Near collision

So you think that Colregs should not apply in busy waters - strange that - those are exactly the conditions when I would say it is most important for people to act in a predictable fashion.

I know that a number of the contributors to this thread regularly cross the busy shipping lanes in the channel and I have yet to hear of any of them being mowed down or fined by the Coast Guard.

In fact I think it bizarre to say the least that you think the Coast Guard would, or indeed have the power to, fine someone who complies with Colregs



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@ jonjo......Yes I do realise this is a serious issue and if you accepted the sailing condititions of small craft today you would not have made such a stupid remark as Quote: 'Go and play internet baiting games elsewhere'......all I have to say is please read and digest before making any future pathetic comments!

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I read and reread your two messages before concluding that you were playing a wind up game with Ian who's crew had obviously suffered a traumatic experience.

I am quite perplexed by the postings here that suggest anyone who ends up in a close encounter with a large commercial vessel is playing a foolish game of chicken.

It is often quite difficult to know what the safest action is to avoid a close crossing situation. As Bedouin has pointed out most succinctly ColRegs should not be considered optional in such situations, which by implication means we have to place our trust in the man steering the big give-way boat.

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I actually think its worse than that. I honestly believe some of these ferries are <font color=red>going out their way</font color=red> to scare small leisure craft. If that is the case then the skipper is not fit to command a bar of soap never mind a commercial craft. I actually started altering course last weekend to go and pick up survivors from a small yacht because I was convinced the ferry was going to ram it. It must have passed with feet to spare.

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Before things start getting out of hand bedouin...what I am in fact trying to say is that smaller craft in busy waters should use common sense and not use old reg attitude....it is after all going out for a pleasant days sail without incident is it not? When sailing I have always made my intentions clear and if needed altered course to avoid problems especially if the other vessel is much larger. As for shipping lanes causing a large ship to take evasive action will empty your bank account!


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Difference between a shipping lane & a TSS. In a shipping lane all ships are bound by the same CR anyway. Idea of CR is to make actions predictable. However if one is getting "buzzed" deliberately all the CR in the world will make no difference.

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As I've said before on this forum, the time for small craft to use common sense is before getting close enough for "risk of collision" to exist.

I'm sure anyone who crosses the channel regularly will tell you that large ships regularly alter course to avoid a close quarters situations with small yachts.

I have never yet heard of anyone being fined for obeying Colregs - could you perhaps quote an example?

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O'K...jonjo I hear were you are coming from now and I apolagise for getting slighty crossed lined! But your comment was a bit harsh m8! My post about cars playing with lorrys still stands though as likewise small pleasure craft should give way to busy large ferries that have a route and a schedule to keep!

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Yes I can bedouin...Dover Coastgaurd roasting a newly arrived leisure vessel in Calais as we were waiting along with Belgium & Dutch for the lights! And they were not happy....wanted mobile phone No etc! This guy caused a freighter to manoeuvre in the shipping lane......want to know more?

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Waverider .. think you've picked the wrong argument and wrong peeps to argue with .. I have sailed with most of the contributors to this thread and most of them have a standard of seamanship a professional (and at least one is/has been a professional) would be proud of. The point of the thread was inappropriate behaviour by a ferry .. which has exposed a pattern of behaviour on that route.

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O'K....jimi although I now reside in Essex I was born and lived some of my life on the I.O.W before moving over to live a good few years in Gosport . I will always most of the time take the side of the Yottie, (being one myself) on this occasion I have some doubt...meaning that because of my family tyes still on the island, I have used the ferries more than I can count. whilst using the ferry I have witnessed many a close incident of bad attitude or ignorant sailing. This does not mean to say that I think that our thread starter was in the wrong and I stress he was in the right!. but people will naturally take a side and what I have been saying all along is I would always stay clear of a larger vessel and alter course!

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I think most people start of being a bit skeptical of these tales of ferry-rage until it happens to them (I was until I experienced it first hand). Now there is a sufficiently large number of accounts from experienced sailors for it to be taken seriously.

What you also notice is that most of these tails relate to one particular ferry route....

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Yes - please tell us how much and on what basis he was fined....

Dover to Calais crosses a TSS, which is not the same thing as a Shipping Lane. There are additional regulations in Colregs that relate to TSS. Are you saying that the yacht in question conformed to those regulations and still got fined? I'm afraid I really don't believe it

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You are wasting your time Waverider. They have not got a clue what you are talking about.

When they construe what is being said as "I am quite perplexed by the postings here that suggest anyone who ends up in a close encounter with a large commercial vessel is playing a foolish game of chicken." and into terms of others being sceptical of the particulalar ferries behaviour, claiming that colregs do not apply, etc their inability to understand what is being said is clear.

I am just pleased that I don't have to sail amongst the likes of them and perhaps have some level of understanding why the ferry crews may be acting as is claimed.

Sorry Jimi, while you know I have a lot of time for your posts in general, I have to disagree with your claims for the professionalism of some posters - if they were professional they would understand the terms of the comments that are being made to them. Unfortunately they do not.

Anyway, it is off to the boat for me for the weekend shortly - nice wet and cold late winters one by the looks.

John

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bedouin....I don't know how much....or if this guy got fined!......BUT! along with about 60 other boats we ALL heard the conversation on VHF at Calais...In a Shipping Lane he caused a freighter to alter course......And it did not happen in TSS (Traffic Seperation Scheme)

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Thanks Jimi... am looking forward to summer here, thinking of our first few weeks away for late November, other things permitting.

John

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Thanks for your last post MainlySteam....it's a comforting thought that there is someone out there with a similar attitude......I would like to think people call it 'common sense' m8.

P.S I know now who I would prefere to keep watch whilst I'me asleep :-)

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