Brilliance Of The Sea

Colvic Watson said:
Coming in on Saturday, we kept 10m outside each red, behind us the mooooooooohasive Ivan container ship something or other, no horns, and we were scrupulously but only just outside the channel. Along comes the HHA boat and I swear did three very tight turns around us then kept itself between us and the Ivan something. Very aggressive behaviour.
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Did you report him to Harwich VTS?
 
Stork_III said:
Did you report him to Harwich VTS?
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I felt like doing just that, but to be honest we were having too much fun, big chute, too much wind and a spanking run into the harbour and the HHA boys were clearly having a lot of fun in their pilot type boat circling us. I did wonder if they were trying to write something rude using their AIS track. I'd mended my horn since the debacle in Poole and had to give if five big blows several times for yachts that had forgotten which way to turn when boats are approaching each other.
 
Erbas said:
I'm curious, when they failed to raise the yacht on 71, did they not try 16?
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My thoughts exactly at the time but they didn't they sent a pilot boat across and asked them to call VTS on 71.

it was a cracking Sailing Day, it's a while since I have seen so many yachts on the Orwell/Stour.
 
nigelm said:
Maybe the yacht didn't have a working radio
Maybe the crew were all a bit new to sailing
Maybe there was other issues that we are unaware of
This naming & shaming lark gets up my nose , like none of us have ever made mistakes .
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Harwich VTS is always very good and of course there are incidents as there as so many leisure boats in the area, some without radios or knowledge of what channel they should be listening too. I have heard other tales and often hear stuff on the radio which leaves me absolutely certain some big ships seem to believe they have special rights solely because of their status. Some take themselves much too seriously and then demand VTS take action. Unfortunately this is becoming more common.
 
To be honest Toyboy, a big merchant ship in a designated channel does have priority over a sailing boat. Colreg rule about narrow channel will apply regardless of any day shapes that may or may not have been displayed. However agree that having a VHF on board isn't a requirement so VTS cannot assume everyone has the means to listen to 71 or 16 either. This example does show the crossing boat to be pretty stupid and if they are lurking on this forum they should be extremely embarassed. Ignorance of the basic colregs isn't a defence.
 
Alchemist V274 said:
Ignorance of the basic colregs isn't a defence.
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Shame the yacht sailing back into the Blackwater on Saturday on starboard (but a dead run) didn't engage brain before screaming at me about keeping a lookout (starboard tack close hauled)... I had seen him several hundred yards away and was watching him, and a boat length clearance was more than adequate behind his stern....
 
Gladys said:
Shame the yacht sailing back into the Blackwater on Saturday on starboard (but a dead run) didn't engage brain before screaming at me about keeping a lookout (starboard tack close hauled)... I had seen him several hundred yards away and was watching him, and a boat length clearance was more than adequate behind his stern....
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If I've got this worked out right, surely be must have been the windward boat?
 
Saw a yacht at the entrance to Calais pass under the bows of a P&O ferry a couple of weeks ago. Port Control and the ship called on 16 and the port channel (escapes me at the moment) and the yacht ignored/wasn't listening. Ship had to apply the brakes (the entrance is not huge) and wait whike the yacht passed from one side of the channel to the other!
The ship was heard later to ask Port Control to speak to the master of the yacht. It was so blatant I expected to smell roasting flesh later but the only screams I heard were from the funfair next to the marina.
 
pks1702 said:
As indicated it is not form to name and shame and have not;
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Hi Perry
Although we've steered clear of naming and shaming here - HHA WILL name and shame.

Twice a year HHA and the local clubs/marinas/planners etc meet at the Harwich Haven Authority Leisure Vessels Navigation Committee.
The Harbourmastes (Harwich & Ipswich) take this opportunity to summarise any close quarters incidents (between commercial vessels or commercial and leisure vessels) and their follow up actions
so that lessons learned can be passed on to local clubs.
The official minutes are publicly available via the HHA web site
And my minutes get distributed to the sailing club that we we have in common ;)

Yesterday's incident will turn up in November's meeting

-----------

Colin
 
On a similar note...

On Saturday we saw the Stenna ship exiting the Stour.
There were many sail boats in the harbour so the Ship gave two short blasts on the horn.
It was obvious to locals that this was a cautionary blast just to make skippers aware.
BUT
Two short blast implies an imminent turn to Port. i.e. turning toward Ipswich while, in fact, it would turn to starboard

whoa !! - I'm off on a COLREGs tangent
 
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