That bloody ferry again

[iangrant]

ST Helen ferry - counted the rivets at 1200 MID solent, clear water. Had we maintained our course he would have hit us..

Another report to QHM.. still no reply from the last one.
Ian

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[pessimist]

Quote

Another report to QHM.. still no reply from the last one.

Why doesn't that surprise me?

<hr width=100% size=1>A pessimist is an optimist in full possession of the facts

 

[seashaw]

I know the rules apply to everyone, but would it not just be easier to keep out of his way and let him get on with his job.

Mark

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[iangrant]

So how do we do that? Do we ignore the coll regs for IOW ferries??

I know he is doing his job, I'm not being awkward I'm just lost as to what to do..

Ian

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[A_7]

I think you lot fuss too much about these ferrys. You enjoy your sail and let them go back and forth. Don't worry, they won't run you down as I think they know what they are doing believe it on not.

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[webcraft]

Ian,

We have Macbraynes to contend with, and generally we give way to them even if we are the stand-on vessel . . . there is an old maxim:

'The Earth's the Lord's,
And all that it contains
Except the Western Isles
For they are all Macbrayne's'

I find a clear change of course before the buggers get anywhere near usually means no nippy colregs interpretation becomes necessary.

- Nick

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[hugh_nightingale]

Perhaps the QHM is relying on those new Portsmouth Harbour volunteer watch crews.

I just wish the IOW ferries would make up their minds as to which of the channels outside Portsmouth they want to use instead of cutting across me.

Only had one good guy, called me up and asked if he could turn. I, of course, gave way.

Hugh

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[brianhumber]

Are your sails, dogers, wet weather gear red? Is that why you attract the ferries.

Don't know why they pick on you, two Wightlink altered for me and others couple of weekends ago.

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[Colin_S]

Don't ever take Asterie up the Thames, not with your track record cos them ferries at Woolwich hunt in pairs.

<hr width=100% size=1>Will crew for scraps

 

[BrendanS]

Same in Lymington, though triplets seen on occassion!

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[oldharry]

Sorry A-7 you are wrong. If you had had one of these 'close encounters', you would know what we are talking about.

The problem is not that we are doing anything stupid. It is that we no longer can even guess at what the ferry wants us to do in a growing close quarters situation. MOST of the time the ferries behave in a an exemplary fashion, sticking very clearly to Colregs and making their intentions clear in plenty of time.

Then a rogue one comes in, and does something totally unexpected, for no good reason, other than the apparent desire to use 1200 tons (I think) of ferry to scare the pants off one of us. And I say 'no good reason' with the insight of having skippered passenger ships myself - and as a yachtsman, having myself been the target for one of these rogue ferries.

It has got to stop. But I am increasingly afraid it will not, until it is too late and there has been a tragedy.

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[StugeronSteve]

What have you been doing to upset this guy Ian? Revving the Bonny up outside his house all night or something. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I'll draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[boatmike]

Might surprise you Ian if you read my defense or QHM on another post but I agree entirely. I always try to keep well clear of the buggers but sometimes it's downright impossible without putting you or someone else in danger by ignoring the colregs entirely. All we can do is keep sending the reports in to QHM. If he gets enough of them on his desk he might be in a better position to react I guess....
Famous last words..... I had right of way.......

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[oldharry]

"Here lies the body of poor John Gray,
Knew he had the right of way"

and Gordon Brittas, lying swathed in bandages on a hospital bed having been run down by a lorry loaded with treacle (!)
"It doesnt matter: I WAS on a zebra crossing, and I did HAVE right of way"

Unfortunately it is not at all funny when these things start happening for real.


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[boatmike]

Wasn't meant as a joke. Agree with most others on this post. No good pressing on to disaster just because you have right of way. If I can do so with safety my preference would be to keep out of his way regardless of my rights but my point was that sometimes this causes even more danger.....

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[bedouin]

The problem is that once one party starts ignoring Colregs it becomes a free for all - and two wrongs don't make a right.

It is all very well in theory to say "keep out of the way", but in practice it can be difficult to achieve safely. Just pretending that you are give way vessel when in fact you are stand on can be very dangerous because your actions may conflict with those of the true give way vessel.



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[robp]

Five short blasts on the whistle? He might not hear it but you'd have some witnesses.

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[boatmike]

And then you can have it engraved on your tombstone.... Had right of way and went out whistling.......

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[jimi]

New ferryman tune!

"Whistle while I wreck!"

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[A_7]

I sail in the solent. I encounter these ferries regularly. Never had a problem.

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