dolabriform
Well-known member
Hi all
We were coming up from Ramsgate overnight, approaching the top of Gunfleet from Kings channel and turned towards Medusa PHB around 0100. We saw a single white light moving quickly from Port to Starboard quite a way off, then suddenly stop. Looking through the Binos, we couldn't make out any shapes, so decided to keep an eye on it.
All of a sudden the white light starts heading towards us, still trying to work out what it is, and then wham, all it's lights go on and it's a small trawler, and we can see a single person on board facing towards the stern of the vessel sorting out whatever, the net over the back, and they are about 150m away off our starboard beam. No AIS, not appearing to be looking out, and we are in a collision situation.
Crew start shining torches at the sailis and at the skipper to try and grab their attention, we are doing 7 knots close hauled on port tack and I'm running out of options. Luckily the torch light grabbed their attention and they turned their floodlights on and spotted us at the last minute. They gave a single hoot ( I only heard one ) and turned to starboard to go behind us. I felt like they crossed behind us 50m off.
Shortly after we see all the lights go off again as it headed towards Gunfleet sands, and we then saw another one doing the same, ie lights on / off etc.
As there was no AIS coming from them, ( we were transmitting btw ), there was no way to identify them, couldn't see any marks on the vessel through the Binos.
I keep asking myself "what could I have done differently?", but replaying the situation in my head I'm at a loss. Tacking was out of the question as it would put us on the same course of them. Bearing away and heading back the way we came crossed my mind, but that would initially turn us towards them and I couldn't see how wide the net was. I didn't think about reaching for the flares, which in hindsight might have been a very good idea!
Next time we are out at night I intend to make sure I've got a horn in the cockpit in addition to the powerful torch, and a white flare close at hand.
What would you have done?
We were coming up from Ramsgate overnight, approaching the top of Gunfleet from Kings channel and turned towards Medusa PHB around 0100. We saw a single white light moving quickly from Port to Starboard quite a way off, then suddenly stop. Looking through the Binos, we couldn't make out any shapes, so decided to keep an eye on it.
All of a sudden the white light starts heading towards us, still trying to work out what it is, and then wham, all it's lights go on and it's a small trawler, and we can see a single person on board facing towards the stern of the vessel sorting out whatever, the net over the back, and they are about 150m away off our starboard beam. No AIS, not appearing to be looking out, and we are in a collision situation.
Crew start shining torches at the sailis and at the skipper to try and grab their attention, we are doing 7 knots close hauled on port tack and I'm running out of options. Luckily the torch light grabbed their attention and they turned their floodlights on and spotted us at the last minute. They gave a single hoot ( I only heard one ) and turned to starboard to go behind us. I felt like they crossed behind us 50m off.
Shortly after we see all the lights go off again as it headed towards Gunfleet sands, and we then saw another one doing the same, ie lights on / off etc.
As there was no AIS coming from them, ( we were transmitting btw ), there was no way to identify them, couldn't see any marks on the vessel through the Binos.
I keep asking myself "what could I have done differently?", but replaying the situation in my head I'm at a loss. Tacking was out of the question as it would put us on the same course of them. Bearing away and heading back the way we came crossed my mind, but that would initially turn us towards them and I couldn't see how wide the net was. I didn't think about reaching for the flares, which in hindsight might have been a very good idea!
Next time we are out at night I intend to make sure I've got a horn in the cockpit in addition to the powerful torch, and a white flare close at hand.
What would you have done?