Navigational Buoys Used as Racing Marks

[Scott T-Bird]

Actually, I put some thought into @jviss reaction and I still have a question. Were you weaving thru boat traffic because you actually thought some of the boats were going to hit you or were you weaving thru boat traffic in an attempt to stay out of their path since they did have stand on rights? There is a difference ... I give you some slack if you actually were just trying hard not to interfere. I give you no slack if you actually thought that you were going to get hit by one of the racers and thought it necessary to take evasive actions - you had to have known that the racing sailboats saw you and would merely make close passes. Your post seems to indicate that you thought it necessary to avoid collisions and I think that is why you are getting negative responses.

 

[FastOlson]

Reminds me of crossing a road in Vietnam! You are supposed to just look straight ahead and walk at a consistent pace. Hundreds of motor scooters will just weave around you coming and going in all directions. Horns are beeping everywhere. Just walk at one slow pace and you will remain vertical and untouched!

As fascinating as this sounds, and it really IS interesting.... I am still glad I did not, thru luck-of-the-draw, get orders to go "in country".

 

[Scott T-Bird]

For me, it was timing. I turned 18 a few days after Nixon announced "peace with honor". There was neither, but it did mean the end of the draft for me. I registered and the lottery was still held that year, but with no consequences. We visited in 2019, a totally different time!

 

[william24424]

Excellent thread. If I may summarize...
1- Racing around Navigation buoys is legal
2- Be careful on windward side of mark, tides pulling you into buoy, or commercial traffic.
3- You should pump brakes, turn around, or simply do your best to avoid racers (@jviss is off witness stand, red flag placed back in boat)

 

[...3TacksontheWater]

I have to say that I’ve enjoyed reading this thread. I appreciate the OP’s - jviss‘s situation and description of his feelings. I started sailing catamarans, sunfish and my first dingy sailboat a bit over 55 years ago. I’m on my second C-22 a,1988 New Design and so many of you on the forum have far more experience both sailing and sailing different designs than I do. Having said this, I am most accustomed to sailing displacement hulls which limit a sailboat’s speed. Today’s Trimerans, Plaining Hulls and especially, Foiling boats have turned the sailing and racing world upside down.

Hindsight is always 20/20. Hopefully this thread will become a teaching moment that if you see Trimerans or planing Sailboats racing, they are going through the water far faster than you expect. At the same time, it also behoves the racers to appreciate that a 38’ sailing vessel under motor power across your race course is a behemoth at your mercy and you are the far more maneuverable vessel and everyone’s safety is paramount on the water.

George