Captions and Comments?

[bilbobaggins]

I have just added the Chanel de Ferlas as one of the most hazardous places on the seven seas - in company with the Horn of Africa, Corrievreckan, and the LeMaire Strait.

Under sail a few days ago, going with wind and tide....

Pse. excuse the camera shake!

 

[Hoolie]

Sheet - or should it be merde?

 

[seamaster30]

Although it seems from the pictures the guy in the motor boat didn't give you much room, without speaking to him we have no idea if it was a mistake, bad judgement, bad attitude, or he was completely un-aware of you being there.
None of which puts him in the right, but I am astounded that you seem to have put yourself if what seems a dangerous position but steadfastly asserting your 'rights' when you were fully aware of the situation.
More fool you.

Sorry if I have misread the situation from your pictures.

 

[ytd]

From your pictures he missed you by at least 2m. How much clearance do you need? Wash didn't look too bad - and he had plenty of fenders out.

 

[laurance]

Seems to me this sort of situation is all too easy to find oneself in going with wind and tide and with vessels crossing, altering course the steering can be sluggish; may involve a gybe; and your course will then be across tide, possibly a strong one; situations with other vessels develop and resolve rapidly. There is an understandable reluctance to take action under these circumstances in accordance with the rules. Mr Baggins should have registered his growing concern to the catamaran with his signalling equipment, and perhaps he did, but the average yachts' horn as we are all aware may well have not penetrated the roar of his engines. Without the sound signal we are left in a void, with the colregs phrase 'as soon as it becomes clear....' (that the Catamaran was not taking action) really not a very precise point.
Mr Baggins responded as I think most of us would: disbelief and righteousness overcoming our finer judgement. I may have given the Catamarans' skipper a discreet hand signal too!

 

[oldharry]

I went on a trip boat frpom Quiberon to Morbihan a few years back that did exactly the same thing: after coming dangerously close to a yacht, with a fair bit of hooting and an exchange of french expletives, the trip boat skipper came on the p.a. explaining that local rules forbid any private craft from obstructing commercial boats.

How they square that with Colregs is probably a typically french 'tant pis'

 

[bbg]

Wow. I saw the photos and was about to post something humourous about the number of fenders. At least I thought it might be humourous, and I assumed the purpose of your post was to say that this must be a dangerous place because of the number of fenders this guy seems to think he needs.
Then I read the other posts and it seems everyone thinks this was a close shave! My thoughts:
In the first photo he doesn't seem to be pointing anywhere near you.
We have no idea of the relative speed / direction of your boat.
Assuming you stood on, and made no changes to speed or direction, he did comply with the colregs by not hitting you.
Camera was clearly zoomed - leading to foreshortening (making the ferry look closer than it would in real life).
If you haven't visited Lorient yet, trying tacking out of the harbour and I suspect you'll get at least one encounter that close, if not several.

 

[aslabend]

wouldn't even be considered close in portsmouth harbour entrance....