Tacking is a pain in the a$$!

weinie

.
Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
I've decided that from now on, I'm just going to sail on starboard tack. Now the only way I'm gonna spill my martini is if some sixty-five foot sport fishing boat gets all up in my face.
 
May 1, 2011
4,188
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
Had that happen to me a couple of weeks ago - not pleasant! Dude was roaring up the Bay on autopilot with no one on the bridge. Air horn and danger signals got his attention, but he was within about 10 feet of me as he finally maneuvered to avoid a collision. My crew and I were shaking when it was over. And the idiot didn't have the courtesy to slow down and circle back to make sure we were okay.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I've decided that from now on, I'm just going to sail on starboard tack. Now the only way I'm gonna spill my martini is if some sixty-five foot sport fishing boat gets all up in my face.
They can still be leeward of you.......... ;^)
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,841
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Or to windward and they just keep sagging down towards you with no one in the cockpit, happened to me, nearly spilled my cool libation reaching for the air horn.
 

Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
...or you could be the overtaking boat. Which would require you place that drink in a cupholder and take evasive action as the burdened vessel!
 
Mar 1, 2012
2,182
1961 Rhodes Meridian 25 Texas coast
Exactly the reason I moved our course 1 mile south of the course running Bimini to Berry's across the Great Bahama Bank.
After having to dodge the second BIG power boat running on autopilot, with an empty deck, I decided getting off that rhumb line was safer!!
 
Jan 12, 2011
930
Hunter 410 full time cruiser
I've decided that from now on, I'm just going to sail on starboard tack. Now the only way I'm gonna spill my martini is if some sixty-five foot sport fishing boat gets all up in my face.

Pretty much the mark of an amateur if you can not drink a martini no matter what tack you are on.
 
Jan 6, 2010
1,520
Wienie,

Hailing the other boat in a meeting, overtaking and/or crossing situation sounds like the easiest way to avoid problems.

However, there's a caveat. Under rules of the road, boats are required to monitor ch. 16 however, most boats do not or, they are on a different channel. So, if the other guy doesn't know or follow the regs, sadly, the rules don't exist at this point. And most times at least for me, it's mostly from those with the bigger yachts that don't care how they affect other boats. It seems the higher the helm, the less they turn & look to see what their effect was.

Under the regs, any boat that by their speed, location or piloting causes damage and/or injury, they are liable to pay under the law. If you see someone piloting their boat in such a manner, vessel name, description, & state registered numbers can be used for your argument. Hopefully someone on board can photo or video the boat & incident. Then call the Coast Guard or the water police. If there is a bridge they are heading to, call the bridge tender, tell them the boat caused damage & they will write the boat info for you and, make sure to do this before he hails them.

CR
 

weinie

.
Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
Pretty much the mark of an amateur if you can not drink a martini no matter what tack you are on.
Um, I can sail on port tack too. It's just if I'm gonna pick a tack, I'm going with starboard.
 
Feb 21, 2008
408
Hunter 33 Metedeconk River
It is so obvious to me that none of you sail on the NJ coast on or near Barnegat Bay. Although personally I have yet to see a boat without a captain on the bridge, big power boats running at high speeds thru narrow channels and areas or just off our bow is an everyday thing. Even the Admiral is somewhat used to it. She wants to get a megaphone. However, her favorite occurrence is when after waiting 10-20 minutes for a road bridge to open, and we enter the area under the bridge, some 18' runabout starts coming the other way in the center of the channel. As they come thru they are always smiling and waving. She likes to yell "Did you have enough clearance?" We will not even get into who has the right of way, that is a whole 'nother thing.
 

weinie

.
Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
I never crew with women from New Jersey. High heels have no place on a sailboat.
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I love how these threads evolve! All a guy has to say is that he chooses starboard tack, and nobody is going to disturb him unless, hypothetically, a big-ass mobo gets in his face. Next thing you know, we're talking about how to deal with inconsiderate and irresponsible mobo drivers! :confused:

I think I pick a starboard broad reach, not a tack. Sure, I have to watch out for those starboard tackers who might be downwind, but the motion is smoother, apparent wind lessens and the boat is more upright ... far better for sipping my martini! (unless it's too hot and the wind too light ... those ankle-biting flys get too pesky). :cool:
 

Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Had a guy in sailboat on starboard come up on me recently. We were just getting the Genoa rolled out and were moving slow. Captain Courageous is maybe 10 degrees off my six under full canvas moving 3 knots or so faster than my vessel. I had my hands full of sheet and the boat on autopilot so I gave him a look and forget, went back to trimming. Then I hear someone yelling "Captain, Captain, starboard!" The dude had his bow roller no more than 25 feet off my stern. People in the cockpit were gesturing wildly, and a gal pal was jumping up and down on the foredeck pointing me to windward. I locked the jib sheet down and turned to observe the spectacle of this committee of dumb. The boat edged closer, I was tight to the wind. At this point I could see the white of his eyes, which is a dangerous range if you are making a run at me. "You are the overtaking vessel" I reminded him in a near conversational level from our half-boat distance. "Starboard!" yelled gal pal. "Get your raggedy-ass boat out of the way". Hello darling. "You gonna run me down, or you gonna fall off 10 degrees", I asked, ignoring the foredeck yapper. I reached for the engine start key and prepared to spin out. He stopped talking and steered his boat port 20 degrees, with a crew of gesturing, animated, Navigation Experts still shouting obscenities. It isn't just the mobo guys who don't know the Rules of Navigation, there are ASA 100 graduates out there with their new sailboats. Learning all the Rules is so hard!
 

weinie

.
Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
Scott,
You misunderstood me. It's not so much WHICH tack, but the ACT of TACKING that annoys me.
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I never crew with women from New Jersey. High heels have no place on a sailboat.
How do your women handle lines with their long nails? I don't think I could deal with the Longuh Oiland accent! Noice! :poke:
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Scott,
You misunderstood me. It's not so much WHICH tack, but the ACT of TACKING that annoys me.
I hear ya, but it's not so much me that gets annoyed by tacking so much as it is my Jersey wife who gets annoyed every time I
make her disturb her place in the sun. :biggrin:
 

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
I hear ya, but it's not so much me that gets annoyed by tacking so much as it is my Jersey wife who gets annoyed every time I
make her disturb her place in the sun. :biggrin:
This is the only post in this thread that makes much sense to me. I guess we'll see weinie again when he returns from his circumcision. On a starboard tack.
 
  • Like
Likes: BlowMeAway