Dave Marsh "testing times"

[blueglass]

he proceeded to lecture the skipper of this yacht in the finer points of the ColRegs for several minutes after which the skipper of the yacht apologised profusely. It was delicious
So sailing yachts do NOT have a God given right to tack in a narrow channel or fairway and they must respect the ColRegs like any other boat. David Marsh is absolutely right in what he said

+1 and succinctly put. I would have paid serious money to have been there to hear that VHF interchange!

 

[blueglass]

that old stupid chestnut about mobos losing steerage if they slow down.[/B]

In fairness to Dave Marsh he didn't say that. He said the planing boat would be blown around in the wind if it STOPPED. It would, wouldn't it?

 

[superheat6k]

As an ex racing yachtie, I can remember being p**sed when the gin palaces went by, but when I was a yachtie I did not understand about the difference between planing & displacement wash, why would I.

If you are racing you take your chances that any thing affecting your race passage could by equal chance hinder you, or instead your competitor, so this comes down to the chance of the race the yacht has entered - some will gain and some will loose, but this is a random shot so all start with equal chance in this regard. The loser will of course be annoyed but rarely will they blame their lack of race progress on their own shortcomings of how to sail and properly trim their yacht.

If you have had the peasure of navigating through busy multiple racing fleets it soon become obvious there is no passage you can take that will satisfy everyone, so in that situation remember your public right to navigate is the same as theirs, so as long as you have due regard for safe speed, and provide the best swerving clearance you can, and always always politely wave as you go by, bearing in mind the next won't be so far away that is all you can do.

If you can recognise where the wind is then try to stay to leeward, and if passing between two yachts close to one another then stay closer to the leeward side vessel you are passing, as your wash will always roll further to windward.

Finally the thing most dinghy sailors do not realise is that their 12" draft, does truly mean you are often in any larger boat, constrained by your draft when in a river or channel with moorings and restricted depth around you, and any vessel overtaking be it dinghy or superyacht must stand clear of the vessel it is overtaking. I am careful not only to obey harbour speed limits but also the second stated and equally important requirement to restrict wash.

At the end of the day it is jealousy, they just do not realise it (yet !) but they will, eventually - I for one am not going back to the rags !