Was I in the wrong ??

[jon and michie]

Right although this may sound similar to a thread a posted a while back "Think I upset a yachtie"
basically leaving North Fambridge marina and was on the crouch going through the moorings at a dead slow speed with no wash.
I was paying particular attention to other users coming towards me near to the visitors pontoon when all of a sudden a small yacht (more like a rowing boat with a sail) came out of the moorings in front of me.
I put the boat into reverse to stop and backed off a bit to allow him to get out of the way.
he was basically darting in and out of the moorings near other moored up vessels hence why I didn't see him - and in a uncontrolled manner
but one of the occupants looked at me in anger which I would of verbally attacked him hadn't it been for my guests on board (1 being 5yr old).
Fortunately the patrol rib from Burnham had witnessed my actions and waved to me and I then carried on with my journey.
Later on in the evening I then saw the said boat enter the marina and again was darting about and at one point nearly hit the moored up boats and in his swerving then nearly hit the bank on the other side.
so my question is - Was I in the wrong - Was the yacht in the wrong for darting in and out the moorings at speed in an uncontrolled manner?

Jon

 

[john_morris_uk]

What's an uncontrolled manner? Small dinghies sailing on the edge often look 'out of control' and I agree that sometimes they are. Some people find pleasure in sailing on the edge and barely in control...

Looks are hard to interpret. The look from the crew might have been nothing to do with you at all; from the sound of things you were extremely courteous and gave him every opportunity to sort his life out.

Might I humbly suggest that you stop worrying and enjoy your boating and if we all have to shrug our shoulders at other peoples antics at times, so what...

 

[Greg2]

From what you describe you it doesn't sound as if you were in the wrong. When the dinghy appeared under sail you gave way and allowed them to get out of the way. The reaction of the guy in the dinghy is irrelevant, the world isn't short of people sailing who think that the power gives way to sail is an absolute and bequeaths some kind of special status on them (I sail as well so not a mobo v raggie thing, more an observation about some people)

 

[jon and michie]

Thank you John and Greg2 for your replies.
the uncontrolled manner - he wasn't sailing along the edge but crossing side to side through the moorings.

Its not that I worry what I am finding is that I am abiding to the rules i.e speed wash and rules of the road and many others are not - yes I am a novice to boating and not perfect my self but want to get things right.

jon

 

[Mr Googler]

Don't sweat the odd look. Could have been a look of surprise that you stopped for them.

You know what those stink pot drivers are like

 

[ChrisJBSC]

If he is darting in and out of the moorings, then he is extremely manoeuvrable. He could come up at speed to within 6" or a foot from your boat, tack round and miss you all under full control. I know - I do it myself when dinghy sailing! It doesn't sound as though you did anything wrong (and that is speaking as both a dinghy sailor and a motor boat owner).

 

[dash300]

Sounds like a Jet Ski knoob has just bought himself a sailing dinghy!

 

[petem]

I think the best thing to do is a big sigh and perhaps roll your eyes a bit. Then try and avoid him and enjoy the rest of your day.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Thank you John and Greg2 for your replies.
the uncontrolled manner - he wasn't sailing along the edge but crossing side to side through the moorings.

Serious question. Do you know that sailing boats can't go in any direction they want, like power boats, and that if they want to sail where the wind is coming from they have to go to and fro at about 45^o each side of the course they want?

 

[MoodySabre]

Perhaps you'll could use the buoyed fairway to avoid the dinghies etc through the moorings. You didn't do anything wrong it it's easier to stick to the fairway.

 

[john_morris_uk]

- he wasn't sailing along the edge but crossing side to side through the moorings

I think there's a slight misunderstanding here; I didn't mean the edge of the channel, I meant on the edge of being out of control. 'On the limit...'. c.f. a racing car driver who drives close to the limit of adhesion of their tyres. They might be said to be driving on the edge.

 

[superheat6k]

From what you have described you acted quite correctly in the circumstances.

It is possible the actions of the small sailing boat entering a narrow channel with restricted visibility and space may have been contravening local bylaws and possibly the Colregs, but this does open up an endless debate as to whether a yacht tacking in general must be fully avoided regarding both his time specific and net course. Certainly small boats that are highly manoeuvrable still hold obligations to avoid collisions, and certainly not to create them - he is meant to maintain his course and speed for instance, so should not tack under your bow, and it sounds like sailing in the manner he was was certainly not prudent. Shame he wasn't approaching from > 22.5 degrees abaft your beam as he would then be overtaking and therefore keep clear vessel, a rule too many fast dinghy sailors are completely unaware of.

 

[Aardee]

What are we actually discussing here?

Mobo gives way to sailing dinghy, then both carry on with no damage and no words exchanged. Big deal...

 

[rubberduck]

What are we actually discussing here?

Mobo gives way to sailing dinghy, then both carry on with no damage and no words exchanged. Big deal...

No, we are discussing a twit in a bathtub with stick & hanky behaving with no consideration, you need to know Fambridge to understand.

 

[Antony Collis]

I wonder how this conversation would look had there been contact between the two boats?

 

[Boat2016]

It does concern me where you have a group of sailing boats all tacking at great speed in front of you and there's barely enough room to get past one before the next one is in front of you or if the one you are trying to pass tacks back in front of you again, this is something that should be stopped as its nothing more than dangerous and with there being plenty of water out there why do they always have to clog up a main channel when it's busy?
I see jetskis were mentioned above in a derogatory way, I have to disagree with that remark as although they often jump my wash I have never witnessed anything as dangerous as that of sailors, and yes I sail too but don't make a habit of sailing under the nose of an approaching mobo just because I can, I would much rather avoid any possible confrontations

 

[kashurst]

+1 on that. I quite understand sail boats, col regs etc, but some people seem to think they have a divine right of way and no consideration for other water users. In a restricted (room wise) channel I don't understand these idiots who appear to push their luck. If they are such terrific sailors what are they doing racing in and out of the moorings? I can only assume they think all Mobos have brakes! Sooner or later one of them will get a Darwin award.

 

[jon and michie]

No, we are discussing a twit in a bathtub with stick & hanky behaving with no consideration, you need to know Fambridge to understand.

Thank you rubberduck - what I find annoying is just a little further from the moorings in either direction it is very open and visibility generally good but this guy was just darting about dangerously.

I didn't want to hit him (well not with the boat anyway) - as far as I am concerned it's the same as stepping out into the path of a car then giving the driver a dirty look as if he should of known better.
Rant over
Many thanks for the replies
Jon

 

[jac]

Serious question. Do you know that sailing boats can't go in any direction they want, like power boats, and that if they want to sail where the wind is coming from they have to go to and fro at about 45^o each side of the course they want?

I think this is a key question that hasn't been answered. if the dinghy is tacking along the river it will want to use as much space as possible. In a small highly manoeuvrable dinghy, there will be plenty of space amongst most moorings. so it is not uncontrolled. Also many small dinghies may be trying to keep out of the main channel so that they don't obscure it for other craft, ( although some are just knobs!)

 

[jon and michie]

I think this is a key question that hasn't been answered. if the dinghy is tacking along the river it will want to use as much space as possible. In a small highly manoeuvrable dinghy, there will be plenty of space amongst most moorings. so it is not uncontrolled. Also many small dinghies may be trying to keep out of the main channel so that they don't obscure it for other craft, ( although some are just knobs!)

I understand what you are saying but at Fambridge through the moorings there is no main channel and as I stated earlier he later came into the marina nearly hit other moored up Boats and in the process nearly hit the opposite bank although I found it quite amusing that he very nearly took a bashing from his boom.
Jon