HUGE gust following cruise ship. what caused it?

[DayDreamer41]

Would that be the Viking Octantis?

 

[thinwater]

I learned it in boater safety but I also bought and read the coast guard nav rules and regs book. 100yards is no go zone, 500 yards is travel at slowest speed possible while still able to steer

You were too close. 100 yards is the mandatory security zone, but you can certainly get big wakes, gusts, propwash, and cause stress and contribute to accidents farther out than that. The 500 yard number is a better guide. Think in terms of size an manuverability. 100 yards is less than 1/3 of his length. How do you feel when people maneuver within 15 feet of you when it is easily avoidable?

 

[lakesurfsailor]

Would that be the Viking Octantis?
View attachment 217199

It was indeed

 

[lakesurfsailor]

You were too close. 100 yards is the mandatory security zone, but you can certainly get big wakes, gusts, propwash, and cause stress and contribute to accidents farther out than that. The 500 yard number is a better guide. Think in terms of size an manuverability. 100 yards is less than 1/3 of his length. How do you feel when people maneuver within 15 feet of you when it is easily avoidable?

thanks for the advice. If you have any more questions about navigation rules and where they came from I’d be happy to answer.

 

[DayDreamer41]

You were too close. 100 yards is the mandatory security zone, but you can certainly get big wakes, gusts, propwash, and cause stress and contribute to accidents farther out than that. The 500 yard number is a better guide. Think in terms of size an manuverability. 100 yards is less than 1/3 of his length. How do you feel when people maneuver within 15 feet of you when it is easily avoidable?

Nah,

We have encounters regularly with 1000 ft freighters here especially on the St Clair river, throw in a 5-7 knot current, on the weekends a whirlwind of large cruisers plowing along creating giant wakes, large eddies down current from the Blue Water bridge, all makes for a perplexing boating experience.

I often hear the 5 blasts from freighters warning the novice boater the get the heck out of the way, it happens way to often, I am certain they (the freighter pilots) hate navigating the river coming out of Lake Huron. Between the daring sailors and the fishermen who love to work the edge of the channel the freighter pilots must go bat crazy.

I like any sensible boat operator give those behemoths wide birth, only makes sense to me, apparently not to others.

Mark

 

[jssailem]

Cruise ships create their own environmental conditions.

Check out the wake as one leaves on the beach in Ft Lauderdale.

This ship closes on the residents home and gets a wave off.

The ship might have been inside the 100 yard no go zone...

 

[DayDreamer41]

I watched a special about the container ship who grounded in the Panama canal, the captain who pilots ships through there explained that whole phenomenon and what cautions they have to be aware of to successfully make it through the narrow passage.

 

[thinwater]

thanks for the advice. If you have any more questions about navigation rules and where they came from I’d be happy to answer.

Very funny.

I thought you were implying that somewhere in COLREGS there was a statement that 100 yards is OK. There is not. In fact, there are multiple cautions against maneuvering within a ship's avoidance envelope. What you refferenced was a Homeland Security Restriction Zone that has to do with terrorism, not safe navigation. In fact, the reference to moving at stearage way (you were just sailing) within 500 yards suggests you should not be there unless you have a reason. > 500 yards is considered the ordinary navigation clearance. Clear?

 

[lakesurfsailor]

Very funny.

I thought you were implying that somewhere in COLREGS there was a statement that 100 yards is OK. There is not. In fact, there are multiple cautions against maneuvering within a ship's avoidance envelope. What you refferenced was a Homeland Security Restriction Zone that has to do with terrorism, not safe navigation. In fact, the reference to moving at stearage way (you were just sailing) within 500 yards suggests you should not be there unless you have a reason. > 500 yards is considered the ordinary navigation clearance. Clear?

I was passing behind the boat close hauled to make the gap in the breakwater pinching at like 4 knots and much further than 100 yards from the boat, probably around 500 yards but the boat was so much bigger than anything I’d come up on it might have even been more. Im sure he could have sounded the horn or radioed us if he was truly bothered. I know they have right of way and could have plowed us over guilt free if we were in front. Anyway I was just messing with you cause you came in so hot, I’m sure you’re a cool guy and knowledgeable sailor. I am here to learn and I think it’s safe to say I will stay well clear of large boats even if we are way behind them.

 

[thinwater]

I was passing behind the boat close hauled to make the gap in the breakwater pinching at like 4 knots and much further than 100 yards from the boat, probably around 500 yards but the boat was so much bigger than anything I’d come up on it might have even been more. Im sure he could have sounded the horn or radioed us if he was truly bothered. I know they have right of way and could have plowed us over guilt free if we were in front. Anyway I was just messing with you cause you came in so hot, I’m sure you’re a cool guy and knowledgeable sailor. I am here to learn and I think it’s safe to say I will stay well clear of large boats even if we are way behind them.

There is no "right of way." Obviously. In fact, unless he was clearly was showing day marks declaring "constrained by draft" (black cyclinder-- which he may have been), as sail you were stand-on. But you are ONLY stand-on until the boats are within the last-ditch maneuver distance for the ship (you were way inside that), after which horns and avoidance rules (usually turn to starboard, but that depends on the crossing angle) come into play. You were inside his "avoidance" distance at least 1/2-mile out. He could not reliably give way by the time you were within a few hundred yards.

[Note: this assumes the other guy is using the same rule book and will generally either turn to starboard or continue straight.]

I got way too close to big shipping in my first few years of sailing, because I was foolish. I think I wanted a close look. Never a close call, but in retrospect both rude and foolish. > 500 yards is more my rule now, unless I an clearly passing astern at a good angle, in which case I am OK with a little less. If I need to tack, jibe, or start the engine I will. If I make a course change, I make it early and hold it.