Slap on the wrist by QHM

BlueChip

BlueChip

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Coming into Portsmouth this evening heard one of the IOW Ferries calling QHM and making a formal complaint about a single handed yachtie tacking right across the channel through the entrance and up the harbour. Seems the ferry needed to go full astern to miss this intrepid sailor who despite getting 5 toots on the horn insisted on standing on.
QHM summoned the police boat to sort him out. The ferry skipper was absolutely livid - suspect this yacht skipper will end up in court
 
So what happened to "power gives way to sail?"

Well OK, harbour regs and so on, but how did the ferry skipper know he hadn't just had an engine failure?

And if he didn't have a radio (they're not compulsory, yet...) or as solo couldn't use it then he couldn't have bleated about it...could he???

Perhaps the ferry shouldn't have been in quite such a blind rush as to need full astern to avoid a yacht that is perfectly entitled to tack wherever and whenever it wants...5 short blasts notwithstanding.

Perhaps (evidently) the ferry was going too fast for the conditions pertaining...

Sort him out? End in court??? Perhaps we shouldn't be too quick to jump to conclusions either.

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Mash ..... May I suggest >>

That a) you stay away from harnours, ports and other areas where vessels meet ....

I understand that you are saying that maybe the yacht had other reasons for its actions .... but simply put ....

He was DEFINITELY a stupid ass and shouldn't have done what he did. Now correct me if I am wrong ... QHM byelaws say that a yacht cannot be under sail alone entering / leaving Portsmouth Hbr ?? without good reason.

If he had engine problem ... and the ferry is coming in / out ...... he should stand off and preferably call QHM on VHf and advise his situation etc. Then at least halving his misdemeanour.
Second he was stupid to satnd on to a large vessel in such a busy restricted area.

Power gives way to sail - that must be the worst expression ever to come into common useage .... the sooner that expression is consigned to the Gravestones of brave and foolhardy idiots to be never used again .. the better.

Mash - I think a bit of thought and brush-up on Col Regs . QHM Byelaws etc. etc. is needed here .....

(Must admit - "You've brightened my day already !!")
 
Rule 3(a) LTNM 15/05: "Small Boats must enter and leave the harbour through the Small Boat Channel. b. All craft fitted with engines, when navigating in the Approach Channel to Portsmouth Harbour, are to proceed under power between No 4 Bar Buoy and the Ballast Beacon. "

Rule 7 The Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005: "Power-driven small boats and all cross harbour ferries shall, when inside the Harbour, keep out of the way of all seagoing vessels, Isle of Wight car and passenger ferries and tugs conducting towing operations."

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a yacht that is perfectly entitled to tack wherever and whenever it wants

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Not in the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour he's not
 
A friend of mine had to enter Pompey under sail a couple of weeks ago (his gearbox had failed). He did all the good things, called QHM to request an entry under sail, stood off until cleared in, sailed through the entrance - and was confronted with a Wightlink and one of the cross channel ferries comomg the opther way. The ferries having been cleared to depart, yet NOT advised as to the "yacht in the middle of the channel". I think they was as upset as my friend was........
 
Cleared to enter ...

Now this is a different ball game and I can understand both being peed off ....

But at end of day .... nothing removes the obligation of all to keep to the rules .... even in QHM territory .....

Sad that this occasion yacht has done all possible to safeguard his and others passage ........
 
slightly related to this are new regulations about moving havens around warships etc. If you fail to observe them you will be deemed to be'hostile'. The information will be sent on Ch 11 OR 13, not both. I objected to QHM but he has not had the courtesy to reply. I pointed out most listen to 11 but not 13 and many would not/can not set up a dual scan. It does seem high handed and foolish to exepct a boat approaching via the Inner Swash and listening on 11 to know that the harbour mouth is closed when the info was only given on 13. Will he be blasted out of the water?
 
I also have sailed into Portsmouth with engine failure, although under conditions of wind and tide that meant I didn't need to tack until well into the harbour. I specifically asked QHM to advise me if there were any large vessel movements imminent and he clearly said there weren't. I met the P&O ferry outbound in the entrance. Maybe they don't count as large.
 
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slightly related to this are new regulations about moving havens around warships etc. If you fail to observe them you will be deemed to be'hostile'. The information will be sent on Ch 11 OR 13, not both. I objected to QHM but he has not had the courtesy to reply. I pointed out most listen to 11 but not 13 and many would not/can not set up a dual scan. It does seem high handed and foolish to exepct a boat approaching via the Inner Swash and listening on 11 to know that the harbour mouth is closed when the info was only given on 13. Will he be blasted out of the water?

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Issued today from QHM:

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Message to all Mariners in the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth From QHM Portsmouth



Portsmouth News Headline "Navy Sets Ring of Steel" "Boat Owners Anger As Defence Chiefs Warn of Exclusion Zone" - Tuesday 23rd August 2005

Message to all Mariners in the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth from Queen's Harbour Master Portsmouth.

You may have read an article in the News today, which says, and I quote, "Sailors who venture into Exclusion Zone around warships face being fired upon under tough anti-terror measures"

This statement is not correct. The story was based on the reissued Local Notice to Mariners LNTM 40/05 which you can read on this website. LNTM 40/05 was first issued on the 18th December 2002 as LNTM 64/02. It is not new. The reason for the reissue is that the law has been updated this year, and it now references the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005, instead of the out of date 1978 Order.

The notice gives me the exceptional power to order a 250 meter exclusion zone around a warship within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth, which extends from near Cowes, round as far as the Eastern part of the Isle of Wight.

It is not a routine measure. In fact, it would only be introduced for an exceptionally vulnerable ship or if there was creditable intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack on a warship at sea in the Portsmouth area.

I am not in the habit of threatening law abiding mariners in my area with firearms. IF the exclusion zone was introduced, and let me reiterate that would only be in an exceptional circumstance, then it would be announced well in advance. The Police would be responsible for keeping the area around the ship clear by patrolling the area. If a mariner inadvertently strayed into the area he would not be fired upon, he would be intercepted by a patrol boat and asked to leave. If he refused to, he would be arrested and prosecuted.

The measure is there to provide extra protection and security in exceptional circumstances when required. It is not in force now.

I hope this clarifies matter if you have any further concerns please contact me via this website.

Commander K Carter

Queens Harbour Master Portsmouth

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