IoW Ferries look out this weekend!!!

[iangrant]

I've got the camera ready, I've got the hand held VHF to talk to QHM, foghorn, white flares and I'm going to sail without fear of being run down.

So this is an official notice to (ferry) mariners:

St Helen, St Clare, St Catherine and St Faith.

BE NICE

Ian

 

[DJE]

Just because you're paranoid it doesn't mean they're not really out to get you.

 

[plombier]

So that means that Our Lady Patricia, Our Lady Pamela, FastCat Ryde & FastCat Shanklin will be out to get you then /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[iangrant]

They lurk, I've seen 'em b*stards, they hang about waiting for us then they speed up when we're in their sights, that's what that little round spinny window is on the front. arrrrgggggg

Ian

 

[iangrant]

Let alone the bl**dy hovercraft!

Ian

 

[tcm]

Re: rule 9b

um, as long you don't impede vessels which are over 20m and confined to a channel, that's ok innit...

 

[iangrant]

Re: rule 9b

Oh yes that's right, but they only prey in open water, in the middle bits.

Ian

 

[plombier]

Having been on the bridge of both the car ferries & the fastcat I can confirm that the word "Asterie" is writ boldly in red on every vessel of the fleet (including the Yarmouth ones /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif). There are even little silloety (?) HR42 yachty thingys with crosses through them like wot used to be on WW2 fighters. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Perhaps you should change the name to confuse 'em. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[tcm]

\"open water\"

ah, so the "not impede" doesn't apply inside the dockyard port of portsmouth?

 

[StugeronSteve]

I never fail to be amazed by the contrast in the attitudes of the Whitelink skippers at the two ends of the Solent. In the east they appear to delight in scaring the s**t out of you, whilst their colleagues on the Lymington/Yarmouth route couldn't be more accommodating. Weekend before last we were sailing south towards the east side of Yarmouth pier, when it became apparent that we were on the chosen route of the island bound ferry. The Whitelink skipper made it clear that I could stand on by making an exaggerated turn to port, so as in to overtake me at a more than safe distance. Good seamanship and courteous as well. I know the Pompey guys don't always have as much room to play with, but there's no excuse for their perceived conduct.

 

[ChrisE]

nothing less than I would expect from citizens of the Western Solent, we are a much more refined lot than the common lot further north and east!


Seriously, you hear a few 5 toots from the ferries but then usually when some damn fool is compromising the ferry's route in the river.

 

[tcm]

I spose that in the east they are in open water and power gives way to sail - but in the west when travelling to IOW ryde or wooton they are still within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth, confined to channels and should not be impeded by smaller vessels as under rule 9b ?

 

[ParaHandy]

Re: IoW Ferries look east this weekend!!!

harrrrumph .... !!!

 

[StugeronSteve]

Agreed, but, as we have heard many times, the b****rs on the Pompey/Ryde route don't tend to play ball when you try to shift yer ass for them.

 

[Evadne]

I've found that the Portsmuff bunch are far more accomodating if you a tad further offshore than is usual. We sail from Chichester harbour and it is a straight line, single bearing course (give or take) from Chichester bar beacon to Cowes, throught the Horse Sand Fort gap and skimming Spitbank Fort to the south. In August on a Saturday this looks a bit like the M25. Unfortunately this takes you just past the point where the ferries turn as they come out of the invisible channel they use out of Portsmouth harbour, and they like to give the grockles, sorry passengers, a close-up view of any yachts they happen to be passing. As well as a demonstration of what a ferry wake does to a small yacht. Shape your course about half a mile further south, or pass between the forts instead, and they will quite often alter course to go around you. Unbelievable as it may sound.

That isn't to excuse their behaviour at times, especially the big yellow cats, but they're not all bad.

 

[ParaHandy]

on t'other hand there was one of them (St Cath, I think) who rescued a bloke out of the blazing inferno of a 25' cabin cruiser (who was heating either glue or paint). The ferry was manoeuvred close enough to use his extinguishers within the little patch inside Ballast where the Gosport ferry docks ... so not all bad

and its not their fault they've not got an MMSI number ....

 

[StugeronSteve]

Very true.... although, from Ian's experience, extinguisher range seems to be standard passing distance wherever he's concerned. They've just not got round to hosing him down yet!

 

[tcm]

hm, but ....it was ian who was too close that he came close to impeding them - not them who should have deviated. Engine on and change course if necessary.

 

[ParaHandy]

there was a german or, more likely, USA car made with sprung wire rods, horizontally disposed and extending well beyond the car's bodywork. If the rod touched anything, something bleeped and a light came on showing which rod had been touched. Great for parking and when the cruise control got too close allowing you to slumber on in peace until woken by the beep.

However, I note such a device is missing from Ian's inventory and they would be a great help, would you not think? and give Ian a fair chance this w/e

 

[tcm]

Rethink in light of YM advice

i have just had a brief consultation with a famous YM who advises that there could be other reasons for the IOW ferries passing closer than is consiodered normal to specific sailing vessels.