Having read and taken on board many of the Rules of the Road concepts (at least the most important ones) since I started boating again last year, I wonder if I've misinterpreted something either with the rules; or with common boaters' etiquette.
Very frequently, other boats proceeding up or down the local channel are either right in the middle of it or on the left side (i.e. hugging the red day markers when heading out or on the other side when returning). I’m referring here to cruising sailboats which are by far the majority boat class in the area. I’m generally not as concerned about the movements of small powerboats, or jet skis, or anchor-out people moving about in their small boats.
For instance, today I was returning to my marina and staying to well to the right side of the channel with the red day markers on my right. Several hundred yards ahead I noticed that another boat (mid sized cruising sailboat) was coming out the channel on my side. The operator was really hugging the edge of the channel, so we probably would have passed starboard-to-starboard with a few dozen feet clearance. But the boat was moving with steadfast purpose and was giving no indication being aware of my presense. Both of us had sails down and we were under motor power. Well before any danger situation developed, I made a pronounced deviation to left side of the channel and then a pronounced return to my original heading when well out of the way of any possible collision. So now I'm proceeding along on the left side of the channel. Passing starboard-to-starboard 30 to 60 seconds later, the folks in the other boat (50's-60's types like me ... not young but not old either), gave not so much as a nod of recognition that I had moved out of their (wrong side of the channel?) way. I don’t think they were being intentionally rude. Just that this was their normal way of leaving the harbor.
My version of "Chapman Piloting" says: "A vessel in a narrow channel must keep to the right and as close to the outer limit of the channel as is safe and practical. This rule places a burden on a vessel on the left side to (1) be there only if she must and (2) establish an agreement for a starboard-to-starboard passage.
The boat today met neither condition.
The local channel isn't critically narrow, but it’s not a six-lane freeway either. Current in the channel generally is insignificant as far as influence on boat handling is concerned. The right side of the channel (inbound) is well defined by red day markers. The other side is just the shore side along which there are the entrances to the dozen or so marinas in town.
I really don't get upset about boats going in or out on the left or right up the middle of the channel. Its less mentally stressful instead to pay attention and to take action so that I’m well out of anybody’s way. This is also easier and safer to my mind’s eye than scrambling for the air horn to give the appropriate sound signal and then wondering if the other guy has heard it or will interpret it correctly.
Am I missing something about Rules of the Road ... or should I recognize that it’s "a game of chicken" out there?
Very frequently, other boats proceeding up or down the local channel are either right in the middle of it or on the left side (i.e. hugging the red day markers when heading out or on the other side when returning). I’m referring here to cruising sailboats which are by far the majority boat class in the area. I’m generally not as concerned about the movements of small powerboats, or jet skis, or anchor-out people moving about in their small boats.
For instance, today I was returning to my marina and staying to well to the right side of the channel with the red day markers on my right. Several hundred yards ahead I noticed that another boat (mid sized cruising sailboat) was coming out the channel on my side. The operator was really hugging the edge of the channel, so we probably would have passed starboard-to-starboard with a few dozen feet clearance. But the boat was moving with steadfast purpose and was giving no indication being aware of my presense. Both of us had sails down and we were under motor power. Well before any danger situation developed, I made a pronounced deviation to left side of the channel and then a pronounced return to my original heading when well out of the way of any possible collision. So now I'm proceeding along on the left side of the channel. Passing starboard-to-starboard 30 to 60 seconds later, the folks in the other boat (50's-60's types like me ... not young but not old either), gave not so much as a nod of recognition that I had moved out of their (wrong side of the channel?) way. I don’t think they were being intentionally rude. Just that this was their normal way of leaving the harbor.
My version of "Chapman Piloting" says: "A vessel in a narrow channel must keep to the right and as close to the outer limit of the channel as is safe and practical. This rule places a burden on a vessel on the left side to (1) be there only if she must and (2) establish an agreement for a starboard-to-starboard passage.
The boat today met neither condition.
The local channel isn't critically narrow, but it’s not a six-lane freeway either. Current in the channel generally is insignificant as far as influence on boat handling is concerned. The right side of the channel (inbound) is well defined by red day markers. The other side is just the shore side along which there are the entrances to the dozen or so marinas in town.
I really don't get upset about boats going in or out on the left or right up the middle of the channel. Its less mentally stressful instead to pay attention and to take action so that I’m well out of anybody’s way. This is also easier and safer to my mind’s eye than scrambling for the air horn to give the appropriate sound signal and then wondering if the other guy has heard it or will interpret it correctly.
Am I missing something about Rules of the Road ... or should I recognize that it’s "a game of chicken" out there?