Summer's here! Boatrage in the Solent

[whisper]

Re: Summer\'s here! Boatrage in the Solent

I wholeheartedly agree that the abuse was out of order. In that situation I would have loved to have grabbed a megaphone and said something totally facetious but I'm never quick enough to think up an appropriate repost nor even to remember where I last put the megaphone.

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[jimi]

Re: Summer\'s here! Boatrage in the Solent

Problem is L'escargot I did'nt get myself into a situation. A poor escapee from Bedlam found herself afloat on a yacht on the Solent and let rip at the first vessel she saw. Unfortunately it was me! Is this a Pan Pan situation, ignore or shoot the bitch?

To be serious, though, this type of behaviour seems to me to be becoming more prevalent. Road rage, shopping queues, trains .. you name it,rudeness seems to be becoming an accepted part of the fabric of modern Britain. How do you cope with it? If its ignored then to my mind that's tacit acceptance of such behaviour. Bite back and you're at their level. Seems to me to be insoluble, unfortunately.
/forums/images/icons/mad.gif


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[bedouin]

Re: Summer\'s here! Boatrage in the Solent

That's right - resort to abusing me as well. That proves that you were right all along. A can't imagine how I was so presumptious as to question it.

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[jimi]

Re: Summer\'s here! Boatrage in the Solent

Again you're factually incorrect! Did'nt abuse you just pointing out that you've misread the question as well as being factually incorrect. This led logically to the undoubted conclusion that you're several sandwiches short of a picnic!

/forums/images/icons/smile.gifCheers/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by jimi on 16/03/2003 22:22 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[TheBoatman]

Re: Summer\'s here! Boatrage in the Solent

Martin
I agree with you and do similar things myself to wind them up to boiling point.

a) Act with no emotion, then tug your forlock or doff your cap and shout "nice day for a potter about" and look straight ahead ignoring all further abuse.

b) Make a big show of reaching into your pocket to get your loose change out, select 2p and throw it in the general direction of their boat making sure it lands in the water, then shout "here's a pound go and give it to your father so he can marry your mother".

c) Face directly at them crook your index finger back on itself, insert the first knuckle into your nostril and twist like mad. Don't ask me why but that drives them over the edge<s>

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[bigmart]

Re: Summer\'s here! Boatrage in the Solent

Your a man after my own heart & evil to the core.

Congratulations.

Martin

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[tcm]

Winding them up

agre with the above. Other options include

1. Wear dark sunglasses, and as you come into view, get a white stick out and feel for the winches, the boom and so on.

2. See how much abuse you can collect, and score the outburst with a maximum score of 6.0.

3. Ignoring the abuse, and waving happily, but saying nothing.

4. Ignoring the abuse, slowly shaking your head as you proceed.

5. You need a video camera and a copy of the colregs. Microscopically adjust course and when the opportunity presents itself, smash into the other boat. You'll have a YM, they won't, they changed course or whatever. This is the most expensive option, but of course the most satisfying. Then, give them the copy of the colregs, and they will go bananas, attempt physical violence, all captured on video by another crewmember ready for when the police turn up.


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[bob_tyler]

Re: Half a boatlength?

Thoroughly agree.

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[jimi]

Re: Half a boatlength?

Thoroughly agree as well, thought the overtaking boat should have made an effort to have kept further away. Think they wanted to close the distance to maximise their vocal advantage!

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[Cornishman]

Re: Summer\'s here! Boatrage in the Solent

Reckon you're not Cornish. We want their money - and yours, too.

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[Guest]

Re: Half a boatlength?

What' s all this about 'overtaking boat'? The first statement appeared to envisage same tack, vessel to windward gives way.
The problem with these threads on near collisions and such like is that one only hears one side. I am not implying that jimi's account is wrong, just that we all know if the other party was asked his/her version it might well be very different.
Third parties might have further descriptions.
Now this term 'boatrage', iniated by jimi: it does not really help matters and let's hope it is never heard of again. It seems to borrow from cheap journalism, 'air rage' and so on.

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[tome]

Re: Half a boatlength?

Hi Jimi

I see you've opened Pandora's box!

I managed to escape gardening duties this weekend and had a cracking sail down to Yarmouth (4 1/2 hours from Northney) Saturday running with just the genoa set, and eating lunch at the cockpit table.

We had a fast beat back on Sunday, tacking round the Brambles about the time you were engaging the enemy. It was quite blustery and lumpy off Cowes. Personally, I'd have avoided any close quarter situation in those conditions, but that doesn't excuse the abuse.

It was certainly the busiest weekend this year, and remember that it was possibly the first sail of the season for the crew in question so maybe a wee bit tense.

We were buzzed by a Fairey Swordsman and exchanged friendly waves with them and a couple of other MoBos. Yarmouth was great as always and there were all of 20 visitors with free space all over. We had fun in the Yacht club watching boats trying to beat the tide and in some instances actually sailing backwards. Great entertainment watching through the powerful binoculars with a well spiced bloody Mary to hand.

I loved it this weekend and thought the Solent was at its best! Had a shock when I heard a loud alarm and eventually realised it was the new DSC VHF set going off (strong wind warning from Solent coastguard). B****y hell! Guess I'll get used to it.

Sad that I had to get back for work - I gather the good weather is set to continue this week and as fate would have it I'm getting a visit from my boss Friday so can't slope off.



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[jimi]

Re: Half a boatlength?

Whether or not you hear the word "Boatrage", unfortunately I doubt if that'll stop such behaviour. In fact the boat whilst originally in a crossing situation albeit well behind altered course to avoid the Bramble bank and then became the overtaking boat. I wish to avoid the right and wrongs of the CR situation because in this case it was in fact irrelevant.

What I am concerned about was that the behaviour of this boat reduced two of my daughters to tears, spoilt a nice day out, all completely unecessary considering we were the only two boats bwetween Cowes and Calshott. And yes we were both heading for Southampton water.I know there's two sides to everything but even if I had been completely in the wrong and for the purposes of this thread you can assume that if you want. the actual rights and wrongs are irrelevant, what is relevant is behavioural norms.

What I do find exceedingly worrying is the number of people on this august forum who would appear to condone and in some cases actively support such disgraceful behaviour.
That's not what life's about for me and unfortunately reinforces my wife's opinion of many of the crassly ignorant denizens of the Solent .. most I would add with posh accents!

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: You might as well

give us the name Jamsie
you can offer them a YM refresher course of their very own.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: Summer\'s here! Boatrage in the Solent

Just holler back "Hold your course" if you are sure that no collision risk exists, or that you can manouver to avoid one if one does develop.

Then blow them a kiss as they go by.

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[jimi]

Re: You might as well

The boat was a Twister by the name of Indigo!

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: well that explains

why you managed to catch it /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[jimi]

Re: well that explains

I'm embarassed to say it overtook me .. jet propelled by hot air!

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: well that explains

have you found that rag you lost yet?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

Re: Half a boatlength?

I have seen this to lesser extents, I also see as we all do now this behaviour on the roads. People going absolutely nuts!

Take a second to compose yourself, and then take joy in the fact that they are going to be whinging about this for days while you can just smile and get on with your day/trip etc.

The fact that you have become so bothered means they have won, they have achieved what they set out to do. Make jokes about it with your family, keep it light and the whole situation should turn in your favour. I am no psychologist but I think your children will have been looking for your support, seeing you getting so upset was probably why they started to get overwhelmed by the whole situation.

I wonder if you had smiled and waved and then commented to the kids light-heartedly something like "well I guess we wont have them to dinner tonight" or something and they would have seen that the other boats crews behaviour as totally inappropriate they would have probably been giggling away and the whole situation would have been away in minutes.

About a month ago I cocked up a bit and misjudged my crossing to stern of a boat leaving Pwllheli, when I realised he was not moving as fast as I had envisaged I had to gibe to avoid getting too close. He was stand on and was watching me like a hawk, once I took appropriate action I waved in an apologetic manner to show my realisation of mistake, we smiled and both sailed on without further problem. Had he started shouting and abusing I would have tried to remain calm and do exactly the same thing.

We could look at this as the bully and target, you have allowed this fowl mouthed crew to intimidate you, look at it in a more cruder sense, what advice would you give your daughter if she was verbally attacked like this at school, then do the same.

Enjoy sailing in the Solent, then move the boat and enjoy sailing!


<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> Julian </font color=blue>

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