When right-of-way goes wrong

[Eric on board Selah]

COLREGS and Regattas

I would like to know where this quote comes from, Jim, "Vessels in a Regatta are always considered the stand on boat". I want to know if this is really a rule or an attitude.

 

[Eric on board Selah]

Regatta Mind Set

I had company on my boat one day while sailing and came becalmed while crossing behind a pack in a Regatta, intending to stay behind them and out of their way out of courtesy. We sat in the water and waited for the breeze. But the Regatta had wind and they came back around and were coming our way, slowly, in the light wind, but surely.As we stood there, still becalmed, the 3 leaders came straight towards us. They closed and closed, despite shouts from us of "Leeward", they kept coming, made no move to indicate they were changing course, no wave or acknowledgment, ignoring us. They closed until they were 40-50 feet off, then changed slightly enough to not actually hit us. My guests, including children, were frightened. The regatta sailors gave us dirty looks, as they passed at 30 feet. I guess we should have stayed off their waterway.I think we sailors like to bash power boaters, but we too mold the rules around our own attitudes. I would like to add to the rules my own, which is to first try to avoid the potential collission proximity in the first place and make it irrelevant and then, second, try to always find a way to be the "give way" vessel.

 

[Eric on board Selah]

Regatta Mind Set

I had company on my boat one day while sailing and came becalmed while crossing behind a pack in a Regatta, intending to stay behind them and out of their way out of courtesy. We sat in the water and waited for the breeze. But the Regatta had wind and they came back around and were coming our way, slowly, in the light wind, but surely.As we stood there, still becalmed, the 3 leaders came straight towards us. They closed and closed, despite shouts from us of "Leeward", they kept coming, made no move to indicate they were changing course, no wave or acknowledgment, ignoring us. They closed until they were 40-50 feet off, then changed slightly enough to not actually hit us. My guests, including children, were frightened. The regatta sailors gave us dirty looks, as they passed at 30 feet. I guess we should have stayed off their waterway.I think we sailors like to bash power boaters, but we too mold the rules around our own attitudes. I would like to add to the rules my own, which is to first try to avoid the potential collission proximity in the first place and make it irrelevant and then, second, try to always find a way to be the "give way" vessel.

 

[Eric on board Selah]

Regatta Mind Set

I had company on my boat one day while sailing and came becalmed while crossing behind a pack in a Regatta, intending to stay behind them and out of their way out of courtesy. We sat in the water and waited for the breeze. But the Regatta had wind and they came back around and were coming our way, slowly, in the light wind, but surely.As we stood there, still becalmed, the 3 leaders came straight towards us. They closed and closed, despite shouts from us of "Leeward", they kept coming, made no move to indicate they were changing course, no wave or acknowledgment, ignoring us. They closed until they were 40-50 feet off, then changed slightly enough to not actually hit us. My guests, including children, were frightened. The regatta sailors gave us dirty looks, as they passed at 30 feet. I guess we should have stayed off their waterway.I think we sailors like to bash power boaters, but we too mold the rules around our own attitudes. I would like to add to the rules my own, which is to first try to avoid the potential collission proximity in the first place and make it irrelevant and then, second, try to always find a way to be the "give way" vessel.

 

[Eric on board Selah]

Regatta Mind Set

I had company on my boat one day while sailing and came becalmed while crossing behind a pack in a Regatta, intending to stay behind them and out of their way out of courtesy. We sat in the water and waited for the breeze. But the Regatta had wind and they came back around and were coming our way, slowly, in the light wind, but surely.As we stood there, still becalmed, the 3 leaders came straight towards us. They closed and closed, despite shouts from us of "Leeward", they kept coming, made no move to indicate they were changing course, no wave or acknowledgment, ignoring us. They closed until they were 40-50 feet off, then changed slightly enough to not actually hit us. My guests, including children, were frightened. The regatta sailors gave us dirty looks, as they passed at 30 feet. I guess we should have stayed off their waterway.I think we sailors like to bash power boaters, but we too mold the rules around our own attitudes. I would like to add to the rules my own, which is to first try to avoid the potential collission proximity in the first place and make it irrelevant and then, second, try to always find a way to be the "give way" vessel.

 

[Dave]

Give Way Versus Stand On

Gentlemen,How about if you are the give way boat but you think you can cross and just make it. Once you are abeam of the stand on vessel can you just turn 90 degrees so that the stand on vessel now becomes an overtaking vessel and thus you swap positions so he has to be the give way vessel. Is this an acceptable maneuver? Will the other vessel get really mad? What if there is a collision? In a race this would probably be acceptable in a tacking duel for instance. But how about in normal sailing scenario?Dave

 

[Dave]

Give Way Versus Stand On

Gentlemen,How about if you are the give way boat but you think you can cross and just make it. Once you are abeam of the stand on vessel can you just turn 90 degrees so that the stand on vessel now becomes an overtaking vessel and thus you swap positions so he has to be the give way vessel. Is this an acceptable maneuver? Will the other vessel get really mad? What if there is a collision? In a race this would probably be acceptable in a tacking duel for instance. But how about in normal sailing scenario?Dave

 

[Dave]

Give Way Versus Stand On

Gentlemen,How about if you are the give way boat but you think you can cross and just make it. Once you are abeam of the stand on vessel can you just turn 90 degrees so that the stand on vessel now becomes an overtaking vessel and thus you swap positions so he has to be the give way vessel. Is this an acceptable maneuver? Will the other vessel get really mad? What if there is a collision? In a race this would probably be acceptable in a tacking duel for instance. But how about in normal sailing scenario?Dave

 

[Dave]

Give Way Versus Stand On

Gentlemen,How about if you are the give way boat but you think you can cross and just make it. Once you are abeam of the stand on vessel can you just turn 90 degrees so that the stand on vessel now becomes an overtaking vessel and thus you swap positions so he has to be the give way vessel. Is this an acceptable maneuver? Will the other vessel get really mad? What if there is a collision? In a race this would probably be acceptable in a tacking duel for instance. But how about in normal sailing scenario?Dave

 

[Ross]

I am not sure how the other vessel would feel

but if I were her skipper I mught fire a shot across your bow. ;D

 

[Ross]

I am not sure how the other vessel would feel

but if I were her skipper I mught fire a shot across your bow. ;D

 

[Ross]

I am not sure how the other vessel would feel

but if I were her skipper I mught fire a shot across your bow. ;D

 

[Ross]

I am not sure how the other vessel would feel

but if I were her skipper I mught fire a shot across your bow. ;D

 

[SailboatOwners.com]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending December 17, 2007:I should have the right of way if...68% I’m sailing to leeward of another boat sailing26% I’m sailing to windward of another boat sailing05% My boat's bigger than the other one04% I’m motor sailing and the other guy is just motoring1,058 owners responding

 

[jimq26]

Wow - so many wrong answers.

That number doesn't reflect well on the sailing community. Nearly one third of us don't know the right of way rules (stand on boat).

 

[Warren Milberg]

I just read a great article

in the current issue of "Good Old Boat," by Tech Editor Jerry Powlas, on this subject. In that article, Jerry discusses the over-arching "Golden Rule," which goes like this: "Don't hit anything, and don't let anything hit you." While I never had a name for it, this is precisely what I do whilst afloat. Jerry also names and discusses "The Big Boat Rule." As the name implies, this rule states that if the boat is bigger than you, and you can't harm it, it is not going to give way to you under any circumstance so you may as well just get out of its way -- and do it early and clealy. I do that, too.Happy, and safe, holidays to all....

 

[Capt Ron;-)]

Warren,

Very good advice.

 

[townpiper]

Bueno, Warren!!!

What's the "Right" Answer?

 

[townpiper]

Bueno, Warren!!!

What's the "Right" Answer?

 

[Captain Andrew]

Right of Way

Folks,The only time a vessel has "Right of Way" is when the vessel is proceeding down-bound with a following current on waters designated by the "Secretary" of the Coast Guard.