What is reckless behaviour

If you check my arithmeic carefully, you will see that there is a built in margin of one boat.
It does, of course, assume that boat one is doing five knots and at the bridge at the moment of opening so the "chicken" factor will also materially affect the accuracy. Boat length is also an issue as the calcs assume bow to bow distance.
This is all in the name of pure bloody mindedness you understand so the only conclusion I stand by is that 'on the plane' should have been unnecessary /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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For anyone not familiar with Cherbourg,
Cherbourg has an outer, inner outer then an outer marina then an inner marina for small French boats then under the bridge to the inner inner marina.

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Thanks for clearing that up ....
 
Re: Oi !!!!!!

After much trauma and pain I have given up the pipe. I am now truly virtuous and non smokey

I do still have the beard and will occasionally (SWMBO willing) tack.

But how did you know I had a beard?
 
Re: What is reckless behaviour - Jimmi\'s 1st post

I was just wondering if part of the problem stems from both Raggies and Mobos all being fitted with GPS systems. Compound this with with everyone using Cumberlidge's (or similar from Reeds almanac) Channel waypoints and you can see how eveyone heads for the same channels and areas of sea, as they follow their computerised course.

Maybe there should be a different set of way points for Mobos and Raggies or different ones if your heading South v North or East v West.

I cant condone what happened to Jimmi but he was on autopilot following the same course for hours maybe the Mobo was also on auto pilot using the same 2 waypoints. Perhaps if your in a "rat run" you should turn George off.

I have started to resort to moving my waypoints away from those in popular publications. In the old days before GPS I expect human error helped keep everyone apart!
 
Don't think its a deliberate attempt to scare. Perhaps the height difference, from yacht cockpit to fly-bridge gives a very different perspective.

They can see me long before I can see them so things don't seem to happen as quickly or perhaps looking up at something is just more scary than looking down

Maybe
 
Re: What is reckless behaviour - Jimmi\'s 1st post

I was on autopilot cos I was single handed but was'nt using a waypoint just a good CTS, when the guy came hammering up my first reaction was to jump up knock the autopilot off and grab the wheel. If he was on autopilot at that speed in those circumstances he needs locked up in the interests of public safety and sanity.
 
Autopilot at speed

Jimi, are you suggesting that one should not use Autopilot at speed?

As for the circumstances, was the vessel not also apporaching the needles channel from off shore?

That being the case shuold you not also have been "off auto" in those circumstances. ie approaching what is universally regarded as a busy channel?
 
Re: \"A Racing Accident\"

Sorry Dave but the fact is that a forward watch WAS positioned on the coachroof and the helm was watching from the cockpit - nonetheless there is still a significant blindspot behind the genny of a heeled yacht.

In normal cruising conditions it is possible to see another boat before it moves into the blind spot and make allowances / adjustments. However in a race where several boats are making quick tacks in close proximity it is not difficult to become blind sided - a fact that insurers consider when quoting premiums for yachties who confess to racing!

At this point consider the definition of the word reckless, does it apply? I dont think so. There was no wilful disregard of danger or consequences.

The collision happened because the skipper of the other boat chose to stand on a stbd tack, he subsequently admitted that because of his quick turn and angle of approach, he was concerned about the ability of the other boat to see him but chose to uphold his "right of way."

Was he reckless?
 
Re: \"A Racing Accident\"

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chose to uphold his "right of way."

Was he reckless?

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Yes - col regs give him no such right to stand-on to the point of a collision. Oh they were RACING - oh well that explains it, can't possibly have been reckless to have created a dangerous situation and then stand-on even though he was aware of the situation he had created......

Oh and blind-spot or not doesn't obviate the need to have a lookout, hitting something in a blind spot you know exists seems just as reckless. Good seamanship would surely dictate changing course temporarily to enable the sea in the blind-spot to be checked before resuming the original course???? But giving up good seamanship and colregs in the name of racing seems quite common...
 
Thanks Simon,

I already made the point earlier that the hit yacht was wrong under coll regs because he failed to take avoiding action.

As also stated, there was a lookout posted however there aint nothing that you can do about the blindspot unless the lookout is posted on the leeward side of the genny in which case he's outboard!

The point you make about racing and seamanship / colregs is valid. In my very short experience of yacht racing I have seen some pretty poor seamanship exhibited in the name of racing - however (and back to the original point) at 4/5 knts it usually comes down to brinksmanship rather than recklessness.....but that's just IMHO
 
Re: Autopilot at speed

No I'm not but with a CPA of 2m on a vessel to port and 1m on a buoy to starboard may not be the wisest time to use an autopilot when travelling at 30+ knots. As for me travelling at 6knots and keeping a good lookout ... shrugs shoulders
 
My last boat was a 35 knot sports boat. I always steered well clear of any boat that I thought my be affected by my wash and came off the plane when I couldn't get enough clearance.

When I came to sell it the first guy who went for a test was slaloming in and out of the yachts at high speed and causing all sorts of problems. When I told him to pack it in he replied "what's the point in having a boat like this if you can't have some fun!".

My new boat does 11 knots flat out and I hope never to be associated with that anti-social sort of idiot again.

Mind you, 90% of the boats that go past my berth over the speed limit are stick and rags.......
 
Re: \"A Racing Accident\"

Really there is no such thing as a racing accident - although we know they exist. The point I made (and here's the clue) if you were there and you were involved, then you are responsible cuts both ways. It still makes Mr X just as responsible. Claiming no sight coz of the genny is unacceptable. Its actually no different from the speedboater in Pwllheli loading his foredeck up with water toys, so obscuring his vision, and driving over a yacht.

My Dad has a great road expression for new road drivers (he taught all 4 of us): Here lies the body of Joseph Day, who died defending his right of way. He was right - dead right - as he sped along. And just as dead as if he were wrong.
 
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