River Colne

[Fire99]

Afternoon folks,

A little feedback from the wise please.

I took a run up to Rowhedge last night. A little spontaneous and ended up with making my way back towards mersea at about 10pm.
That happened to co-incide with a couple of the commercial ships leaving Wivenhoe.

Anyway, point being is that I was taking it fairly slowly and not too far from Brightlingsea, saw one of the ships slowly approaching my stern so in my infinite wisdom (or not) I kept fairly to port allowing a pretty big space on my starboard between me and the channel marker buoy thinking he could overtake on my starboard.
Well as he overtook, he had a bit of a moan out of his cockpit door so maybe that was wrong.

So can anyone advise me on the error of my ways, or not?

 

[Cobra]

A bit obvious really, but did you have your Nav lights on?

No stern light might have left him a bit miffed!!

Also I think that I would have been on the Starboard (Mersea) side of the channel and would have let him pass on my port hand side having run off to hide in the shallows of the Mersea quarters!!!

 

[Fire99]

Thanks for that.

Yeah my nav lights were all working. I did check. That said, my stern light is quite close to the transom rudder so I will take a look one eve from off the boat to see if it's clearly visible.
To be honest I think I had it in my mind about the overtaking vessel passing on your starboard side so I deliberately kept left but perhaps if i'd stayed mersea-side just wide of the marker, he would of been happier.

If i'm keeping to the book I don't mind standing my ground but if i'm being a pillock i'd rather know and learn. 99% of my time on boats has been solo so it's always good to get feedback from others.

 

[Cobra]

FWIW I have always worked on the following basis with any large ship traffic I encounter on a River:

1) they will almost certainly overtake me
2) they are constrained by draft
3) they are working and I am just out for pleasure
4) they are considerably bigger than me

I therefore tend to seek sanctuary towards the shallows staying outside of the main channel but remaining on the appropriate side of the river for the direction I am going! They will then effectively be passing me leaving me to Starboard...

Re your stern light...have you considered moving it up onto your pushpit? Gives a bit more height above sea level and fewer obstructions!

 

[Fire99]

FWIW I have always worked on the following basis with any large ship traffic I encounter on a River:

1) they will almost certainly overtake me
2) they are constrained by draft
3) they are working and I am just out for pleasure
4) they are considerably bigger than me

I therefore tend to seek sanctuary towards the shallows staying outside of the main channel but remaining on the appropriate side of the river for the direction I am going! They will then effectively be passing me leaving me to Starboard...

Re your stern light...have you considered moving it up onto your pushpit? Gives a bit more height above sea level and fewer obstructions!

That's sound advice.
I did think I was being helpful at the time but your keeping further right makes sense.

I hadn't thought about the stern light before now but yeah raising it up makes sense. It's funny, after being out at night a couple of times, just how vital these little lights are to see what people are up to.

 

[Athene V30]

.
To be honest I think I had it in my mind about the overtaking vessel passing on your starboard side so I deliberately kept left but perhaps if i'd stayed mersea-side just wide of the marker, he would of been happier.

Don't want to get into a quoting ROR, leave that for Scuttlebutt, but I would 'normally' keep to the starboard side of a buoyed channel and if commercial traffic wished to pass move out of the channel (where sufficient depth) to allow them past.

I say 'normally' for when motoring 'cos if sailing I would usually keep up to the windward side if beating, just to keep a bit of sea room.

 

[Fire99]

Don't want to get into a quoting ROR, leave that for Scuttlebutt, but I would 'normally' keep to the starboard side of a buoyed channel and if commercial traffic wished to pass move out of the channel (where sufficient depth) to allow them past.

I say 'normally' for when motoring 'cos if sailing I would usually keep up to the windward side if beating, just to keep a bit of sea room.

Yea I think in hindsight it was a bit of having a 'blonde moment' on the regs and it being so dark being a bit cautious of not drifting off into the shallows just after high tide and being stuck for a tide.

I didn't use to have this situation much with a 30kt mobo. When motoring a yacht I do feel a bit like a moving obstacle.