Sailboat collision in C & D Canal

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Waffle

CHESAPEAKE CITY, Md. (AP) -- The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, a major transit point for cargo ships headed to and from the Port of Baltimore, was closed Monday following a collision between a tugboat and a sailboat, authorities said.
 
May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
Will be interesting

will be interesting to hear the details on this. It certainly is wide enough through there, to allow more than two vessels to pass. Possibly on the west end around the ferries, there could be some problems with space. Wonder if this is a case of someone who thinks they are stand on, refusing to give way. Some on sailboats seem to be of that general mind set.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
It is not like it is dark over there

that entire stretch is lighted by lights on poles both sides of the canal.
 
Oct 14, 2005
2,191
1983 Hunter H34 North East, MD
Dunno...

Ross if the lights were a factor. Have you ever stood on the side by the bridge when one of the deep draft ships comes through? The water displacement is amazing. I suspect the sailboat didn't have enough power to offset the pressure wave of the tug, especially if it had a tow. I'll have to see if the Whig has anything on it. Ira probably will.
 
May 18, 2004
64
Morgan 46' Morgan aft cockpit 4 Georgetown, MD
the tug was "towing"

possibly the cable between the barge and the tug was the culprit?...maybe the sailboat caught the cable not realizing there was a barge behind the tug...3:00 in the moring,,,a 1910 sailboat....you would think the crew of that vintage vessle and at that time of crossing the crew would be very knowledgeable, accidents happen,, even to the best of us, Just glade to hear no one was hurt.....I hope they are able to salvage a 1910 vintage boat. the canal was lit however there was no moon or stars last night when we left it was cloudy. we were at our boat yesterday and drove over the canal around 8:30pm,,,,it looked beautiful....little did anyone know.
 
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Warren Milberg

Here are some links

on this story: http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070515/NEWS01/70515006/1002/NEWS01 So far, not much detail has been available as to how this accident unfolded. If the tug was towing the barge on a long cable, I would not like to be anywhere near either of them if there were any crosswinds.
 
May 14, 2004
99
Catalina Capri 22 Town Creek, MD
Who pays salvage company?

The delmarva article mentions that the tugboat company is contracting with a salvage company. Commercial operations don't usually do things out of the goodness of their hearts; should this be taken as some sort of admission of fault? But it's hard to imagine that it would be their fault; I would assume that they were heading straight up the channel and the sail boat failed to give them enough room. It'll be interesting to see what the true story is. I grew up near the canal but have never been boating in it. I'd be nervous to be forced to stay that close to commercial shipping.
 
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