Torpoint ferries

[snowleopard]

I've been trying to find a definitive answer on the rights of way of the Torpoint ferries. It has always been my practice to dodge them but a couple of times recently they have stopped, screwing up my plans to duck behind them. Google has failed me so can anyone help?

 

[Tranona]

Think you will find it in the Harbour By Laws. In Poole the Harbour Commissioners brought in a new By Law a few years ago giving the Sandbanks Ferry priority. Followed a collission and sinking involving would you believe given the excitement in Cowes this weekend, an X boat!

 

[boatbuilder]

Torpoint ferries are classed as a moving bridge and as such have no right of way. That is why they don't have nav lights. According to the Longroom at a talk at Torpoint mosquito a few years ago.
However I adopt the attitude of allways going behind if poss, and make sure that they can see what I am doing.
I suppose you could call Long room and ask.

 

[snowleopard]

I can't find any info on whether they have a VHF either. It would be handy to call them up and agree what we are going to do. Perhaps I'll ask my mate who goes across on foot to find out.

 

[jerryat]

[ QUOTE ]
I've been trying to find a definitive answer on the rights of way of the Torpoint ferries. It has always been my practice to dodge them but a couple of times recently they have stopped, screwing up my plans to duck behind them. Google has failed me so can anyone help?

[/ QUOTE ]

I know just what you mean. I've always made it clear whether I'm going ahead or astern of them, but just yesterday, with SWMBO on the helm and holding her course, the ferry started to slow down to allow us to pass ahead.

However, as we weren't under spinnaker or retricted by other boats, I got SWMBO to alter course in plenty of time to clear astern, upon which the ferry speeded up again. We always wave a 'thumbs-up' thank you when it isn't easy to turn and they slow down or stop for us and the skiipers seem very friendly and courteous in my experience.

Because for years they've stopped or slowed down, I've always assumed we had right of way.

 

[Tranona]

That is the kind of good behaviour we get with the Sandbanks ferry - even though they have right of way. However, it can get very fraught particularly on a busy weekend when Spring low tide is in the middle of the day giving 4 knots of tide one way then the other, loads of yachts going in and out plus a Britanny Ferry and 2 Condor Cat movements within an hour!

 

[LittleSister]

According to Mark Fishwick's 'West Country Cruising' (1995 edition) they have right of way.

When I lived down that way I always treated them as if they did, and they always acted as if they had.

 

[LittleSister]

The definitive answer is the following regulation (reproduced from the Queen's Harbour Master's website)

"Harbour ferries
9. - (1) Any harbour ferry vessel or floating bridge plying in the Dockyard Port shall
give way to any other vessel which can only navigate in a narrow channel or fairway.
(2) Yachts and other recreational vessels shall be handled in such a way that
interference with the timely operation of floating bridges on fixed tracks is reduced to the
minimum.
(3) Instead of the lights directed to be carried by the Collision Regulations, any
floating bridge which is confined to a fixed track shall display the following lights -
(a) carry four lights, one at each corner, showing white ahead and astern in the
direction of the ferry track and red on the beam or athwart the ferry track;
(b) when such floating bridge is in progress an amber flashing light at the
masthead at the leading end in the direction of progress;
(c) where such floating bridge is being used by the emergency services, a blue
flashing light shall be displayed below the said amber flashing light indicating
direction of progress."

What that means in practice....?

 

[pau1gray]

Yes they do have VHF - they regularly call flag on Ch14 when they need permission to cross when they have 'a blue light'

 

[snowleopard]

Excellent. It would have saved us doing a 'corridor dance' last time I came through.