fog scares me!
- Thread starter jon hansen
- Start date
The only collision in fog I can find here on the coast of Maine was two fishing boats, both with radar. Food for thought.
I am both glad and a bit sad that I don't normally have to deal with Fog on the lake we sail, and when we charter in the BVIs.
But I worry that skills drop in that situation, because our sailing grounds will change again.
I miss the PNW, for the navigational challenges it brings. Part the atrraction of sailing for me, is the activity involved. Both the process of sailing and navigation.
But I worry that skills drop in that situation, because our sailing grounds will change again.
I miss the PNW, for the navigational challenges it brings. Part the atrraction of sailing for me, is the activity involved. Both the process of sailing and navigation.
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Maybe the rest were in light haze ? Hehe
Ok My apologies to Carl Sandburg. The timing was a long time ago 1916... I remembered the poem (which I thought was pretty good) but the internet of everything let me down when I tried to attach the attribution.
Jeeze John. I knew you were experienced but didn't think you were that old!
i'm not worried about my skills to navigate. it's the 'other guy' that creeps me out. way to many near misses in my travels on vessels of all shapes and sizes.
the 'other guy' scares me big time.
to be honest, i don't trust any of you guys
My Dad and I were motoring down the Cape Cod Canal one day in his runabout, and we turned up the channel to Buttermilk Bay. Ahead of us was a bank of fog, so we noted the heading on the compass, and when the fog became too thick to proceed, we turned around and followed the reciprocal heading. Suddenly, a small cruiser on plane cut right across our bow, appearing and disappearing in an instant. He had powered across the flats beside the Canal, and was headed for the Mass Maritime Academy. We eagerly awaited the sounds of a collision with the Kennedy, the training ship at the Academy. A minute later, we broke into the clear to see the cruiser bobbing in the water, 50 feet short of the Kennedy. Oh, well.
Was that one of those blind luck event’s?
Before 4 May 2017, I was not afraid of fog. I respected it both when flying and on the water. I geared up my boat to deal with it. On 4 May I experienced that it is not the fog to be concerned, but the idiots who have no respect for fog.
In this image you can see the fog bank beyond the craft in this “ light haze”.
The craft came out of the “light haze” doing plus 30 aimed at my starboard beam just forward of the mast. With an old salt of an angel on my shoulder we narrowly averted a T bone collision. He hit my boat 3 ft from the stern on my starboard aft tearing off the starboard round running light on his starboard bow, leaving a dent in his hull that he said cracked one of the interior bow aluminum ribs.
It is not the fog that pumps my adrenaline. It is the boaters out there who give it no respect.
It always amazes me how many people will spend a ton of cash on a boat, and never learn how to operate one safely. Or even bother attempting to learn for that matter.
Ignorance ? Lack of caring about the lives of their crew ?
I swear, every time we left the dock in B.C. we encountered idiots. (I wish we had cell phone video then) You would think that tidal currents, rocks, deadheads and especially fog would scare the crap out of them (rightly so), but evidently not.
Edit: i guess people drive at 65 mph in fog on highways, and get into huge pile-ups, so i really should stop being surprised at how goofy people can be.
Ignorance ? Lack of caring about the lives of their crew ?
I swear, every time we left the dock in B.C. we encountered idiots. (I wish we had cell phone video then) You would think that tidal currents, rocks, deadheads and especially fog would scare the crap out of them (rightly so), but evidently not.
Edit: i guess people drive at 65 mph in fog on highways, and get into huge pile-ups, so i really should stop being surprised at how goofy people can be.
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Any hull damage on your boat ?
The "corners" of a fiberglass boat are strong but i would expect some serious damage if the aluminum boat had a frame crack.
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This is the newest version of what we have on the boat.
https://www.amazon.com/Nightfox-Widescreen-Digital-Infrared-Binocular/dp/B01N95F8UJ?ref_=ast_sto_dp
When we turn on the IR light to high, we can see 100 yds in front of us.
Plus we have radar too.
Xmas present to the Admiral.
Safety is number one!
Jim...
I live with this crap on a daily basis here on the B.C. coast during cruising season. Primarily power boaters and not a clue. Never heard of the Collision Prevention Regs. Nothing. Like sending them out on the road with a car and they don't know what a stop light or a stop sign is.
One of the more unforgettable remarks came from the idiot next to me who had recently bought a power boat and had just returned from teaching himself how to anchor. I asked what scope he was using. 1/2" he replied. Pleased as hell with himself. Wife, gaggle of kids, no problem as far as he was concerned. Had to wonder who ties his shoes every morning.
big brother is listening! this popped up on my phone. imagine that!
www.lifeofsailing.com
How To Sail Through Fog (Don't Forget To Enjoy It) | Life of Sailing
Sailing in fog, darkness, or any other reduced visibility can bring a myriad of terrors from navigational hazards, other boats, and even the wind itself.
www.lifeofsailing.com
Yes he is.big brother is listening! this popped up on my phone. imagine that!
How To Sail Through Fog (Don't Forget To Enjoy It) | Life of Sailing
Sailing in fog, darkness, or any other reduced visibility can bring a myriad of terrors from navigational hazards, other boats, and even the wind itself.
That's why I like to talk about a broad range of things that often have nothing what so ever to do with anything I'm actually interested in. Keep big brother guessing and in the dark.
It's like telling those guys that call because Microsoft alerted them to problems with my computer that it was good they called since I had the "Blue Screen of Death".
-Will (Dragonfly)
You know Will. It might be fun to occasionally randomly slip the words A$$ault w&apons... Ca99on fod&er... Plastic... into the conversation just to se if N$A or Siri are really on the ball.
When the Microsoft callers ring, I often answer. I agree that the problem is serious. They start asking about configuring my computer. They want me to click the Windows key. I tell them my keyboard does not have windows. They tell me I just need to click my mouse. I ask what's a mouse. When I start to ask them what command I should type in Basic or Fortran, or Unix they often pause. Sometimes they hang up. Sometimes I hear South Asian or Middle Eastern swear words.
I figure if they are on the phone with me helping with my Commodor, TRS-80 or Atari machine they are not scamming someone else.
When the Microsoft callers ring, I often answer. I agree that the problem is serious. They start asking about configuring my computer. They want me to click the Windows key. I tell them my keyboard does not have windows. They tell me I just need to click my mouse. I ask what's a mouse. When I start to ask them what command I should type in Basic or Fortran, or Unix they often pause. Sometimes they hang up. Sometimes I hear South Asian or Middle Eastern swear words.
I figure if they are on the phone with me helping with my Commodor, TRS-80 or Atari machine they are not scamming someone else.