4th, Labor day and most weekends. I also don't travel on those holidays. Drunk, dopey or stupid, they are dangerous to both my health and my peace of mind and tranquility.

Paul J. Rusyniak · Sep 8, 2010

Ross:
Some of us don't have that luxury!
Paul

higgs · Sep 8, 2010

It was great sailing on Lake Ontario on Labor Day, even if a little cool. This is at the end of a 12 mile race we did.

Joe · Sep 8, 2010

Fortunately, the ocean I sail in is very near my boat's slip... plenty of room once I'm out there... however... the mile trip down the channel can get pretty crowded on a busy weekend so.... I always power out in those conditons rather than tack back and forth. I am constantly amazed at the idiocy of people, especially those with performance oriented power boats or personal watercraft. My rule for them is to assume they don't know the rules of the road and give them plenty of room to exercise their libido.... Just let it go, my brother, and chalk it up as a learning event.

zeehag · Sep 8, 2010

i never take any boat out on a major holiday--i try to avoid folks at all costs , as i would prolly have been hanged for my thoughts about their idiocy.. lst year, out on the gulf was lovely--few if any boats and we could see just barely a quarter inch high, some fireworks on 4 july, andwe saw no one on the other holidays unless we were near shore. near shore is always busy on holidays.

Hermit Scott · Sep 8, 2010

Steve, (if that is your real name)
You can report it to us. We will do something about this! tell this guy to meet you at the flagpole after class, we will be hiding behind the building waiting for him.

RAD · Sep 8, 2010

Hermit Scott said:
Steve, (if that is your real name)
You can report it to us. We will do something about this! tell this guy to meet you at the flagpole after class, we will be hiding behind the building waiting for him.

LOL.....snipers

Ross · Sep 8, 2010

Just learn the name of the boat and the home port. Then dive on his boat with some nylon rope and number 10 steel wire and leave him a gift on his props.

Stu Jackson · Sep 8, 2010

So, one day I was sailing our C25 back home and almost got run over by a BIG trawler. I was so mad, I followed him back to his slip and said: "Hey, ya damn near ran me down." His son popped up and apologized, saying his dad was old, had just sold his sailboat and this was his first use of his new trawler.

Few months later, same issue, big SeaRay. I went over and suggested that perhaps...the a**hole grabbed his broom stick (he wasn't riding it at the time) and started banging on me and my boat.

A88holes --- the new option out there.

Gail R · Sep 13, 2010

You can try hailing the boat on Ch. 16, but he probably is not listening, and you'll hear a nasty reply from the USCG telling you that Ch. 16 is for hailing and distress purposes only (and not for venting about an inconsiderate boater's actions).

But truth be told, 20 yards isn't that close. Try 20 feet. That is how close one sportfish came to our bow before making a maneuver evasive enough to put water over our bow. We were one of several boats sailing in a regatta in Portland (Maine) harbor. This sport fish started coming from our port. We watched, relative angles didn't change so it's a collision course. Then we saw THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE HELM. Didn't have the airhorn handy (our mistake). Thank God the skipper can whistle loudly, because that is what got the bonehead's attention and he made a big sweeping turn to port and just barely missed our bow. After that, he continued on his course (we are assuming he was headed to the bar on one of the bay islands) then stopped abruptly a ways away, probably to change his shorts.

There were no identifying marks on that boat. No name, no numbers, nothing. Probably brand new. Going across a busy harbor with NO ONE AT THE HELM.

You just can't fix stupid.

zeehag · Sep 13, 2010

is something to note the boats with no name numbers or home port--the uscg aux cretin that lives on his boat near mine an is doing much harrassment to our moorage is in one of those--he makes sure evwryone else follows rules but he doesnt have to--lol-- no tfor long--lol---he had 5 boats in my mooring boarded and the owners jacked up--including mysef- for nothing they had the dog board and search-- he terrorized my kat--poor bubby isnt the same yet--this was friday--ridiculous and uncool. after the fact, one stated that if they had known i had just had a safety inspection ( mine was done in july) they would have deferred the treatment--lol--but i told the boarding party just that--and showed sticker--no recognition that the job had been done--do the jack-up--lol--at least i know my boat is safe in future doggie tests--the previous owner had a lil habit....but, poor bubby...he aint the same....totally freeked the cat out---

we get the no one at helm thing a lot here in sin diego bay--the sportyfishers think they dont have to be on watch in this bay--run over kayakers and other s in the way? no problem--didnt feel them , so they must not exist.....

Filing a compliant

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