Near collision

[iangrant]

Blasted IoW ferry was the overtaking vessel, added to that I was under sail, I wasn't on his favourite transit into Portsmouth, hell on earth, close wasn't in it.. I reckon he was bored and playing chicken. how close has everyone else been?

Ian

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[tcm]

the kids have very good pics of the bow wave of a freighter that i totally ignored outside cowes, but my fault not his.

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[KevB]

Not sure if the ferries count but vessels over 150mtrs have the "moving exclusion zone" label. 1000mtres ahead and 100mtrs elsewhere me thinks. Only in certain parts of the Solent tho.
I'm sure you can see the glint in their eyes as they barrel through......

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://static.photobox.co.uk/public/images/45/99/10714599.s.jpg?ch=97&rr=16:00:39>Nirvana</A>

 

[iangrant]

This was the Portsmouth - IoW Ferry - to Fishbourne, I don't think they carry the exclusion zone..he was also in Solent "open water" not constrained by draft and certainly not restricted in ability to manouver. They are normally pretty good and you can see them alter course to miss by a long chalk - not this fella on Monday though!!

Ian

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[squidge]

Monday eve, no engine as crap in fuel /crap fuel had stopped it so i was short tacking against a stiff breeze and fast tide along the crouch when a windward yacht on a dead run under sail only stood on against my luffing starboard tack. The cockpit conversation went like this. "Whats this .... doing ?" me to my father-in-law crew. I luffed to windward as he got within a boats length so that he went under me my father in law took the wind out of my sails by shouting "Motor gives way to sail ! "
The other yacht and i were to shocked to say anything else, i just watched them sail further down wind with very confused looking faces.



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[Peppermint]

I had the same thing last year with Red Eagle. He came out of the channel off Netley just to get at me I reckon.

I followed it up with the marine super at Red Funnel and a lot of old cock he talked. There was a VLCC with engine trouble that caused the whole thing according to him. Well it was a stealth VLCC if it existed cos Southampton Water was empty. He couldn't grasp that if his skipper had a concern he should have tooted at me. If he didn't have a concern he should try a different line of work.

Talking to some of the pro boatmen around the Solent they are convinced that either some of the ferry guys are enjoying leaning on the small guy or they're under commercial pressures to stick to course and speed.

The moral being you can't trust them to be sensible like you could years ago.

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[l'escargot]

If you were in the right, put in a report <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.qhmportsmouth.com/index.php?subject=increp>here</A>.

There was a lot of aggressive navigation on the Fishbourne/Portsmouth route a couple of years ago. I saw a recent attempt to barge through a group of yachts mid Solent during Cowes week when a degree or two deviation would have taken them clear. There was a lot of horn sounding but the yachts (close hauled 50ish footers) rightly stood on and they had to go round them anyway

They seem to want to flex their muscles every so often for some reason.

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[tome]

Ian

I had a very similiar experience with an IOW ferry some time back(last year?), also in clear water. Both of us had to take avoiding action - the ferry didn't half chuck out some black smoke! I was surprised because I always reckoned they were amongst the most considerate skippers in the Solent. I heard later that they had 2 new skippers who take the view that yachts are a nuisance who should keep clear of them.

I wouldn't object at all to them being given a right of way by means of a LNTM, and believe this is probably the best solution. What I don't like is that some of them courteously give way, some flount the colregs and the lack of certainty gives rise to unnecessary close calls like yours.

Next time it happens I'll file a report to QHM on ch11. Not to be a grumpy old git, just to highlight the problem.

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[flaming]

Few weekends ago I was sailing a mate's mini transat when we had a pretty close one with the portsmouth-Ryde Ferry. We were closehauled on Starboard and the ferry was coming straight at us, bow to bow. It kept coming and coming, aiming to pass very close to starboard of us. As it got close the ferry sounded one short blast on its horn. This really worried me as I was under the impression that a ferry captain would know his sound signals and actually meant to turn to starboard. So we bore off hard. The Ferry did not change direction, just carried right on and left us wallowing in the sizeable wind shadow.


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[iangrant]

I'll report it as well if it happens again. Can't remember the name it wasn't St Claire but the other one, could have counted the rivets. Trying to console my sister in law I didn't think to take the name..
I had to stand on it took nerve, but a turn would have been dangerous and probably rec'd 5 blasts.

Ian

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[tome]

It was the St Cecilia in our incident, but there are 4 on that route (also St Faith and St Helen).

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[robp]

There's a use for one of those out of date white flares we probably all got. Might make him embarassed enough to think.

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[iangrant]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, should have let off a white. There was me telling nervous sister in law that they always miss by miles, will probably go behind etc.. nothing to worry about, his intention looked at first that he was turning to pass wide and clear then straigtend up - arrrhggggg - we trust these guys - or used too !!! I think he just misjudged it..

Ian

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[nicho]

Ian, a couple of years ago I was invited onto a Bavaria 36 that was being tested by David Harding for PBO (I had just ordered one). We were in the Solent between Ryde and Portsmouth, it was F6 gusting F7, and a really horrible day. We were the only non commercial boat out there, when to out horror, some 150/200 metres behind we spotted the Ryde ferry coming straight at us. We crash tacked, and he passed, at speed, VERY close by our port side. A few choice words were shouted on board. As I say, the only boats in the vicinity were ourselves and the ferry - it seemed to us he had his course and was sticking to it regardless. Whilst we were perhaps remiss in not keeping a close watch behind (I was on the helm whilst they tried their damnest to get it to do something wrong), he could at least have given 5 short blasts ("don't understand your intentions") to alert us of his presence, but no warning was given. Perhaps he would have avoided us if we had not spotted him at the last moment, but it would have been a close call. I think everyone should keep a close watch behind in that part of the Solent - it was so unneccessary, and very poor seamanship in my view.

Bastard!!

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[tome]

Fully laden, the ferries have less than 2.5m draft so he should have no problems mid Solent. Yesterday near to HW they appeared to be using the inner swashway, which I thought was not allowed for craft longer than 20m?

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[muminator]

St Faith, was it? Came up my backside on monday when I was already clearly taking a line well off his path (I'd turned south east out of the harbour heading for the forts). He wasn't anywhere near but felt the need to flex his muscles, I think. Charming.

<hr width=100% size=1>Definition of an expert: An Ex is a has-been, and a Spurt is a drip under pressure...

 

[iangrant]

ST Helen - daughter with photographic memory has remembered - QHM will be informed - I'll let you know


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[waverider]

What I cannot understand here is why people want to take the 'stand on vessel' attitued and prepared to take on a boat that it so large that it would'nt even feel a small bump as it smashed a three ton yacht down to Davey Jone's locker! Myself when sailing in the Solent I would try to avoid the route the ferrys take (especially when they are close anyway) and give my crew hopefully a troubled free voyage and enjoy a days sailing!

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[iangrant]

it wasn't a case of "taking on" the ferry - it was important to maintain course and speed so as the ferry could judge a safe route around us with no difficulty - if we all started to weave about when we saw something bigger then there would be mayhem!! That is why there are collision regs...

Ian


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[waverider]

But surely to avoid weaving would be to alter course well before things got too close! But then again the Solent over the years has become like the M25....it is a bit like cars playing with lorrys don't you think?

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