Fishing boat nearly runs me down!!!

[starboard]

Returning to Troon from Arran on Wednesday I had the fright of my life!!!....Sailing along singlehanded I was tracking about 075 at a speed of 5.5kts, the wind was SW F5-6 with a large swell and the boat was coping well under no2 head sail alone and being controlled by the autopilot. At about 5 miles from Troon I noticed a fishing vessel astern and slightly to the south on a converging course also returning to Troon. As this was slowly overhauling me but underpower and overtaking vessel I was happy to maintain my course as stand on vessel. At a distance of 0.5nm the vessel was still gaining and appeared not to be altering course and it was becoming eveident she was going to come very close. at this stage I went below to get the fog-horn as I felt that she was probably steaming along with no one in the wheel-house. At a range now of 100metres she was heading direct fior my stern and a collision was imminent.....I then started to blow the fog-horn and get ready to alter course, after 30 seconds the fishing boats engine altered and she altered 80 degrees to starboard averting the imminent collision, she then passed about 80 meters down my starboard side and continueed her passage to Troon......I called her on CH16 and CH 74 the local F/V chat channel but in neither case did she respond.......after the incident I was pretty shaken and debated wether I should have reported it to Clyde C/G, when I called her on CH16 I stated that she had nearly run me down and suggested that she maintain a better look out!!! the C/.g must have heard this transmission but never responded!! To those of yopu that sail the Clyde, the vessel is the "Fairmorn V" BA19, she had no one in the wheel house as all the crew were on the aft deck sorting the catch, all this whilst steaming towards a busy port at about 8kts!!

Paul.

 

[Cornishman]

It must have been quite fright, but you should not be surprised. In the SW of England I learned many years ago that fishermen believe they have some sort of relief from observing IRPCS, especially when keeping a lookout. More than one of them has come to grief on rocks for failing to keep watch when returning to port. And they say that it is the most hazardous job in the world, but IMHO many of the hazards they meet are self generated.
The fact that their fishing cones are often welded to the rigging is evidence enough that they believe themselves to be "engaged in fishing" at all times, sometimes even when hauled out on the quayside, and we should keep well clear. Similarly, you can observe many a fishing vessel's "engaged in fishing/trawling" lights come on automatically when they start the engine, and cannot be switched off.
My advice is to treat them with the greatest of care at all times.

 

[starboard]

Only last month here at Troon another fishing vessel ran up the Mill rocks as she steamed back home......the crew admitted all to being asleep.........so yes I fully agree with your comments but that is no excuse for their behaviour and maybe it is about time something was done about it before lives are lost!!!!

paul.

 

[oldharry]

Making up the Solent about 2.5 miles west of Chichester yesterday morning, a fishing boat approached on a more or less reciprocal course to clear my port side by at least 200m. Without warning he made a right angle turn directly across my course while apparently streaming fishing gear, and steamed directly across my track. Although I was 'stand on', under sail, and he was approaching from my port, to avoid a colission I was forced to act to avoid hitting him as he clearly had no intention of giving way.

As soon as he had crossed my track he stopped streaming gear and resumed his former course parallel to mine.

Deliberate, or just not watching what he was doing?

 

[maxi77]

Firstly yes the Coastguard may well be aware as a result of your radio message, but considering they are underpaid and over worked do you really think they will do anything if the injured party cant be bothered making a formal complaint, if you don't care that much why should they.

Yes the fishing boat was in the wrong, but since God invented fishermen they have never been the best at obeying the rules, so perhaps one may be safer not waiting until you are almost run down before taking avoiding action

 

[FrancisRutter]

These episodes should be reported to 'Chirp' with as much detail as possible.

 

[Dyflin]

[ QUOTE ]
These episodes should be reported to 'Chirp' with as much detail as possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

Was just about to say the same thing, clicky

From my experience of Dutch fishermen (to compare with another nation) they called us up and confirmed if their course was ok with us and stayed well clear. But then they tend to have much stricter enforcement of the rules in Holland...

 

[bedouin]

Err - if he was streaming his gear doesn't that make him stand-on and you give-way?

 

[knewboater]

Nothing new in what you say fishing boats seem to have rules we don`t know about.
Last August sailing just north of but out of the separation lanes coming from Cherbourg, a fishing boat crossed our bows coming from the east just missing us and then when he was 1/2 mile to the west of us he turned straight for us and would have hit us if we had not turned rapidly around, there was noone in the wheelhouse he was not fishing (maybe cleaning the catch)and probably didn`t know what was going on,perhaps fishing boat from Dartmouth would look in his log for 6th August 07 at 1830hrs to see if he was on lookout.!!!!!
RGH

 

[earlybird]

I'm very cynical about fishing boats, especially when I sailed in the Irish Sea, where I formed the view that on the occasions that they did have someone on the wheel, their mission was to inconvenience leisure boats as much as possible. To be fair, now I'm in Scottish waters, I've found them better behaved. Separately, about 3 weeks ago, a trawler leaving the local port of Whitehaven missed the exit and ran straight into the quay at considerable speed. The previous night must have been a good one!

 

[ytd]

I have found in Tasmanian waters that lobster boats actually steam straight at you to make you alter course and so avoid their line of (unmarked) pots. I would never try and enforce a right of way with a fishing boat.

 

[whipper_snapper]

I have also seen a fishing boat steam straight into the lock gates at Liverpool. And I have been T-boned by a trawler while tied to a wall in Holyhead.

 

[Scheherazade]

Standard of boat handling (with lots of noise, froth and speed) by a fishing boat nearly had us abandoning ship whilst tied up in Troon Marina last week. They seem to relish the bigger target of three hulls. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[rickp]

[ QUOTE ]
The fact that their fishing cones are often welded to the rigging is evidence enough that they believe themselves to be "engaged in fishing" at all times

[/ QUOTE ]

Is it just me that finds it ironic that this complaint is leveled at fisherman (ie. that they're claiming rights to which they're not due by showing the day shape when not fishing), when lots of yachties do the same (ie. claim rights to which they're not due because they don't hoist a motoring cone)?

Rick

 

[fireball]

oooOOOOooo you stirrer!!

 

[rickp]

[ QUOTE ]
oooOOOOooo you stirrer!!

[/ QUOTE ]

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Just wondering how it feels when the boot is on the other foot /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Not that it excuses the downright dangerous behaviour of the fishing boats concerned. I've seen them doing similar to motorboats too.

Rick

 

[maxi77]

Many moons ago when I was being trained as a bridge watchkeeping officer in Her Majesty's black war canoes I was taught that as we were a one compartment ship (flood one compartment and you sink) the most sensible thing to do was to avoid close quarters situations like the plague. Manoeuvre before the close quaters situation exists and you have freedom to do what ever you like to keep clear whether potentially the hold on vessel or not.

As a result I assume the fishing boat will do it's best to embarras me and thus do my best to ensure it never gets close enough to succeed.

 

[fisherman]

Calm down you lot! I was hauling gear off the Lizard and had a 50-ish ft Yacht coming straight at me, I hadn't worried about him earlier being more interested in bigger ships. No-one on his deck, I blew the hooter and up he came , in some panic. Year before last, looked up to see a French yacht, motoring, going along my port side about 6 inches away. There's idiots on all sides.

I should have taken early action in both cases regardless of rights. In all cases, if there was a collision it will be awarded a 'knock-for knock' status, as "it is incumbent upon the master of every vessel to take adequate steps to avoid a collision situation" . Read the MAIB report on the Lady Hamilton/Blithe spirit collision. It seems that unless you actually run away from the other vessel while trying to shoot the helmsman you haven't tried hard enough.

Incidentally, if the fishing signal is welded to the rigging the vessel will not get a MCA certificate, neither would it if the fishing lights cannot be turned off.

 

[chrishelen]

I sail a small yacht in the Bristol Channel,if i see a fishing/powerboat on the horizon i usualy try to keep out of its way as more often or not they are in a mad rush to get somewhere.I dont mean to tar all power driven vessels with the same brush as some are very correct in their seamanship,mind some sailing boats leave a lot to be desired when it comes to col regs and i have had to change course on a number of occasions when i have been stand on vessel,but i think its better to be safe than sorry every time.

 

[bedouin]

[ QUOTE ]
Year before last, looked up to see a French yacht, motoring, going along my port side about 6 inches away. There's idiots on all sides.


[/ QUOTE ]
Erm, can I suggest that if you didn't see the yacht until it was 6 inches away then you weren't keeping a proper lookout /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif