raggies

[ghost]

Re: Rule 9b

On my 'ball we had charts folded to fit sealed see 'thru wallets that were permanent features of the deck, we always had a hand bearing compass and a boats compass, a gps, binoculars and an air horn.
Despite repeated blowing of said air horn one day mr. pistasaconte still ran over my boat. leaving the boat trashed, me crew broken, gear lost forever. I built that boat and matey took it away from me while he was busy avoiding observing the col regs

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Rule 9b

Yeah I think any non miniscule vessel coming in from the sea is inclined, unless very small, to follow the channel if that is what exists, to be safe. Maybe that is a little different to the "can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway" in the regulations but I do not believe that someone on another boat is entitled to make that assumption unless they have specific information from the other boat that it is not constrained.

As I think you are saying, no one comes in with the height of tide worked out in case they have to get out of the channel into shallower unmaintained water and nor do they plot their passage along the channel as they proceed so that they know exactly if it is deep enough out of the channel or not from their exact current position.

Under Risk of Collisions the regulation say along the lines that one should not make assessments about collision situations based on scanty information. I would think that making assumptions about the navigation reasons for some other boat proceeding up a narrow channel is using scanty information and so standing onto it in ones own under 20m boat or a sailboat would mean that in the case of an incident one would be required to prove your information was not scanty and you had reliable knowledge that the other vessel was not constrained. I think I would rather just keep out of their way myself.

I think alot of these small boat people forget that powerboats have expensive bits of equipment hung underneath them and larger sailboats have drafts such that a stranding can be serious, so it make sense for them to proceed in maintained channels where they exist. To proceed or be forced outside of the channel is not normally sensible unless one has strong local knowledge - in some unfamiliar ports even proceeding in the marked channels has its risks as the daymarks can appear contradictory. Whereas, for a bilge keeler or many other small sailboats (including dinghies) an encounter with the bottom is mostly just a minor adventure of no damage or risk.

Another difficulty that I think these small boat people have is that while a channel may seem to not be "narrow" to them, for a larger vessel it can seem very narrow, especially when 2 larger vessels are proceeding in opposite directions and need to pass.

John

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Rule 9b

Personal experience. I'm based out of Lymington. Well marked channel, and I know it well - with speed limits until well out to sea. Many go outside then blast away. OK if you know the area. The area is shifting, and I know many that blast off have very little water under them, tho it looks like it's open water. Fine at high water, not a good idea at low water. I prefer not to risk it - though I'll cut corners occasionally

As far as small vs large craft go. V easy in my boat, but taking Donald Searle home makes the river seem a great deal smaller.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Rule 9b

Re "the area is shifting" - I (and I have excellent reason to believe another forumite knowing the involved people, also) know of a brand new big commercial fast powerboat which ran onto a bank during builder's trials in your home waters there too (was built there). Bottom (composite construction) ripped up and water jet units damaged /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

John

 

[landaftaf]

Re: Rule 9b

mmm - I was giving another example, of course it could be that outside the channel there are mines, moored yachts/mobos or even a low bridge spanning the water. in fact I was being a devils advocate before retiring to my scratcher, and here I am again in the morning and here the discussion is still going on ! amazing ....

 

[duncan]

Re: doesn\'t have to be shifting..............