Due Diligence

[ToMo]

Re: Bit of a fallacy on high speed/small wake imho

Go and get yerself a couple of them there side paddle wheels like they used to have, before that jumped up engineer went and spoilt everything!.....if yer put gurt big blades on em (like Bodaeca) yer can cause even more madness and mayhem.
TôMö

 

[DepSol]

Passenger vessels are worse

Try St. Peter Port, we have Condor Vitesse and Express, Emmeraudes Solidor 3, 4 and 5, Commodore Goodwill and one other cant remember the name, Mongo Pongo Isis and Brechou 1, Herm tridents, Herm Ferries, Sark Bonventure, Brechou Chief, several large fishing vessels and other freighters all who create a huge wash do not really give a hoot about the speed limit and charge around in a small area with a refuelling pontoon. Dont see us moaning! oops I just have! ;-)

Dom


I just want my boat back in the water ;-(

 

[tcm]

Re: Volvo drivers

um, "unlucky" seems a very charitable description KevB? I've been done for speeding - "a stupid git" is what I called myself, and that was when caught on open empty roads.

Suppose this novice driver smashes into a pedestrian, a cyclist, a motorcyclist....would one say to the victim "well, don't be out on the road if you can't deal with the wash" - or would one say that the driver who caused the incident was incompetent or at least inconsiderate?

On motorbikes, "volvo drivers" is an all-embracing term for car drivers who are indeed driving within the law, but without any consideration for other less vulnerable people on the wrong side of those concrete bumpers.

Currently, more than a few powerboaties seem to be behaving in the same way from the comfort of their own seagoing "volvos".

This doesn't mean that one should be forever hated for driving a particular vehicle - provided that one doesn't claim that one's chosen means of transport is actually designed with inconsideration in mind. Sadly, it seems that some car car drivers and some powerboaters ignore motorcycles and yotties...because they can. Only the current lack of regulation allows the responses to the issue of wake from some quarters that "if you can't deal with it you shouldn't be out there" which are indefensible imho: if a 30+knot car drove over a wobbling child cyclist doing 4 knots - "They shouldn't have been there if they can't deal with it!" mite not go down too well, and I wouldn't try it.

Inconsideration of car drivers eventually led to higher levels of regulation. Eventually, when it transpired that even car manufacturers felt free to use the M1 as a test track, it was obvious that self-regulation was not working, so blanket speed limits became more widespread. At a slightly less dangerous level, and somewhat monster parking fines rather than common sense or self-regulation eventually stopped cars from double-parking on the Holloway road and backing up the M1.

A few fast powerboats here and there won't force speed limits, but if it seems (and it might) that the powerboat press, the powerboat manufacturers and lots of instructors (hello peters in chichester) all continue to insist that it's a minor or non-issue....then car-wise, we may be in a 1920's "golden era" before compulsory driving licences, MOT's, blanket speed limits and so on. I understand that car drivers used to continue after an accident, hence the quanit ruile that one must stop - cos before it was a rule, cars didn't. Others were "in the way" and "should have seen them" and "shouldn 't be out on the road".

The increasing size and speed of mainstream powerboats that can cause more wash to more people. Yes, going faster makes more wash cos MORE slow boats see that wash. This increasing size and speed makes this more important now than 10 or 20 yrs ago, imho.

If a few loonies were stopped and "lookere sonny" then I belive it would elminate/massively reduce dangerous occurences and (I think) would be a whole load better than blanket massive regulation. The naysayers think that they're doing a fab job at achieving the same target by ignoring or denying that there's any real problem - and there isn't mostly.... except when there is.

But first, I hear, there's a "seasense" program, which i hope will work very well.

 

[oldgit]

Re: Volvo drivers

Stinkies suffer too.
It is V. difficult to drink your whine when you need one hand to hold on,one to clutch your glass,one foot to stop the bottle falling over and one foot to stand on.While reassuring your guests that it not always like this, and the monster(Always the big ones) iceberg type boat prob did not see you at anchor.Could it be that many new owners did not start of with mini type boat and have no idea of mayhem caused by impressive WOT past moored craft even if passing half mile away.

 

[tcm]

Re: Volvo drivers

Think you're right. "Entry level" now much bigger and lots of them don't sit at anchor in vulnerable places.

 

[Bergman]

Re: Sold!

Had reservations but on reflection think you have a point.
Where I sail there isn’t a problem so praps not best qualified to comment.

But I never let that stand in my way before

So - my thoughts on the TCM Convention of Nautical Rights (and Wrongs)

1 Speed limits:

Inner zones (unless different one exists) 8 knots
Water depth less than 3 meters (LAT) 8 knots
Water depth 3 – 10 meters 12 knots
Water depth 10 – 20 meters 25 knots
Water depth >20 Unlimited

2 Open water 100m clearance for yachts
Less than 100 m clearance speed limit 12 knots.
Positive early indication that power boat has seen yacht – like -
don’t aim straight at it doing 35kts and execute 90deg turn 100 m away- (not a wash issue – heart attack!)

60 deg sounds good. Maybe less would do.

Don’t know what you want from sailing boats in return – existing penalties of being rammed, swamped, sunk, or having your domestic appliances broken would seem an adequate deterrent.

Not too bothered whether pass ahead or astern as long as I know I’ve been seen and avoided - preferably in time to batten down my telly.

Never come across “orbiting” but don’t like sound of it.

I doubt RNLI would want to get involved

Maybe local marinas would publicise

Dunno who would fund people wizzing about in ribs all day bollocking miscreants - so maybe just a code of practice published in mags to start with.

Could move on to a criminals forum where we give details of crimes and boats and then we all send abusive and offensive responses.

 

[MikeBrazier]

Due Diligence is pictured in the latest MBM on page 87, or at least its transom is, with two little dogs peering out. It seems it was at the Royal Southern Yacht Weekend with the group from MBM.

 

[KevB]

Re: Volvo drivers

Oo er, Well that's me truly buggered. I ride a motorbike to work (400 miles a week) and I own a Volvo T4. And to make matters worse I dare to own a motorboat and use it in the Solent. I must have done something really nasty in a previous life!

Can we add to your rules that a saily boat can't tac in front of a motorboat that is within 25mtrs of the saily things stern, if the tac means the saily thing will cross the bow of the motorboat?

 

[castaway]

Re: Volvo drivers

Hi Kev

Thought this one had died but was still hoping that D/D might reply to say he was going to get some new specs and go on a boat handling course.

I also use a bike to get to work and pleasure (FJ1200) and although I dont exactly potter around, if Im cutting through the trafffic, I am very aware that Im on my own, that is If I cock up everybody is going to look on and say supid b****ger.

Therefore I always look around and think what effect I m having on that traffic in general.

Fast motor boats should do the same.

There is a huge difference between a yacht tacking often in a confined space and a MB charging through with the driver wearing blinkers.

I must say Ive very rarely seen a yacht do this ........although I think we all suffer from the dinghy fleets a bit. But then what about PWC! yuk.

Have a good weekend, Nick

 

[KevB]

Re: Volvo drivers

Thankfully most of 'us' (yotties and stinkies) realise what is acceptable behaviour on the water and rely on the odd ar$e hole to keep the Yachts v's Motorboats banter alive.