It never fails - almost got run over!

[Baysailor2]

Toots

Jim, just spent four days on the Bay. Coming back up the North East River I was startled by the large cruiser coming up behind me giving me two toots and passing me to port. First time in three years I've had someone act courteously! Didn't mind adjusting to his wake after that!You want to test your sea legs, try navigating the Sassafras River on any given weekend. It'll rival the "angles and dangles" the boomer boys go through to find what's loose and not secured!Intrepid '83 H34 #113

 

[Pops]

"Landsend" or "Karl"

Guns are NEVER an appropriate response. Are you that foolish or are you just trying to get a response again? This is a fun and informative site, try to act like a thinking adult.

 

[Tom]

Potomac is so much better than the Patuxent

Jim,I sail out of Pt. Lookout Marina and I too have put up with the occassional irrational power boater. I don't understand with all the room you have on the Potomac why a power boater decides he is going to get within ten feet of your boat when he passes. I sailed out of Solomons for two years and after putting up with the traffic on the Patuxent River I moved over to the Potomac. Last year I was sailing on the Patuxent and I was boxed in between two boats and a powerboater is heading directly toward me. There was no place to go. I turned the engine on and put it in reverse and hollered until I lost my voice. Meanwhile, the other two boats are frantically trying to get out of his way. After all the hollering the idiot finally comes up from the cabin and changes course. I keep my air horn close at hand now and I am taking a break from the Patuxent River.Thanks,Tom

 

[John Nantz]

Binoculars are a Useful Tool

Just thought of something else - Binoculars. We've found that our binoculars are a useful tool. 1. We have a pair of 10x50s with image stabilization so you can easily read the registration number on the bow or their boat name on the stern (if it's not below sea level or covered up by the dingy or steam from the exhaust). This information is handy for hailing them on the VHF.2. Just use the binoc's as a "we see you" tool. They're passive but help to get the message across that they're being watched. As you see a boat throwing a large wake closing in just stand up in the cockpit with the binoculars and stare at them.3. Another idea is to have a camera handy and take their picture as they are approaching but are still far off and then again when they're close abeam (showing they had the opportunity to stay clear). Not sure what you can do after that but if it helps to vent then hey, it helps. Maybe post it somewhere?As for Rick's question about fishing boats - we get a lot of these (even though the fish are nearly extict) usually around "points". After all, that's the best place to fish and also usually the place one wants to have for a waypoint. My solution is to stay clear but IF I must go through the fleet (say bucking a strong flood and need to get into the backeddy on the other side) is to drop to a "no wake" speed and stay well clear of their lines. I've never had anybody glower or give me the "sailboats are #1" sign when I have demonstrated that I care about their space and by minimizing my wake. Real consideration and respect is key.

 

[BobW]

Gee, Karl, why don't you add yourself

to your list of rude people. I suppose you would go wave a gun around to try to impress people.Sure glad you're in Florida and I'm in California.Some deputy sherrif tried your tactic on the golf course a few weeks ago. He's facing 5 years in San Quentin... and he never fired his gun, just waved it around.Cheers,Bobs/v X SAIL R 8

 

[Phil Herring]

Before we get there....

We had our annual gun thread already this year. Trust me, you don't want an encore. How about we steer the topic back to rules of the road? Thanks!

 

[Paul J. Rusyniak]

PROXIMITY TO FISHING BOATS

Rick:We have a h260 with a 9.9hp on an inland lake.When under sail, I don’t have any qualms about passing within 100ft of a fishing boat. I have noticed, as have other sailors in the marina, that someone in the fishing boat gets a hit as we pass at least 50% of the time.Our close passing has never resulted in bad vibes from the fishermen Whilst motoring, we steer well clear of fishing boats, regardless of the relatively small size of our wake.Pauls/v The Lord Nelson

 

[Paul Akers]

My dream come true...

...would be to be able to throw something like a piece of fruit (peach or banana) at a Bozo like that and hit him and stun him. And then him realizing that he did something stupid to another person.But, I guess, that would be too much to ask to have a person like that realize anything!Sorry, Phil, to keep this thread moving.

 

[Rick Webb]

Karl May be in Florida

But I'll bet you a beer he is from New JerseyI'd love to drag a couple of beer kegs with a real scratchy line for them to hit and get wrapped up in.

 

[BobW]

My closest call was with a sailboat...

We left Ventura Harbor bound for Santa Cruz Island on Saturday morning. Wind steady from the west so we set up on starboard tack, close reaching and comfortable.Saw some sailboats south-east of us about 5 miles on a parallel course, then one tacked towards us. I mentioned to my wife and son when they were several miles away that it looked like they were on a collision course. We discussed the rules of the road and agreed that we were the stand-on boat (the other boat was on port tack approaching us from the left).I kept expecting the other boat to maneuver around us. Every time I thought about tacking or falling off to go behind them, I was reminded that the stand-on boat has a responsibility, not a right, to maintain its course, so the other boat could know absolutely how best to maneuver.So in the end, when the other boat never wavered in its course, I had to tack at the last minute to avoid a collision.Fancy boat, too, had those shimmery racing sails that each cost more than my whole boat...Turns out there was a man and a boy on the other boat and it looked like the man was down below and the kid certainly had no clue what to do in the situation.I kept my head down and didn't say anything. There was nothing I could have said at that point.So it's not just the stinkpots that make a mess out of the beautiful ocean!I wonder what Karl would have done in that situation??? No, actually, I don't!!!Cheers,Bobs/v X SAIL R 8

 

[John Marrotta]

Hey Rick

Karl may be going a little overboard, but you're not exactly scaring the world with your intelligence. I experienced more rudeness, discourtesy and simple lack of respect for the law in the 1 year I lived in south Florida than in the 36 years I lived in NJ. I sure do miss Biscayne Bay though. I've experienced rude boaters (power and sail) in every body of water that I've ever sailed in.Turn off the "Sopranos" and get a clue.John MarrottaH33 Two And TwoFormerly of Red Bank, NJ

 

[Kevin]

John Marrotta

I don't really have a dog in this fight, but, I hope that you know that Miami is NOT a "southern city", by any means. Miami is, New York and New Jersey, just in another geographic location, with a mix of Cuba, Brazil and Argentina, but certainly not a Southern City by any means. The same is true for any East Coast Fl. city, and, for that matter, the entire state of Florida, save the Panhandle. I have spent time in all parts of Florida.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Close calls....

I know the arguments againstlicensing, but I still think it would improve the quality and skill of some boaters. Over the years, I've had close calls with both power and sail boats. I've found it to be a mistake to assume the guy bearing down on you really knows the Rules of the Road. As a result, I take evasive action early regardless of which is the burdened or stand-on vessel.A few years ago, I was out under sail on the bay and like Jim, noticed a biggish power boat off my starboard beam a few miles away. I could tell from his bow wave that he was cooking. Since our angles weren't changing, I knew we were on a potential collision course. Yet it was midweek and there was lots of clear water everywhere and no other boats in sight. I thought how could this boater not notice me and hopefully turn a degree or two to pass me astern? It was then that it occurred to me that the powerboat was under autopilot and no one was actually at the helm or on the fly bridge. I quickly turned to parallel his course. Yep, when he passed me no one was in sight anywhere on deck. I then blew my horn five times in frustration. At that, a man and partially clad woman appeared in the hatchway. They had this very puzzled look on their faces and never seemed to understand what had just happened....

 

[HukilauMike]

Freud would be proud

I love the "venting" threads...Powerboaters have no monopoly on rudeness, nor do sailors have a monopoly on seamanship and courtesy. There have been numerous times that I have admired and appreciated the skill, seamanship and courtesy of powerboaters and been appalled at the lack of same in sailors. That being said, all sterotypes are grounded in at least some fact, and I completley agree that there are more yahoo powerboaters than sailors. Once, after being subjected to the almost unbelievable noise of a cigarette boat passing by, I remarked to my guest on my sailboat that I thought the owner "might be trying to compensate for other deficiencies, if you know what I mean." He looked thoughtful for a moment and then replied, "And the big stick standing straight up on your boat represents what?..." Hmmmm.

 

[picklefreek]

Nice to report someone

Me and Eileen were out on Lake Winnisquam (NH) this weekend enjoying the BEST sail we've had since getting our 1073 O'Day 23 this year. There was another smaller sailboat out that looked like an old Falcon 17 (which was my first boat). Of course I wanted a closer look, so at this one point, I was able to get pretty close to him (75-100 feet). All of a sudden, this ahole in a power boat came in between us (NH law states 150 feet away), doing at least 45-50mph. Of course the middle finger goes up with some choice words yelled to him. His beached-blond bimbo just smiles and waves to us. I got enough of a bow number and stern name and called our local Marine Patrol. About 30 minutes later I see the Marine boat with lights on pulling over a boat in a cove about 1.5 miles away. We motor over and sure enough, it is mr. ahole he has pulled over. Turns out it is a Marine patrol guy that assisted me a few weeks ago when I got caught in a sudden squal and I asked if he received me complaint on this jerk. He said he had, but was only there to warn him, but since I had shown up and had another witness saying how close he came, he was able to give him a ticket (also found no fire extihusher (sp) on board and the horn was not working). Boy, did we feel great!! For all the times you wanted to get one, we finally did. Believe, Ms beach-blond bimbo wasnt' smiling anymore!!

 

[william]

Knuckle heads

I saw this vessel on a buzzards bay to newport cruise, I look at the name of this boat, Bounty, sounds familar but poor guys, climbing up and down, several men needed to unfurl the sail, I got one word for this wooden garbage scow, roller furling. At least they were slow enough for me to alter my course to avoid a collision.

 

[Steve Kamp]

William in Cape Cod

William the vessel you photographed is the real deal, the 1962 replica of H.M.S. Bounty built in a Nova Scotia shipyard for the movie "Mutiny on the Bounty" starring Marlon Brando.She is crewed by college kids on long term internship, charters at times for paying passengers, and is frequently open for public display at "Tall Ships" events.She was enroute to the New England area for such a display. Next year she will be on the Pacific coast in the Seattle area.This spring she had been in the Carribean taking part in the filming of sequels to "Pirates of the Carribean"This is a real sailing vessel which earns her upkeep. I doubt that the crew would appreciate your calling her a "garbage scow".Steve Kamp

 

[Sean]

Altered course?

William you altered course, but according to your GPS you turned your boat towards the HMS Bounty? You had to have a closer look! Good info, Steve, magnificant vessel indeed!!!

 

[william]

Got me!

Yes, I turned towards this vessel, it was the highlight of my trip. Bounty, Great film, truly an awesome sight to see, I look forward to seeing her in Pirates 2.

 

[JC on Bainbridge]

We have Lady Washington in Puget Sound

Lady Washington is frequently in the Puget Sound. She is a full scale replica of the original Lady Washington. She was in the original "Pirates of the Carribean". I think she was also in a number of other movies including Star Trek: Generations.As for her running into us, that is not too likely unless we are asleep at the wheel. zzzzzzzz.....