Crossing racing fleet

[bastonjock]

i have in the past altered my course to avoid upsetting a race,but if the situation was such that i could not then i stick with the colregs,i ahev ahd the race organisers wizz up and thank me and as we all know politeness and good manners go a long way.

BUT if a bunch of racers have the attitude of "we are insured so its tough luck if we damage your boat "then all i can suggest is that they also make sure that their medical insurance is fully paid up as they will need it

 

[dylanwinter]

well said

Dave
The thing to remember is that a racing sailor may pass a lot closer and leave much less 'clearance' between boats than a cruising sailor may or be used to. As ultimately everyone is responsible for avoiding a collision, at some stage as 'stand on' vessel you may feel you need to take action to avoid an accident.

That is why when I can I will deconflict my boat from a racing fleet by taking a line away from what I guess to be the race course. :

well said - I agree

 

[DavidTav]

i didn't mean to cause such a stir with my post, but I must say that I have nothing against anyone racing. Normally i keep out of their way and that is usually fairly easily done. However it was rather different on Sunday, there were huge numbers of boats and a course adjustment of 5% or so wouldn't have cut the mustard. Although I agree with Guapa in many respects, I wonder what action he would take on my boat which is rather smaller and probably considerably slower? Although I don't mind the racing, I did think their actions on Sunday were rather antisocial and caused me some stress.

 

[Koeketiene]

Although I agree with Guapa in many respects, I wonder what action he would take on my boat which is rather smaller and probably considerably slower?

Good question.
Honest answer: I don't know.

Like so much - it depends. What was the wind like, how much water left beneath the keel, ...

 

[tillergirl]

With some trepidation can I add a comment? This was the first day of Mersea week and for a week loads of racers converge on the Island and have fiercely competitive sessions on a daily and weekly basis. There probably wasn't one racing fleet on this day but several all off on different times. Today there were smacks, sonatas, one designs, stellas all in separate reaces to say nothing of the racing cruisers. Normally the racing fleet off Mersea would be a fraction of the size and not cause anything like this problem. But it is only one week a year, ditto Ramsgate, ditto Burnham. I don't race but for me, I can accept the fact that its a special week to them and I will keep out of their way for that week. I'll be happier and so will they. I don't give a toss whether I am the stand on boat or not, they are trying to do what they enjoy and I'm going to let them. After all my fun really isn't going to be harmed by getting out of the way on what really is a short period of time. I think what the OP did was spot on.

 

[T_S]

Well the way I look at things it could be a whole lot worse, instead of repeating the same old issues over colregs we could be spitting feathers over these!

Which would you prefere?

 

[Koeketiene]

On the subject of colregs, ensigns and anchors everything there is to say has been said already - just not by everybody.

 

[T_S]

On the subject of colregs, ensigns and anchors everything there is to say has been said already - just not by everybody.

Oh well "Quel che sarà, sarà"

 

[Elemental]

With some trepidation can I add a comment? This was the first day of Mersea week and for a week loads of racers converge on the Island and have fiercely competitive sessions on a daily and weekly basis. There probably wasn't one racing fleet on this day but several all off on different times. Today there were smacks, sonatas, one designs, stellas all in separate reaces to say nothing of the racing cruisers. Normally the racing fleet off Mersea would be a fraction of the size and not cause anything like this problem. But it is only one week a year, ditto Ramsgate, ditto Burnham. I don't race but for me, I can accept the fact that its a special week to them and I will keep out of their way for that week. I'll be happier and so will they. I don't give a toss whether I am the stand on boat or not, they are trying to do what they enjoy and I'm going to let them. After all my fun really isn't going to be harmed by getting out of the way on what really is a short period of time. I think what the OP did was spot on.

I couldn't agree more. As a boating community we have to get along with each other. When I encounter a racing fleet I take pleasure in making sure that I navigate out of their way as smoothly and early as possible - just another navigational obstacle. It matters not that, if I were to stand on long enough, I would have rights over them. Why not just navigate away to avoid the potential collision situation before it even develops.

In another thread on this board someone was aggrieved when their way was infringed by a manoever that was contrary to the regs. But rather than taking rudimentary avoiding action they stood on - the end result was frayed tempers and bad feeling all round.

You're cruising, they're racing, why spoil their enjoyment and your own?

 

[CPD]

Like most here I think, I try to keep away from them. The other thing I also do, if I cant move away, is I make absolutely sure that I hold a steady course until they have passed through. I have never had any disagreeements with racers, however have been the stand on vessel whilst they raced by me, missing by rather too small a margin for my liking.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I agree with that too....

My only gripe is when positive action is utterly ignored.... or even worse, treated with contempt....

A couple of seasons ago, I had a racer bearing down on me, and I had rights as leeward boat.... when he got within hailing distance, I yelled that I'd keep clear as he was racing.... his response..... "good, because i'm not getting out of your way".....

The red mist descended, and so I informed him that I was now standing on, stood on, and made him duck me....

I have too raced for years, and will do my utmost to avoid impacting on someone elses race..... but I draw the line at being talked to in that way.... I sincerely hope he lost by 2 seconds on corrected time....

 

[AliM]

like everyone else, I'd rather keep clear of the racers if i can, and will tack early, or take a course that avoids them if it's possible to do so. Sometimes, when there are several different fleets or loads of racers taking different lines, like in the OP, then it does become quite fraught.

A month or two ago, we met the dragon and the squib racing fleet in the Crouch. The way the different courses were laid made us stand-on to the nearby squibs and give-way to the nearby dragons - several of each. I took strong exception to being sworn at by a squib for not giving way to him "because he was racing", which would have put us in a dangerous position for one of the dragons! We were gratified to get a friendly thank you from the dragon, though.

 

[Marmalade]

Just to be cussid - Dave; if you start the engine and motor without hoisting a cone then...
a) no-one knows you're a motorised craft under the colregs

b) you might make a course change (eg to windward) that no sailing boat could make and so thoroughly confuse boats who are trying to anticipate what you are doing

c) you place yourself (motoring sans cone) in a dodgy place vis a vis your insurers if there was a coming to.

I'm assuming, of course, that you didn't hoist a dayshape... or did you?

 

[DavidTav]

Hi - You have correctly identified the exact dilemna that was in my mind = I did not have time to hoist the motoring cone - The only sensible option was to start the engine and point for the largest gap - Im replying to you by pm as Im aware that this looks like a troll (which it is not) and I do not really want to stretch it any further _ cheers David

 

[DavidTav]

Sorry - thought I was replying by pm

 

[Koeketiene]

Just to be cussid - Dave; if you start the engine and motor without hoisting a cone then...
a) no-one knows you're a motorised craft under the colregs

b) you might make a course change (eg to windward) that no sailing boat could make and so thoroughly confuse boats who are trying to anticipate what you are doing

c) you place yourself (motoring sans cone) in a dodgy place vis a vis your insurers if there was a coming to.

I'm assuming, of course, that you didn't hoist a dayshape... or did you?

Can of worms anyone?

 

[Gargleblaster]

Last week I travelled to the dark side [The Solent] and crewed on a 52' boat drawing over 7'. We were cruising as part of a club rally. On our approach to Poole Harbour under full sail [well before the chain ferry], we were approached by one of those extra large ribs flying a very large RYA flag and ordered to get out of the way as a power boat race was coming through. I was almost apoplectic as I thought of seeing motor boats ploughing through fleets of Optimists on the Crouch sailed by kids between 9 and 12, with no such protection from the RYA. I would immediately have cancelled my RYA subscription except I had already cancelled it 3 months previously over another matter.

It is all a matter of courtesy and the way it is done. Someone has already mentioned the Dragons on the Crouch, I have always found the majority of them will give a 'thank you' or wave in acknowledgement when you try to get out of their way and I have often been in a position of having to sail through their start line [minutes before the start] and for them to give me clearance. Courtesy costs little.