Cal Mac ferries and jet ski's!!!

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Cal Mac ferries and jet ski\'s!!!

BBC Scotland news at lunch time ran an item regarding concerns expressed by skippers of the Cal Mac Arrdrossan-Brodick ferry regarding jet ski's playing in their wash whilst on passage to and from Arran.

I was out sailing last week when I heard the "caledonian Isles" advising Clyde Coastguard that he was turning back to investigate a jet ski that had disappeared in his stern wake!!!

The sooner these things are banned the better and safer we all will be!

Paul.
 
Re: Cal Mac ferries and jet ski\'s!!!

Yes, Ferries. Cal-Mac do have more than one ferry - well they did at the last count.
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Re: Cal Mac ferries and jet ski\'s!!!

They even have 2 ferries on the Ardrossan-Brodick route at the moment: the Saturn is running additional summer services.
 
Re: Cal Mac ferries and jet ski\'s!!!

The guys on the Calmac ferries must get fed up sometimes. Up the Kyles we often hear the Clyde CG asking for any vessel in the Ardrossan area.

Happened on sunday pm a Pan Pan for an unidentified red flare that was reported. Silence then, almost resignedly the OOW answered...that they were in the area. Clyde CG must have the timetable open in front of them.

Luckily the red flare was later reported as being let off inland so they were let off this time. But for every boat that runs out of fuel etc etc etc they seem to be the only vessel to respond.

Donald
 
Re: Cal Mac ferries and jet ski\'s!!!

Is this a complelement for Cal-Mac? I thought they were the Scottish equivalent to Starbucks and Microsoft.
 
Re: Cal Mac ferries and jet ski\'s!!!

Calmac are behind Northlink who run the new Orkney and Shetland ferries. I have to say I much preferred the old P&O St Clair on the Shetland run.

Can't comment on their West Coast and Clyde ferries.
 
Re: Cal Mac ferries and jet ski\'s!!!

We've seen them deliberately and repeatedly dive across the bow wave, yes, across the bow like dolphins, of the Arran ferry, and this was at least two or three miles out.

It puts the skipper and the helmsman into an invidious position. Even if the crew know these prats are there (which they probably don't), what's the ship supposed to do? Give in to "blackmail" and slow down and stop? On the other hand, there must be a strong chance of a fatality.

They're too far out for the police to catch them, and identification must be very difficult.
 
Re: Cal Mac ferries and jet ski\'s!!!

Oh no. Calmac are pretty [--word removed--]. It's just that in the Ardrossan area they are always standing by yachts & jet-skis etc when they run into trouble.

Donald
 
Should I see a doctor?

Maybe I'm naive, or not aware of what's going on around me, but the incident above (PWCs jumping through the ferry bow wave) is the only time I've seen real dickhead behaviour by PWCs. Rest of the time, they tootle about out of the way of other boats, swimmers etc. Personally I find the noise irritating, and the whole thing a bit intrusive, but then, I've only noticed it while promenading in Rothesay, Dunoon, Largs, or exploring the faded charms of some other former Clyde resort. We never, never, see 'em in the places we sail to.

Same with RIBs and MOBOs. Apart from a couple of moments of minor daftness, which I am not immune to myself, nothing but best behaviour. In Loch Linnhe, Lynn of Lorn etc, they slow down when passing yachts, and relations are positive.

Should I see a doctor?
 
Optician?

A few appeared a couple of years ago in the Kyles, but have never come back.

Probably 'cos of the distance to trail them is too long - and Loch Lomond seems to have sorted itself out again with speed limits.

They are multiplying in Rothesay. Odd because its a ferry trip over...

Donald
 
Re: Optician?

I understand that MoBos have proliferated in Gairloch but that is down to the fact that fuel is available there but few other places locally. I've only seen one or two PWCs at all and that was at Sheildaig's village bash last year.
 
Re: Jetskis on LL.

[ QUOTE ]
and Loch Lomond seems to have sorted itself out again with speed limits.


[/ QUOTE ]

Don't think thats true, Spent the weekend on Loch Lomond, and i have too say its the busiest i've seen it with Jetski's. New restrictions down the loch, has merely shifted the skis up the loch a bit into a smaller area, and thus i think making it more dangerous. For the first time in four years of boating on Loch Lomond, i had to start dodging jetskis!

Al.
 
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