Right of way question

[Ken Honeycutt]

After a fantastic day of sailing blowing 20 to 25 knots with gusts to 28 I was headed back into the harbor on a starboard tack pinched pretty close to the wind (trying to keep the admiral happy by not leaning to much with the gusts) with a partially reefed main and the jib furled - when another boat on a screaming port tack entered the harbor. I judged that on my course I would probably pass in front of him before he reached me so I didn't change course. Well, this guy keeps heading straight toward me actually looking as if he wanted to t-bone me without even trying to change course. I realized he was on a screaming reach and probably didn't want to bear off, but it wouldn't have killed him to turn a couple of degrees and pass aft of me. Anyhow, after scaring the crap out of the Admiral and making me a little anxious - he veers off and yells 'I HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY' and everyone on board starts laughing. Needless to say it was a bad end to an otherwise great sail. Anyway - got me to thinking - was I in the wrong? I'm on a starboard tack (wind to starboard) and he's on a port tack entering the harbor. What's wrong with this picture? The other thing that P'd me off was that we weren't racing and this was aday we should have all been enjoying. I wouldn't pull that crap on another boater even if I thought I was in the right. Just had to get that off my chest.

 

[Tim R.]

Sounds like

Some stinkpotter got fed up with the gas prices and got hisself a saily boat.Officially speaking you were the stand on boat and had an obligation not to change course. That being said, your overriding obligation is to not collide with another vessel.

 

[Maine Sail]

What Tim said..

You did nothing wrong but when you realized he was not altering course it becomes your obligation to avoid a collision. There really is no such thing as "right of way" it is called "stand on vessel" and "give way vessel"... "Stink potter turned sailor" now that's entirely plausible!!P.S. Next time yell back I was "Stand On"! They clearly DON'T know or understand the COLREGS/rules of the road...

 

[Rick]

right of way

You were on starboard tack,you have the right of way . But not everyone knows this.Gotta keep your eyes open

 

[Ken Honeycutt]

That's what I thought

I kept the same course during this whole action. Really didn't have a lot of choice with the wind gusting like it was as anything else would have put me more into his path.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

Ken, you were correct and I don't take exception to the use of the term

right of way or privileged because even though the terms have changed over the years that situation hasn't.I believe in my weak frame of mind that he also knew he was obligated to turn to avoid you, but he thought it was cool to shake you up. There are as many jerks in sailboats as there are in any other activity.I will tell you a quick story of a one design race, when I was on starboard tack in about 18 knots of wind, when I saw a past world champion in the class, on a collision course on port tack. We were both beating to the windward mark. I called out starboard in a very loud voice while looking under my boom (I, along with 3 crew were up to windward). He gave me an acknowledgment by the wave of the hand and I went back to sailing my boat. The next thing I know his bow comes across in front of my genoa and I'm about to T-Bone him right at the shrouds. So I holler out to my crew to hang on and I put the tiller down while I fall down into the cockpit, and I make an emergency turn to starboard. Well with the jib cleated to port, and the crew to starboard, we kind of hove to in a hurry, coming to a dead stop and putting the crew in the water up to their butts. By the time the crew got back on board, got the jib released, and got the boat going again on port tack. he was long gone. He knew he was wrong and did a 720 degree turn to exonerate himself (which was allowed by the rules for that series) and he beat me to the windward mark by over two boat lengths. This was a very experienced sailor who should have never pulled a stunt like that. I was furious and told him after the race, that if he ever tried that again I would sink him, and all he did was grin.So believe me, it takes all kinds.Just try to put jerks like out of your mindJoe S

 

[Rich (P303)]

Damed if you do...

damed if you don't. You were the stand on vessel. I think they must have been visiting from Massachusetts (Greater Boston). That's how they drive down there you know!

 

[Grizz]

Did you get the license plate?

Oops...I meant the name from the transom. If you're both on the hook @ Monroe Harbor, you may cross paths again on the tender. You'll remember the incident, he won't 'cause there's probably too many to keep straight. Do you think your Admiral would've minded if you altered course early to a reciprocal 'screaming reach' so both boats would've passed on a port-to-port scraper? It would've only lasted a few minutes and may have increased your boat speed sufficiently for you to clear the area. Always something...don't let it put a damper on an otherwise great day. Enjoy your season.

 

[Captain Ed]

70 % vs 30%

Education and practical application of the stand on and give way rules can be hard for new boaters to understand . When I instruct a new or seasoned boater this is one subject I drill into them . The bottom line . When you know the rules you are in the minority! Yes the 30% So NEVER trust a suspect boater .CG says in rule two break all rules in order to avoid a collision .I have had similar experiences in the past ,when I contacted the CG they wanted nothing to do with it . Find the boat and drop of info for rules of the road .  Captain Ed

 

[Deadline]

Was it really a collision course?

The way to calculate it is to observe the background or skyline to see if it's really fixed, therefore Constant Bearing Decreasing Range, or collision course. Only works from your boat since you could see the Chicago skyline, whereas he has nothing fixed on the horizon of Lake Michigan to use as a bearing.

 

[Warren Milberg]

While your were theoretically right...

to maintain your course, Maine Sail nails it when he says that once you realize a collision is possible, you must take action to avoid it even if you are the "stand on" vessel. Being the skeptic that I am, that is, my belief that very few boaters (all types) actually know or follow the Rules of the Road, I follow my own rule: Whenever I see a "problem boat" approaching, I get out of the way and I do it early.

 

[BobM]

His thoughts?

He was probably thinking that he had the right of way as the leeward boat, which he would if you are on the same tack moving in the same direction. However, as the boat on the starboard tack you had the right of way. My approach is always to make my intentions obvious by making a deliberate move. In your case, you certainly couldn't have made a move upwind, as it would have put you in irons. The other sailor certainly should have realized that your only option was to steer into him or to tack across his bow. The rules of the road are complex enough as it is, then when you add in the sailboat on sailboat rules they are more so. I agree with you that the best approach is to avoid such situations when you can, if only to avoid the Admiral's displeasure.Bob

 

[Jim]

NO ONE HAD RIGHT OF WAY

you were the stand on boat and he should have adjusted his course, but you are also resonsible for avioding a colusion.

 

[oldiesrocker2001]

Stand on but don't get stood on!

Ken, you were indeed the stand on boat even by powerboater rules and yes, you needed to take action when it became clear that the other boat didn't know(or care to follow)the rules. The question is if the other boat really knows the rules they would'nt expect you to change course and would(read that:SHOULD)have been preparing to alter their course which a change in your tack could have compounded the situation. I might have tried for a beam reach if it wasn't too gusty(my admiral likes things calm too)but short of a hasty tack in a gusty harbor there isn't too many options. Sounds like the other boat was a former stinkpotter...

 

[hooyasailor]

T-BONE EM!

Ken, I just know you are on the hard, beefing up the forward, bow section,,,getting stronger for the next outting.Hooyasailor said it.

 

[Sandy Stone]

Joseph Shirley

The next time that happens, refer to Rule 44.1, Taking a Penalty:"A boat that may have brken a rule of Part 2 while racing may take a penalty at the time of the incident. Her penalty shall be a Two-Turns Penalty unless the Sailing Instructions specify the use of the Scoring Penalty or some other type of penalty. However, if she caused injury or serious damage or gained a significant advantage in the race or series by her breach her penalty shall be to retire."

 

[Fred Ficarra7897]

For Deadline;

The technique you allude to for avoiding a collision should be to watch the vessel of concern using a fixed point of reference on your boat and your eye. In other words, sit in one place, line up the other boat with something on your boat such as a shroud or stanchion, and study. No change of bearing with a decreasing range means you WILL collide. The method has nothing to do with any surrounding landscape and it works anywhere. Of course, increasing range with a constant bearing means you're going to collide too. It's just that it'll happen after both vessels circumnavigate a land-less globe.

 

[Fred Ficarra7897]

For Joe Shirley

Joe, did we ever 'get you' with our famous race course shouts? All we would hear going to weather was "Starboard" followed by "hold your course!". That got boring so we would shout "PORT!". No need to make racing dull.

 

[Brian D]

I had a dealing with a motor boat this weekend...

I was returning to my slip. On the way, I have to pass the launch ramp. A small 20 footer was puttering around waiting for the trailer. As I approached the launch ramp, she was on my starboard bow so I backed off the throttle. Her distance was about 50 yards or so. But being off my starboard bow, I was required to give way. As I got closer, she crossed my bow and was now off my port bow. So I throttled up to finish my trek to my slip. At about 25 yards out, she does a 180 to port and puts her boat dead off my bow with about 10 yards between us. My crew yells out and so do some of the people on the finger piers. Had to slam the gear into reverse. About that time she finally looks up and sees my bow and accelerates. But you know boats, gun it and nothing happens for a few seconds. Same held true when I put it in reverse.So it is not about who has the ROW or Stand On or Give Way, it is about knowing the rules and like others say, being responsible enough to know not to get into a situation for a collision. In this case, I assumed that she would allow me to pass because I was off her starboard bow. This was not the case and had I continued, I would have plowed her abeam.Please be careful.

 

[Fred Ficarra7897]

Brian, you remind me of an important cause of accidents

Not just because too many of us are fixated on obeying the rules of navigation, (The rule I follow is 'Get out of the way') but we fail to note if the other skipper made eye contact. Sure, that won't work at a great distance, but it will work in situations like yours.And failure to make eye contact is the reason pedestrians are hit by cars. Especially in crosswalks. Wanna reduce the car vs. pedestrian accident rate by 50%? Eliminate marked crosswalks.