l'escargot
New member
Then you are lucky. It doesn't however negate the problems that other people have encountered.
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That bloody ferry again
- Thread starter iangrant
- Start date
ShipsWoofy
New member
Time you kept a camera by the helm me thinks, no one can argue with that.
If you can photograph (or get a crew to) his approach and passing within a number of yards you will at least have some evidence to back it up.
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Woof</A>
If you can photograph (or get a crew to) his approach and passing within a number of yards you will at least have some evidence to back it up.
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Woof</A>
iangrant
New member
Good idea..
Anyway lodged with QHM - I'll let you all know the outcome.
Ian
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Anyway lodged with QHM - I'll let you all know the outcome.
Ian
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plombier
New member
In an apparent developing close-quarters situation with one of these ferries, has anyone ever considered calling up the relevant ferry on VHF and asking what his intentions are? They monitor 16, 11 & 12.
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robp
Active member
I didn't say I would stand on, anymore than Ian would. That just isn't the way I play. But small boats can indicate that they are not sure of big boats' intentions, just as big boats will with yachts if need arises.
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oldharry
Well-known member
... then you have been lucky A-7, and for your sake I hope it stays that way. I too sail there fairly regularly, and normally have no problem. Thats what makes it all the more dangerous when you meet the rogue skipper. You expect him to behave in the usual exemplary fashion, and the realisation that you are being targetted is not nice - not nice at all, because by then your options are fast running out.
My two quotes were intended demonstrate that sometimes doing the right thing regardless is wrong. Even Colregs require both parties to take steps to avoid a collision in close quarters situations.
But how on earth can you decide what to do if the other guy is not playing by the rules. And that is when it no longer becomes funny - but literally deadly serious. Particularly when he is very, very much bigger and faster than you.
In my case he could easily have passed well clear either ahead or astern of me - I was in a 20 footer, and in light airs doing just 2 - 3 kts. My actions depended on what he was planning to do. Start the engine and move faster would have put me dead across his course, even though I would have been in the right. Turn180 degrees away from him? Fine unless he had decided to pass astern of me as he should have done under Colregs. And the speed and angle he was coming up meant it was virtually impossible for me to tell which he planned to do, so that once I realised he was standing on regardless there was very little time to decide what to do, and certainly no time to start messing about with the VHF.
Perhaps if we all make a practice of calling these guys when they approach - regardless - asking which side of us they want to pass, using QHMs Ch11, then both they and QHM might take notice of just how dangerous this situation is becoming and so avoid the inevitable tragedy sooner or later.
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My two quotes were intended demonstrate that sometimes doing the right thing regardless is wrong. Even Colregs require both parties to take steps to avoid a collision in close quarters situations.
But how on earth can you decide what to do if the other guy is not playing by the rules. And that is when it no longer becomes funny - but literally deadly serious. Particularly when he is very, very much bigger and faster than you.
In my case he could easily have passed well clear either ahead or astern of me - I was in a 20 footer, and in light airs doing just 2 - 3 kts. My actions depended on what he was planning to do. Start the engine and move faster would have put me dead across his course, even though I would have been in the right. Turn180 degrees away from him? Fine unless he had decided to pass astern of me as he should have done under Colregs. And the speed and angle he was coming up meant it was virtually impossible for me to tell which he planned to do, so that once I realised he was standing on regardless there was very little time to decide what to do, and certainly no time to start messing about with the VHF.
Perhaps if we all make a practice of calling these guys when they approach - regardless - asking which side of us they want to pass, using QHMs Ch11, then both they and QHM might take notice of just how dangerous this situation is becoming and so avoid the inevitable tragedy sooner or later.
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plombier
New member
<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>
Perhaps if we all make a practice of calling these guys when they approach - regardless - asking which side of us they want to pass, using QHMs Ch11, then both they and QHM might take notice of just how dangerous this situation is becoming and so avoid the inevitable tragedy sooner or later.
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My point exactly!!!
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Perhaps if we all make a practice of calling these guys when they approach - regardless - asking which side of us they want to pass, using QHMs Ch11, then both they and QHM might take notice of just how dangerous this situation is becoming and so avoid the inevitable tragedy sooner or later.
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My point exactly!!!
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iangrant
New member
Agreed entirely..
I was daft enough (again) to think that the ferry would really not just keep on coming at us - a 5 degree alteration by him would have meant him passing comfortably - we had to turn to starboard at the last minute , the guy on the helm used to drive destroyers and he was convinced we were to be run down - it was bloody close.
I've emailed QHM and filled in a report,, Things are in motion, I will drive this on to a conclusion. If it is to be a local change of the coll regs for these ferries then so be it, but we NEED TO KNOW!!!
Ian
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I was daft enough (again) to think that the ferry would really not just keep on coming at us - a 5 degree alteration by him would have meant him passing comfortably - we had to turn to starboard at the last minute , the guy on the helm used to drive destroyers and he was convinced we were to be run down - it was bloody close.
I've emailed QHM and filled in a report,, Things are in motion, I will drive this on to a conclusion. If it is to be a local change of the coll regs for these ferries then so be it, but we NEED TO KNOW!!!
Ian
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oldharry
Well-known member
Exactly what happened to me a couple of years ago, Ian. And the dangerous part is, as I said, the fact that most of them do change course for Yachts. It makes it all the more dangerous when you meet the one guy who is not going to alter - at what point do you throw the rule book out of the window and take emergency action? Particularly when the only evasive action open to you will actually put you in further danger if he DOES make a last minute change of course and head to pass astern of you.
It all happens so fast: from the time you realise that this is one of the rogues - and if you have never experienced being deliberately run down by a normally well behaved ferry before, it is very hard to accept what is happening, which slows your response even further - and you have pretty well run out of options anyway.
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It all happens so fast: from the time you realise that this is one of the rogues - and if you have never experienced being deliberately run down by a normally well behaved ferry before, it is very hard to accept what is happening, which slows your response even further - and you have pretty well run out of options anyway.
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