There could be a problem at a racing mark!

Channel Sailor

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You might need to zoom into see the detail. Observed yesterday. No, not engine failure because I saw them have a couple of tempts to attach a line.

I think the mark is Caldwell“s Estate Agents. I doubt a PRO would be expecting that.

1660207484468.jpeg
 

flaming

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A couple of times now we've arrived at a mark to find one of those little angling boats tied to it... Mostly seems to happen spring or autumn.

Another time a whole gaggle of about 10 of them managed to anchor about 10 boatlengths away from the mark on the exact line that everyone needed to take to the next mark with the kite up.... Then seemed rather upset, and quite sweary, when we sailed past them. Apparently we were frightening the fish....

Suggesting that near to a racing mark wasn't the best place to anchor if you didn't want racing boats to come past you seemed to fall on deaf ears....
 

Never Grumble

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A couple of times now we've arrived at a mark to find one of those little angling boats tied to it... Mostly seems to happen spring or autumn.

Another time a whole gaggle of about 10 of them managed to anchor about 10 boatlengths away from the mark on the exact line that everyone needed to take to the next mark with the kite up.... Then seemed rather upset, and quite sweary, when we sailed past them. Apparently we were frightening the fish....

Suggesting that near to a racing mark wasn't the best place to anchor if you didn't want racing boats to come past you seemed to fall on deaf ears....
You see these anglers moaning about this all the time on Face Book, why dont they go and fish somewhere else.
 

James_Calvert

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If the racers tied little flags to the ones set for course, then all of us could keep clear. They'd have to collect them afterwards...

Think I've seen that done in inland ponds.
 

The Q

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I've seen hire boats on The Norfolk Broads try to tie up to our racing marks.

Ours are like this but orange..1660212749223.png

Our current set don't even have weights on them, just a length of chain, all you need on a tideless broad. Not to good to moor to in a wind..
It's not unusual for an overnight moored Hire boat hanging off it's mud weight, in the middle of the broad, for the crew to wake late on a Sunday Morning to find a fleet of 30+ boats sailing round them...
 

Chiara’s slave

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Thats an RSYC mark, used Sat, Sun, Wednesday eve. Been round that one more than twice, as they say. I’m afraid to say that if they were dangling their tackle in the water, we’d take no notice at all.
 
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j80

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You see these racers moaning about non-racers all the time, why don't they go and race somewhere else? ;)
I am certain yours was a tongue in cheek remark and I am sure you are keen racer really and are employed by the forum owners to mix it up a bit with your provocative remarks - to elicit responses and thus increase page impressions. That said - I'll bite anyway - it's a hot day and replying is a quick distraction from work. ;)

Racers could race somewhere else - but specifically for their activity a mark has been laid - the clue is in the thread title - "racing mark" - and if we weren't racing in the Solent - it would appear that some "sailors" who do not race - and/or presumably do not do much sailing whilst based in the Solent - would have nothing to moan about whilst hammering away at their keyboards on forums - marked "yacht racing". There could be a similarity in people who continually drone on about inconsiderate behaviour of racers with those who sit in the overtaking lanes at 65 mph with clear lanes to their left with a long line of traffic behind them. A defiant bloody minded approach by this type of driver is maintained as they resolutely stay in the outside lane ( Ils ne passeront pas), even when inevitably they are undertaken and presented by the overtaking driver to their left, who with a weary shaking of the head presents a hand signal to suggest - they are indeed "number 1"

A lot of people just tie up where they want - on way back home from Cowes last week a guy fishing had tied up to the Calshot light float and probably wondered why inconsiderately we and several other yachts were getting close to his prime fishing spot :)

Have a nice day - if you are on the water I envy you - Cowes week racing withdrawal and being back to the grindstone is a challenge!
 

j80

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Wow, you did bite. ? Have a nice day, yourself.
I certainly did - I think extracting the hook from my gullet will be a complex painful process - might just have to take a view and snip the wire trace and hope for the best:D
 

Channel Sailor

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While you absorb that hook and trace. It was of not only the race implications. My thoughts when I saw that mooring and took the photo was;first a navigation mark obscured, then damage that might be done to the light on the top, and finally pondered why someone would do that. It did remind me that we are lucky enough to have a fairly unregulated leisure marine playground. One can simply buy a boat and take it on the water, well almost. Which is a good thing in someways. I did first sail without training, then realised I needed it.

But maybe one should not jump to conclusions. They could have been saving fuel (strong foul tide) to increase range limits to get home. Could be their engine was overheating (it was very hot that day), Or maybe they were avoiding anchoring because there is an underwater Neolithic settlement being excavated very close to that spot, though pretty unlikely.

As i said, it is not what any seafarer (including racer, PRO) would expect. But going on the water means you need to be on lookout for the unexpected and deal with it, without fuss so everyone has a good day.
 

Chiara’s slave

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That is not a nav mark, not in the slightest. It’s not a mooring buoy either, it has ground tackle only suitable for it's role as a thing we sail around. It’s also meant to be in a defined spot, according to several thousand Solent racer's GPS. If it’s dragged, it's a problem. If it’s broken, itks a bigger problem to me personally as my subscriptions help pay for the damn thing. The estate agents don't foot the whole bill, the club lay and maintain it. Casual mooring is not allowed under any circumstances at any time.
 

DFL1010

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A million years ago I used to work for Trinity House on their buoy tenders.

Captain decided that Cowes Week was a good time to do the Solent marks (!), and ended up lifting one that was a mark of the course. A lot of very confused IRC boats congregated in short order.


(Incidentally, it's an offence to make fast to a lightship, buoy or beacon; Merchant Shipping Act 1995, section 219. This, I'm told, dates back to when they were gas-powered lamps that could be extinguished by the atypical roll caused by vessels made fast).
 

awol

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I don't see a problem - just sail round them. The only question is does bouncing off the mobo count as hitting the mark? Hitting the mark's anchor rope doesn't count but I haven't seen a case covering an object anchored to the mark.
 

Chiara’s slave

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He’s just an obstruction, it’s true. The problem is probably for the mobo. When he sees the Yarmouth XOD fleet bearing down on him 6 abreast, kites up, he may be tempted to revise his mooring options.
 

The Q

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Today, I'm sailing the slowest boat in the fleet,.
I get to the final mark and.....
It not there.. it had been lifted prematurely.
 

Chiara’s slave

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The very first race after 5he 2020 lockdown ended we went round that mark. We were meant to be gojng to Prince Consort and back, but as it was blowing 25kn SW, they set a course, in their wisdom, Berthon, Hampstead Ledge, Berthon, Caldwell, Harbour East and finish. The wind increased, and berthon hadn’t been laid. From the lead, not wanting to ditch the race, we led the other 3 boats foolish enough to take part around one of the inshore marks, and sailed the rest of the course. over 2 hours in appalling conditions, then the race got abandoned after we’d all finished.
 

PetiteFleur

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Up the Deben a couple of weeks ago, saw a small 18' sailing boat tied to a racing mark with the two girl crew swimming. There was very little wind and they had moved when we returned later. Unlike the LARGE motor boat which used my swinging mooring for a few days a couple of winters ago, managed to move it which I had to get the boatyard to re-position it - at my expense of course...
 
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