Motoring Cone? Even worse are those going the wrong way

[Brian blue bear]

super sailors

Well in that case, if the channel is narrow, you should have gone up river and turn around to get to the pontoon facing the right way. The same applies to car parking with the nose against the traffic flow. Although it is rarely enforced it is against the highway code and evidence that even for a few metres you drove the wrong way.

If they are in a Channel wind and current may pose a problem can't believe the critisim from obviously super sailors, channels also exist within Channels especially in Ports where large vessels opperate,

 

[Ubergeekian]

Hi Orbister, Special rules do not work like that. They are in addition too not instead of the IRPCS.

Indeed. But the special rules take precedence. It says so in the IRPCS. Rule 1.

1. Application
(a) These Rules shall apply to all vessels upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels.
(b) Nothing in these Rules shall interfere with the operation of special rules made by an appropriate authority for roadsteads, harbours, rivers, lakes or inland waterways connected with the high seas and navigable by seagoing vessels. Such special rules shall conform as closely as possible to these Rules.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I appreciate that English is not your first language, but I haven't a clue what this means, or what it has to do with getting the tide right and making a safe passage.

I think he is saying that rules must be obeyed without question at all times.

 

[Kawasaki]

Or

Perfect
Planning
Prevents
Piss
Poor performance

mireland.
Jokerboat

Love it



Will use said P's when Instructing

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Then there are the jetskis wake jumping on the wash from big mobos sticking exactly to the 10kt limit, the sailboarders and now the kite sailboarders, not to mention our clubs fleet of (engineless) X-boats racing in/out. Mind you one of the X-boats did take a short cut by passing underneath the chain ferry. The odd fishing boat or two will be tied up to the channel markers too. Classic was the marine police on PWCs riding shotgun on the Condor fast cat ferry to prevent the local PWC heros from running between it's hulls.

You forgot the car driving into the side of your boat because the sat-nav told her too and she hadn't realised you had to wait for the chain ferry to arrive....

 

[grumpy_o_g]

A few years back we were heading out of Christchurch pushing the flood early one Sunday afternoon. Just the two of us on his nice 24 footer with a small inboard diesel thudding away. We could see the mast of a boat coming into the run alongside Mudeford Quay but not the hull itself at that stage as there's a bit of dogleg on the way out.

We get round the first corner and the buildings and hut on the end of Hengistbury Spit (or whatever it's called) hide him at first - then, just as we turn to starboard to line up for the Run itself we see him coming towards us. Now the problem wasn't so much that he was on our side of the channel as that he was on both sides of channel at once. The poor buggar had lost his engine and swung broadside across the channel almost straight away.

Being experienced seafarers we quickly assessed the situation, panicked and threw our boat into reverse. This had exactly the effect we had planned as she sheered uncontrollably off to starboard and ran aground, leaving enough room for the other boat to drift past (still sideways) with a slightly hysterical cry of "Starboard" as he went by. He then went aground about 50 yards from us. I am delighted to say not one person had a camera or felt the need to use it ( except for the hundred or so highly entertained beach hut dwellers on the spit of course).

 

[Babylon]

A few years back we were heading out of Christchurch pushing the flood...

... problem wasn't so much that he was on our side of the channel as that he was on both sides of channel at once. The poor buggar had lost his engine and swung broadside across the channel almost straight away.

Being experienced seafarers we quickly assessed the situation, panicked and threw our boat into reverse. This had exactly the effect we had planned as she sheered uncontrollably off to starboard and ran aground, leaving enough room for the other boat to drift past (still sideways) with a slightly hysterical cry of "Starboard" as he went by. He then went aground about 50 yards from us....

Brilliant! Just made my morning!

 

[Rustyknight]

-------------------------------------------

You forgot to mention either the Island ferries charging about, or that there are channels to either side, round Brownsea or along the coast to Bournemouth, that require people to cross the main channel. Plus madmen drift fishing in what can be quite a slop. And Scumseekers hurting in, and Royal Marines at full speed, and RNLI roaring in/out testing, each of these OWNS the channel

And yet, amazingly, rarely do I see people getting it wrong.

It's a wonderful world

Mike

You do see lots of fist waving and other interesting gestures (and hear some very rude words) at times though....

 

[trapezeartist]

I've motored through a dozen or more engineless gaff riggers tacking out of a narrow channel in quite a tight group and I didn't find it difficult. You just need a certain amount of knowledge of the ColRegs and a reasonable anticipation of when they'll have to tack. It delayed my progress slightly but other that caused no inconvenience.

I imagine you managed that because you had an understanding of what the gaffers could and couldn't do. The problem I see so often with mobos is that even if they understand their responsibilities under colregs, they don't have a clue what a sailing vessel can and can't do, and therefore they don't know what to do to comply with the colregs. And while this certainly isn't intended as a slight on all the many competent and qualified mobo drivers out there, there also seem to be many who just think "It's got an engine and a steering wheel. It's just like driving a car. Innit."

 

[GrahamHR]

15 m from my pontoon berth in the marina (which is on my starboard side, driving in), "sailing" on the port side in the narrow marina in my outdrive propelled boat, not the most responsive of vessels at low speeds. In and out of gear to keep the speed very low ( and responsible), because my boat does about 4 knots with the engine at idle speed. No chance of getting in to the berth, even with no wind if sailng on the starboard side of the channel . A boat reverses out in front of me as fast as he can and screams that I am on the wrong side, because he has the right to " drive on the right". So, he forced me to reverse onto the starboard side of the channel. Probably absolutely correct in terms of the fabled Colregs, but totally stupid in terms of common sense! He probably didn't see me coming and so didn't keep a proper watch, but people with partial knowledge of the Colregs are probably more dangerous than those with none!

Graham

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Absolutely right Graham. A marina is like a parking lot and just as the traffic laws dont apply in the same way in a parking lot, so colregs dont apply in the same way in a marina. If at all.

If you took the colregs as black and white like some of these armchair lawyers do, how would you get into the port side berth of a pair? And when that plonker started reversing into you, does rule 13 apply or do you treat it as a narrow channel or should you put up your "not under control" signals.

It's actually not an issue. Apart bfrom the proportion of bad tempered over agressive numpties who are a problem in every walk of UK life these days, the rest of us get on OK using common sense and watching what other people do. And if we feel like passing starboard to starboard, we do so.

 

[Sans Bateau]

As is the norm on this forum, a good OP turns into a barny!

The original post does raise a good point and in my experience, and we see see a good deal of it in Chichester, those that are guilty cover a wind range of boat owners. It is not restricted to any one particular type of boat.

Many a time have I been heading north towards Emsworth, the boat coming toward me, owner with an inane grin on his face (he was happy in his ignorance) altering course to squeeze between my Stbd side and the mud! He fits one category, new to boating probably, just a summer user no doubt. Others clearly should know, but are too arrogant to follow conformity.

IMO, people want to 'drive' their boats on the same side of the channel as they drive their cars (UK only) that is what comes natural to them.

Most people who frequent these forums will be familiar with the IRPCS, but we all get angry because all to often, those of us who know are having to make allowances for the ignorant and arrogant. It does get tiresome sometimes.

I'm sailing tomorrow, I suspect I'll have no problems with any of the above!

 

[haydude]

Absolutely right Graham. A marina is like a parking lot and just as the traffic laws dont apply in the same way in a parking lot, so colregs dont apply in the same way in a marina. If at all.

What? Where did you get your driving license from? Out of a bag of crisps?

 

[sailorman]

What? Where did you get your driving license from? Out of a bag of crisps?

Wot Licence

 

[Kilter]

Wot Licence

"Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed limit
Scaring up pedestrians for a minute
Crossing up the progress driving on the grass
Leaving just enough for room to pass
Sunday driver never took a test
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tx9wd1KBSg&feature=related

 

[Sneaky Pete]

These guys are really dangerous and I was wondering if the UK Coastguard would be interested if I reported them when I see them. Sometime I have a camera on board, and I could take the opportunity to record as proof.

I may forgive Summer Sunday boaters on small power boats, but I saw also large sailing yachts with greyed hair yachtsmen at the helm. I think that these are people who might have been sailing for years and never bothered about taking any training course. The latter being also the most arrogant.

In the south coast I know three places with such dangerous access:

1) Gosport: I was getting into Gosport at the end of August with a strong ebbing spring tide, at max revs I was struggling to keep to 2kts SOG whilst my log indicated 8kts holding the starboard end of the approach. The sailing yacht in front of me was struggling to keep up at the same speed and was loosing ground on me. The tidal waves were rocking the boat port and starboard and it was hard to tune the power to avoid getting too close the the vessel in front. Yet cretins with large power boats were overtaking to port with other vessels coming down the channel and being forced very close to us!

2) Brighton marina: the channel looks large enough, but in fact it is one third of what it looks like due to the build up of shingle to the east. There is almost always an irregular chop, and contrary to what one might expect the chop is always worse when approaching the marina then out at sea at the same time. It must be because of the waves bouncing back from break walls and cliffs. The observation of COLREGS there is essential.

3) Sovereign Harbour: the channel leaving the locks is muddy and the banks go up quickly towards the centre, then soften giving a false impression of plenty of water. The buoys delimiting the channel lay on mud near to low water, so one must pass well clear of them towards the middle. At low water it looks still large enough, but navigability is narrow, yet here COLREGS are more an opinion then a rule, here is were I saw sailing yachts to port. The distance from the Solent might do something to these people. Also boats coming from the west often cut short in front of the west water breaker that impedes visibility, at risk of colliding with a vessel exiting the channel on starboard as it should.

Those grey haired yachtsmen are the same grey haired drivers of motor vehicles who take up the centre lane of the motorway (CLOD's) Centre Lane Owner Drivers, who drive along at 50mph oblivious to everything and everyone around them creating carnage and destruction wherever they go. It may just be the onset of alzheimers and they don’t know which side to sail on, makes no difference they won’t remember they were out sailing later on anyway.

 

[snowleopard]

If only I had a pound for every time someone (usually in a small fishing boat) has approached me head on and tried to force his way between me and the starboard side of the channel, usually accompanied by abusive shouting.

Not particularly surprising I suppose from a young chav but I have to say some of the comments on here surprise me. I'm used to people making up their own set of rules for motorway driving but it's alarming to hear people trying to justify ignoring bits of the colregs that don't suit them.

 

[johnbev]

Unfortunatly Pwllheli is silted up, and at lowish water the only way out is to keep left in the channel with my draught,hoisting a constrained by draught canister is ok but most folk wouldn`t know what it was! Even an instructor in a rib drawing all of 9inches wasn`t going to give way and shouted rules of the road keep right. I shouted back but it wasn`t polite!

 

[Boreades]

Or

Perfect
Planning
Prevents
Piss
Poor performance

or

Perfect Planning,
Prediction,
Proper Policy,
Prior Preparation,
Procedure and Process
Prevents
Piss Poor performance