Ryde Sands this afternoon?

[burgundyben]

What was happening?

Must have been about low water. Looked like a flybridge, maybe 35 to 40ft, and a sportsbridge, maybe a bit smaller, perhaps plus a few jet skis?

 

[dash300]

What was happening?

Must have been about low water. Looked like a flybridge, maybe 35 to 40ft, and a sportsbridge, maybe a bit smaller, perhaps plus a few jet skis?

And?

 

[burgundyben]

Looked like they had gone ashore onto the sands. I wondered if they were playing cricket like the Brambles matches.

 

[Anders_P42]

I take it you don't read notice to mariners, or you'd know there was a swim from Gilkicker to Ryde

 

[Switch]

I take it you don't read notice to mariners, or you'd know there was a swim from Gilkicker to Ryde

Well, don't you sound like a real know it all.

 

[burgundyben]

No need to read NTM, I'm ashore long term, doing jobs on the boat.

I thought someone must know what it was.

 

[Anders_P42]

I was spectating from one of Fly bridges, who had support of 3-4 ribs fending off boats who would have charged through the swimmers oblivious to the event. There was one yacht who was quite offensive to one of the ribs and carried on through, what an idiot.

 

[[2068]]

It would be quite hard to see swimmers in a chop in the Solent, until they were close.
Sounds like the ribs did a good job.

 

[sorabain]

I was spectating from one of Fly bridges, who had support of 3-4 ribs fending off boats who would have charged through the swimmers oblivious to the event. There was one yacht who was quite offensive to one of the ribs and carried on through, what an idiot.

I must have missed the bit in the colregs that said swimmers must give way to sail

 

[Firefly625]

I must have missed the bit in the colregs that said swimmers must give way to sail

Well as a swimmer are you a powered vessel? Obviously that raggie thought so, therefore probably best to run them down if they refuse to give way, after all avoiding these confounded swimmers may have required him to put in a tack, and if you are sailing that is the last thing you ever want to do.... FFS!

 

[Greenheart]

...one yacht was quite offensive to one of the ribs and carried on through...

While I'm sure it reminds us to keep an eye on notices to mariners, I doubt I'd have changed course to avoid manned RIBs, if the reason for their presence was unclear...

...depends on whether and how the RIB crew approached and 'fended off' passing traffic. Needs sensitivity from both parties, or each will look grossly contemptuous, to the other.

 

[Blue Sunray]

While I'm sure it reminds us to keep an eye on notices to mariners, I doubt I'd have changed course to avoid manned RIBs, if the reason for their presence was unclear...

Very honest confession, but do you have a suggestion to make it more clear?

I can't see sailing escort boats being a terribly good idea.

 

[sorabain]

Very honest confession, but do you have a suggestion to make it more clear?

I can't see sailing escort boats being a terribly good idea.

It doesn't seem right, but i did wonder if it's ever the done thing to stick a "Diver Down" flag on the escorts, as it feels roughly the same (don't run over my people in the water please); not that they're especially taken notice of either.

 

[Greenheart]

That was my first thought in response to Elecglitch's perfectly fair question. Swimmers may not be divers, but they're at least as vulnerable to hulls unwittingly driven over/through their midst.

Frankly I doubt I'd recognise a 'diver down' flag, (I'll look it up tonight) but if any banner or signal indicated the support boat had some good reason for standing in my way, I'd steer around him of course.

 

[Anders_P42]

While I'm sure it reminds us to keep an eye on notices to mariners, I doubt I'd have changed course to avoid manned RIBs, if the reason for their presence was unclear...

...depends on whether and how the RIB crew approached and 'fended off' passing traffic. Needs sensitivity from both parties, or each will look grossly contemptuous, to the other.

The ribs do approach at reasonable speed, I wasn't party to the conversation but the chap on the rib was on the VHF warning us that the sail boat skipper got offensive when he asked him to change course.

The mothership Fly I was on had diver flag flying.

 

[salar]

Frankly I doubt I'd recognise a 'diver down' flag, (I'll look it up tonight)

That's worrying, given the number of dive boats around the Solent and Solent approaches on a regular basis. Divers can re-surface some way down-tide from the support vessel and it would be very messy to run over one with your props churning. Blue and white by the way.

 

[Greenheart]

Well, I call this an instructive thread, which I'm glad I entered. :encouragement: For those (like me) that didn't know, here's the 'diver down' flag:

 

[Nick_H]

To make it even more of a school day, in the US the diver down flag is red with a white stripe from one corner to the other. It's worth knowing this if you ever go boating in the med, as some divers use the US version.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Well, I call this an instructive thread, which I'm glad I entered. :encouragement: For those (like me) that didn't know, here's the 'diver down' flag:

It's the A flag

 

[Greenheart]

Ah. Yes... (I feel like Captain Mainwaring after being told something obvious) ..."thank you for that, Walker".

Note to self...ask for code of signals flags for Christmas, and learn them by sending SWMBO rude messages she can't interpret.