The Pride of Bilbao is scarey

[jstr]

Thursday evening 2249, dark raining and on passage from Alderney to the Solent. Have negotiated 15 vessels in the east going lanes, and am now going through the west going lanes (18 vessels scattered across the line) about due North of cap de la hague. I am motor sailing as the wind is variable and so am give way boat. I am watching a line of three big ones ahead of me on the radar about 6 miles away but haven't looked at their ais details yet. They are all roughly on 269 - me 021. (This is not in the TSS but the traffic is in line with the lanes)

Suddenly the one in the middle of the three, cuts across the bows of its left neighbour and is now heading straight for me. I now look at the ais and see it's the Pride of Bilbao. It seems to be coming at me for ages, but I remember the MAIB report and that the POB turns very slowly, so I kept watching the ais and sure enough he eventually went 198 and 190.

Good job I didn't turn to starboard when I thought he was coming at me. 190 was still scarey close though, and I then think he saw that on his radar, and went 180 - passed about one mile to starboard.

I don't have a particular point except that I find vessels making course changes in front of you in the lanes quite scarey, and during the period that I thought he was coming at me I could have turned to starboard as per colregs, which would have put me in more danger. I also had a tanker bound for the Cape turn 180 in front of me about half an hour later! AT least it all happened well in front of me, but again for a while his course was at me.

Glad I had the radar and ais - that was a comfort. IMO, it's essential for x-channel at night if you are in a position to have / use it.

 

[jimbaerselman]

[ QUOTE ]
and is now heading straight for me

[/ QUOTE ] So, he's going to miss. That's not scary, surely?

Being a fast vessel, and seeing a slow one, quite often faster vessels will make a clear course alteration to starboard, even if they're give way vessels.

As a matter of interest, could he clearly see your steaming light? And was your jib still up? He may have thought you were under sail, and showing a deck light . . . then played it cool . . .

 

[jstr]

Jib was down, only main up and I am sure they could see the steaming light. POB turned to port and continued to turn to port when he was ahead of me. As I had the equipment to know what he was doing you are right it wasn't that scarey overall, but for a few moments it was more than "interesting" .

 

[Bilgediver]

I am sure you had plugged his MMsi number into your DSC so that in case the sistuation did not improve you would have direct communication with the watchkeeping officer

 

[jimg]

[ QUOTE ]
I am motor sailing as the wind is variable and so am give way boat.

[/ QUOTE ]

I always think of myself as the give way vessel when I am faced with major shipping!

 

[oldharry]

[ QUOTE ]

I always think of myself as the give way vessel when I am faced with major shipping!

[/ QUOTE ]

Not a safe thing at all unless the action you take is clearly visible to everyone else. For example: a ship is crossing your course port to starboard, and there is a close quarters situation developing. You make a 10 degree alteration to port to pass behind him. That may not be apparent to the watchkeeper of the other vessel (remember Ouzo?). He makes a 10 degree alteration to starboard to pass behind you. This may well not be obvious to you either, but you will still get in his way.

Now I agree entirely, it is safe practice to make sure we keep out of the way of the big boys, so you must make it entirely clear that is what you intend to do: a sharp alteration of course will - if he is watching and aware of you at all - indicate you intend to keep clear.

But thats what you meant wasnt it?

As a commercial skipper, I was frequently astonished by the antics of small craft when confronted by a larger vessel heading in their direction.

 

[jimg]

Exactly what I meant.

 

[gandy]

[ QUOTE ]
I always think of myself as the give way vessel when I am faced with major shipping!

[/ QUOTE ] But you need to determine where the big guy's going before you can give way to him.

This brute had just passed a Starboard mark and is starting to turn to Port to head out of the Moray Firth. His turn continued and he passed well away from us, but for a long time it looked like he might be overtaking and passing quite close.

 

[Bajansailor]

I like the aerofoil spoiler on the back end - presumably to keep the stern down in rough weather, or maybe to help her get up on the plane.......??
(I think that there is a nightclub within, with big windows in the floor as well for watching the wake while bopping).

She is one of the P & O 'Grand Princess' class of vessels - Not terribly pretty as such, but they are all quite distinctive (dare I say almost 'unique'?) because of their 'spoilers'.

 

[gandy]

That's right, its "Grand Princess" herself. As PG Wodehouse said .. "looks that only a Mother could love"