Proper etiquette?

[Maine Sail]

Donalex..

The rule IS required lights "OR" shapes! It does NOT require both lights AND shapes. If they ARE showing the proper all rounds, side and stern lights shapes are NOT required. I worked as 1st mate on a very large sport fishing yacht fishing for blue fin tuna back in college. We spent LOTS of time trolling the banks, with the large commercial fishermen, and rarely if ever came across a commercial boat not displaying the proper lights. Perhaps things are different in New England than England..??

 

[Don12364]

Mainsail

I just cut & pasted the relevant rule from the COLREGS. Don't make the rules nor have problems interpreting them. I believe it is self evident that shapes are required for daylight hours when lights might not be visible and lights for night when shapes would not be seen.Makes no difference where one is - as long as one's home country has signed up to the convention.To anyone who is not familiar with these legal requirements for the high seas I would commend:-http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/boating/colregs.htmlDon Alex - Qualified as Yachtmaster Offshore in 1978.

 

[larry w]

Here in So Cal there are

a lot of crab pots outside marinas and just off breakwater gates, some set right across the channel. A friend of mine snagged one in his prop outside San Diego Bay and had to be cut loose by Vessel Assist. Bent his shaft, broke the prop, knocked the engine off its mounts. 15k in damages, in the yard for a month, and this in a relatively simple 30' sailboat. Guys fishing from rented skiffs sit right in the middle of channels with lines going out like a spider web and expect everyone to go around them. I asked a Marine Patrol about it once, and he said there's no law against it so the Patrol can do nothing about it. Go figure that. Who owns the ocean, tho? One of those things...

 

[JohnS12875]

Damn Rich Crabbers &*%!!!

As regards the original post, the "fisherman" was laying out a trot line. The trot line can be several 100' long and rests on the bottom between two anchors. The floats are attached to the anchors. Crab bait is tied at intervals along the trot line and the fisherman works his way back and forth along the length raising the line on one side of the boat, dropping it on the other, and dipping with a net for the crabs as they come up. If he's far enough away from the center of the channel, the line will be resting on the bottom as you pass. If you approach while he's working the center, he should drop the line so as not to obstruct the channel. Give him a blast of your horn if he appears oblivious to your approach. If it's a busy channel he should set up elsewhere.Don't know what the rules say, but I'm pretty sure he's obligated not to obstruct traffic in the channel.

 

[Dave D 94 H26]

hey broke sailor

did you get your question answered between all the pontificating and peeing contests? One of the reasons I read selectively and post seldom here. w/loveDave

 

[bffatcat]

POTS

Whether its crab pots on the Chesapeake or Lobster traps on the coast of Maine these guys think the own the ocean and because they`re out there trying to make a living. They think their right to use the ocean comes before pleasure boaters. These people have an attitude towards pleasure boaters, Sailors or Sport Fisherman or what ever. They dont want them around. They continue to make lifeas difficult as they can for sailors. There a good deep harbor called Cape Porpoise with easy access on the southern coast of Maine. Because of its locationit was a popular over night stop for sailors cruising downeast from points southThe narrow but deep entrance channel became so loaded with pots you could literally walk across them. The only way in there was to sail up the narrow channel unless you wanted to pick up a pot on your prop. This must have been done to keep sailors out. There was no way they could get enough lobsters in all those traps on need for them in that spot. I stopped going in there along time ago. I dont know if things have changed there since I started avoiding the place. Unfortunately nothing is going to be done about this we`re gonna have to live with it.

 

[Maine Sail]

Fat Cat..

Don't take it personally! Having been a commercial lobsterman, in my much younger days, I can assure you the LAST thing we are thinking about is blocking access to pleasure boaters. All we want are the "bugs" and we would go where they would go. Yes, many times, this can be at the mouth of a narrow river. I've sailed into Cape Porpoise many times and while thick with pots I don't find it all that difficult to get in there under power..??Consider that there are more pots now days because there are more "Spurs" and line cutters. Years ago I could safely run one pot per string now days, due to mostly large power boaters with "Spurs", that has been bumped to an end of string buoy and a beginning of string buoy thus doubling the amount of pots you see out there. This has been a direct result of pleasure boaters adding line cutting devices.P.S. If you do snag a line the worst thing you can do is drag it!! I know speaking from experience and also many other fisherman who would rather see you cut it quickly rather than drag that string over seven others and cause a 4 hour tangled mess that may involve four or five fisherman. A lost buoy can be dealt with as there is usually another at the other end of the string but a dragged string causes MAJOR headaches..

 

[RichH]

Trot lines ...

For trot lines, most of the gear is on the bottom (where the crabs are) except for near the floats. Simply avoid the 'floats'. If the waterman is raising the trot line, simply head for where the line is still on the bottom, preferably well aft of his boat. If you inadvertently hit the line, you will shake-off ALL the crabs and ruin a couple hours of work.

 

[Ross]

There must be a reasonable way to deflect lines

away from props. I have had pot buoys bump along the hull but have never snagged one. Perhaps because I have a full keel and attached rudder with an appature for the prop.

 

[Maine Sail]

There is...

It's called paying attention... Seriously though you should always pass down wind or down current of a floating pot buoy. If the wind or current are pushing or pulling it the line will be at an angle like an anchor rode to the buoy so ALWAYS pass bellow a buoy and not above..I snag more free floating line, from spring tides grabbing it of the beach, than I do lobster pots and I have owned Fin/Spade boats for at least the last 14-15 years not full keelers..

 

[CharlieCobra]

Having a full keel helps too.

It's a bit tougher for a line to get in my prop since it's boxed in between the keel edge and the rudder.