A scary night on the water last night...

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Jeff F said:
the Big Slow Boat Rule - but it took a while for me to get comfortable with that.
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Wifey B: Size does matter. :D Most people are wise enough if they see a boat ten times their size, to avoid it.
 
Capt.Bill11 said:
And I'm guessing any lessons would be lost on him.

Except the fatal one.
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Wifey B: I'm hoping he was drunk or high. It just frightens me to think anyone would do that sober. :lol: Maybe PCP? Or on an acid trip?? Or .30 alcohol level?

We had someone coming dangerously close behind us, jumping our wake repeatedly and getting closer each time. We stopped and I walked to the swim platform. He pulled up close. He was about a 16 year old kid. I then said, "Sweetheart, you need to listen carefully. You do that one more time and we're reporting you to the Coast Guard. However, worse, I'm going to personally run you over and then take your PWC and cram it up your......., are we clear, darling?" I got a "yes ma'am" and he left.
 
BandB said:
Wifey B: I'm hoping he was drunk or high. It just frightens me to think anyone would do that sober. :lol: Maybe PCP? Or on an acid trip?? Or .30 alcohol level?

We had someone coming dangerously close behind us, jumping our wake repeatedly and getting closer each time. We stopped and I walked to the swim platform. He pulled up close. He was about a 16 year old kid. I then said, "Sweetheart, you need to listen carefully. You do that one more time and we're reporting you to the Coast Guard. However, worse, I'm going to personally run you over and then take your PWC and cram it up your......., are we clear, darling?" I got a "yes ma'am" and he left.
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:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

I tip my hat to you madam. Well played!
 
BandB said:
Wifey B: I'm hoping he was drunk or high. It just frightens me to think anyone would do that sober. :lol: Maybe PCP? Or on an acid trip?? Or .30 alcohol level?

We had someone coming dangerously close behind us, jumping our wake repeatedly and getting closer each time. We stopped and I walked to the swim platform. He pulled up close. He was about a 16 year old kid. I then said, "Sweetheart, you need to listen carefully. You do that one more time and we're reporting you to the Coast Guard. However, worse, I'm going to personally run you over and then take your PWC and cram it up your......., are we clear, darling?" I got a "yes ma'am" and he left.
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LOL. Lots of young men don't need much chemical assistance to act stupidly. I have two boys - now 18 and 20 - who are starting to show some common sense, but they still seem to have to test their invincibility from time to time :)
 
Jeff F said:
LOL. Lots of young men don't need much chemical assistance to act stupidly. I have two boys - now 18 and 20 - who are starting to show some common sense, but they still seem to have to test their invincibility from time to time :)
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Wifey B: And often their "friends" are encouraging them to do stupid things the "friends" wouldn't do. :mad: That's another hard lesson to learn that many of your acquaintances aren't friends. If they're encouraging you to drink until you pass out, if they're encouraging you to try crazy things, they're not looking out after you but doing it for their amusement. It's like dares. I like dares but not those that put one in danger.
 
Jeff F said:
... This summer I spent a lot of time in Ontario cottage country in my trawler, and the first couple of busy weekends were white knuckle as I tried to plot a safe course through the countless PWCs and small boats buzzing around me, most at >5x my speed. Eventually I figured out that if I maintained my course and speed they would all avoid me....
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Ever crossed a road in Saigon infested with hundreds of motor bikes? Same method applies, hold your course, they avoid you. Note: does not work sailboats, especially racing fleets, be they keelboats or dinghies.
 
Usual racing rules say one must avoid ships in restricted waters.





 
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In some ways I'm amazed at how long this thread has gone on. Yet I suppose because it is all about safety at sea, it is a healthy sign that so many have contributed.

Well done all. :thumb:
I guess it all boils down to 'know the rules - abide by them at all times - but if in doubt, do not stand on your dignity just because technically you're in the right. Avoid, avoid, avoid...
 
One of the best Deckhands I have had over the years had a saying when docking is going awry: 'Back down and save your job'.

That is one of the tenets of being able to sleep while someone else is running the boat. If the person driving the boat is too full of bravado and inexperienced watch out! There's a time to use full throttle. Knowing which direction is where the experience comes in.
 
GFC said:
Well, we all know THAT is a truism!
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LOL !

My friend, I wonder what would have happened if your guests were boys instead of girls ? Would you had passed the helm to Tina ? Would the skipper of the sailboat had changed course to cross your path ? I am a little curious about that.

There are still some open questions and they are not going to be resolved by looking at the pictures of your day. Then we will never know. :ermm:

(Only kidding of course :D).
 
A few years ago, two cars collided at the uncontrolled intersection in front of my parents' house, located in a quiet, leafy neighborhood with not much traffic. My old dad wandered out, hands in pockets, to have a look, and engaged one of the agitated drivers in conversation. The man, visibly (and audibly) angry and upset, insisted over and over again that since his had been the car to the other driver's right, he had had the right of way, and the other driver was therefore at fault. My unflappable dad (rest his soul) looked at the man's mashed-up vehicle steaming away in the middle of the intersection and quietly said, "Well, it doesn't matter much now, does it?"
 
OldToby said:
A few years ago, two cars collided at the uncontrolled intersection in front of my parents' house, located in a quiet, leafy neighborhood with not much traffic. My old dad wandered out, hands in pockets, to have a look, and engaged one of the agitated drivers in conversation. The man, visibly (and audibly) angry and upset, insisted over and over again that since his had been the car to the other driver's right, he had had the right of way, and the other driver was therefore at fault. My unflappable dad (rest his soul) looked at the man's mashed-up vehicle steaming away in the middle of the intersection and quietly said, "Well, it doesn't matter much now, does it?"
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This well shows that between theory and practice only reality matters.
 
omc said:
LOL !

My friend, I wonder what would have happened if your guests were boys instead of girls ? Would you had passed the helm to Tina ? Would the skipper of the sailboat had changed course to cross your path ? I am a little curious about that.

There are still some open questions and they are not going to be resolved by looking at the pictures of your day. Then we will never know. :ermm:

(Only kidding of course :D).
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Well, OMC, since it was dark and the skipper of the sailboat couldn't see the guests I had on board I'm certain he didn't change course to voyeur my guests (though I would not have blamed him!). :dance: :dance: :dance:

Had we had a bunch of guys on board I still would have passed the helm to Tina. As a matter of fact, I let several of the guests who wanted to drive take the helm as we cruised during daylight hours. I almost always do that, but make sure I'm right there watching as we cruise. Most of our guests on these cruises are non-boaters and enjoy a chance to take the wheel.

Certaines questions sont mieux laisser sans réponse à laisser l'esprit vagabonder où il pourrait ! :angel:
 
markpierce said:
If there had been a collision, both skippers would be at fault.
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YES, everyone has the responsibility to avoid situations that can lead to a collision.

One year I had just dropped sail (our old sailboat) outside Cuttyhunk harbor. So while motoring at about 1-2K getting the boat ready to enter the harbor some fool captain on another sailboat under sail almost rammed me in the midsection. Sure, as soon as I saw this Ahole I accelerated, changed course and screamed at the other boat who was about 20' from us. Their reply..."we are under sail, we have the right of way." Wifey had to grab me because I had full intention to give him a right of way across the back of his head.
 
foggysail said:
YES, everyone has the responsibility to avoid situations that can lead to a collision.

One year I had just dropped sail (our old sailboat) outside Cuttyhunk harbor. So while motoring at about 1-2K getting the boat ready to enter the harbor some fool captain on another sailboat under sail almost rammed me in the midsection. Sure, as soon as I saw this Ahole I accelerated, changed course and screamed at the other boat who was about 20' from us. Their reply..."we are under sail, we have the right of way." Wifey had to grab me because I had full intention to give him a right of way across the back of his head.
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Wifey B: Guess he showed you. :hide: I'll bet in his mind that's what he's thinking with no grasp of the situation. :mad:

My hubby doesn't yell in such situations as he feels like it's just a waste of his voice, since the guy won't get it anyway. I might be known to sometimes yell. :)
 
For a sailboat to be considered under power, the motor must be in gear. If he's sailing he might be running the motor to charge batteries. It can be hard to discern by looking at the boat. Another reason to pay attention and avoid a mishap based on misinformation or assumption.
 
OldToby said:
The man, visibly (and audibly) angry and upset, insisted over and over again that since his had been the car to the other driver's right, he had had the right of way, and the other driver was therefore at fault.
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Well, what your Dad said was sort of right, but point of order here...just out of curiosity who was in the wrong there..? We give way to the right, but we drive on the left in right hand drive cars. Over there, you drive on the right with left hand drive cars. I always assumed your give way rule would therefore be opposite to ours, and you would give way to the left on a roundabout or uncontrolled intersection..? :confused:

Because, if I'm correct the guy was completely wrong in any case - aside from the smashed vehicle I mean.
Here it gets confusing, because the rules of the (seas) road say you give way to a vessel to your right, wherever you are in the world by international agreement, but not on your (land) roads I would have thought.
 
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We give way to the right at uncontrolled intersections too. I don't know about roundabouts: I learned roundabout protocol in Saudi Arabia, where one gives way to NO ONE.
 
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OldToby said:
We give way to the right at uncontrolled intersections too. I don't know about roundabouts: I learned roundabout protocol in Saudi Arabia, where one gives way to NO NONE.
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Well, if you are still driving, and still in the US, then you better learn, and fast.:D
 
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