Give way no chance

[Scillypete]

It must be the time of year! I was out enjoying a nice little sail about yesterday and was coming back into the islands via st Mary’s sound typically against the tide and wind so was tacking back and forth. The first annoying close call occurred as I was on port tack heading towards the inner head of Peninnis, another yacht called ‘Fulmar’ from Falmouth ialso entering the islands had dropped sail and was motoring straight in and we were on a steady bearing he could see me as he I saw them looking but no change of course or speed happened. Now I sail a catamaran and a t-boning by me means twice the damage maybe they just underestimated how quickly I was slipping along but I don’t appreciate having to give away hard earned ground by easing to starboard to avoid a collision. That was the first one.
With the tide strengthening and the wind easing I was making ground but it was hard won and having almost got out of the worst of it near the bartholomew ledges i was again on port tack heading towards the garrison shore when a yacht with no sail up and motoring was closing from the port bow. I could see no sign of anyone aboard and just a few yards from putting both bows into his starboard side I luffed up slightly to port to let him by, he was sitting in his cockpit with his back to me I shouted’BOO’ which made him look round and as he passed called him something else, poor form I know but the guy on ‘Hecate’ a westerly knows what I think of him.

just wanted to get that off my chest, keep a proper lookout people and don’t ignore the colregs

 

[capnsensible]

Good point I think. Every colleges thread on here normally degenerates into a point scoring pedant fest....but almost all the near misses I've ever seen as a full time sailor have been a basic lack of lookout. .

 

[johnalison]

I think they deserve a medal for bravery. Anyone who can sail around the islands without a good lookout has my full admiration.

 

[RichardS]

Good point I think. Every colleges thread on here normally degenerates into a point scoring pedant fest....but almost all the near misses I've ever seen as a full time sailor have been a basic lack of lookout. .

I also spent a year in college studying IRPCS, amongst other things. Maybe a period of classroom study should be compulsory?

Richard

 

[NotBirdseye]

I wonder how many sailors even know what a COLREG is... :|

 

[Sandy]

I wonder how many sailors even know what a COLREG is... :|

Many do, but don't have a clue about how to apply them.

 

[LittleSister]

Many do, but don't have a clue about how to apply them.

Particularly the tricky ones like 'keep good look out at all times'!

 

[emandvee44]

Works for me, Or 5 short and rapid blasts on the air horn.

(I purchased it originally to give instructions to you know who on the bow when anchoring - but that did not end well)

M.

 

[Scillypete]

I think they deserve a medal for bravery. Anyone who can sail around the islands without a good lookout has my full admiration.

probably fixated with the chart plotter

 

[tidclacy]

Same thing happened to me recently on the Blackwater. Tacking across the river on Starboard noticed Moody 31 Troica motor sailing towards me.
I only have a small clinker scow but he made no effort to change course so I had to bear away round his stern. He could obviously see me. He then carried on and nearly ran down a windsurfer!!

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I agree with 5 short blasts followed by whichever expletive falls most easily to hand. The short ones work best

 

[GHA]

Same thing happened to me recently on the Blackwater. Tacking across the river on Starboard noticed Moody 31 Troica motor sailing towards me.
I only have a small clinker scow but he made no effort to change course so I had to bear away round his stern. He could obviously see me. He then carried on and nearly ran down a windsurfer!!

Was he shouting 'might is right!! I have right of way!!' on the way past?

Might narrow it down just a little if he posts on here ....

 

[Sandy]

Wonder if it was the same chap who decided to sail in front of the Brittany Ferries ship Amorque last summer just as we were 150 meters from the pier at Roscoff? Five proper blasts from a big ships horn: I wonder if he had some dry cleaning as a result of that. His 180 degree turn was scored 3/10 for technical content.

Was carrying a blue duster at the back?

 

[RichardS]

Was carrying a blue duster at the back?

[POPCORN]

Richard

 

[xyachtdave]

I was on a club 'cruise in company' from the Medway to Burnham on Crouch, wind was a solid 20-25 knots and locals will know the first 4 hours of this trip are easy downwind sailing, the last 2 hours are an uphill battle in a narrow ditch against the last of the ebb.

At the uphill battle part I decided to stick the motor on, this worked for about 15 minutes until dirty fuel blocked a filter.

Ok...as a believer lifeboats are for life threatening situations and not for inconveniences, I grit my teeth and sailed up the long narrow ditch short tracking on depth until I found a vacant mooring to change the filter.

During this tacking duel with the elements not one of the fellow 'cruise in company' boats gave any concession when under power!

Most applied more power in a lame attempt to get clear or looked concerned I was going to ram them.. The one I had to duck the most trying to get through the Buxey buoys got 'both barrels' when we eventually got in.

XYD - 'Oi knobhead, I thought we were a yacht club and you'd throttle back a little at least!'

Fat Lazy Git Oceanis Man - 'I wondered why you were sailing, if I'd have known your engine didn't work I'd have slowed down,'

So that's how the colregs work.....sailing with a working engine = you're the give way boat! Maybe there's a flag for it.....

 

[Iliade]

Code flag QAK? ;0)

 

[Scillypete]

Code flag QAK? ;0)

By the time they’ve been dug out and hoisted they may have felt the bump

 

[Scillypete]

Was carrying a blue duster at the back?

oi ! ! ! . . . . . . I fly one of them when I can be bothered to put the flags out ?

 

[Rappey]

Ive often had the desire for a train horn and a air tank ! Sneak up on them then frighten the hell out of them with 5 blasts !

 

[greeny]

I also spent a year in college studying IRPCS, amongst other things. Maybe a period of classroom study should be compulsory?

Richard

Maybe an argument for compulsory licensing including practical boat handling and a genuine classroom examination of all the other stuff.. You can't use a vhf without one but you can skipper a boat.