View Single Post
Old 12-31-2018, 07:06 PM   #161
DDW
Guru
 
City: San Francisco
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 3,094
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fish53 View Post
If you knew as many Maine lobstermen as I do you'd realize that most of them are rude primarily because they're on the water every day and every day recreational boaters do something stupid. I ran ferries in Maine on and off for years and the best way to deal with lobsterboats is ignore them, most of them are very good seaman with years more experience than most rec. boaters ever get. I can't effectively address your difficulties with radar but from what you said it sounds to me like you could benefit from some training. As to the supposed Canadian trawlers with no one running them I doubt this very much, having operated large trawlers for many years only a fool leaves the wheelhouse unattended. I would guess that they may have had heir gear in the water and as such had the right of way. Some midwater trawlers tow at speeds far faster than bottom trawlers and may appear to not be fishing. As I stated elsewhere I take my seamanship skills very seriously and can say with some pride that in forty five years of running all kinds of boats from an outboard skiff to a 25o' factory trawler I've never been in a collision, run aground or most important I've never lost a crewmember. Trust me, I want you to be the best boat operator you can be as I'm out there too.
I give lobstermen some slack because of what they do, but I've seen complete idiocy from some of them too. They're just people after all.

You weren't there when the Canadian trawlers went by. Full speed, no gear in the water, did not have the right of way over a sailboat sailing. I don't know what they were doing, playing cards?

Some of you'all are acting like I've said radar is useless. Did not say that. Just said it isn't a magic wand. I've navigated for decades in fog without it, never hit anything either. A decade or so with it, still haven't hit anything. I already said upthread they are so cheap you might as well have one. And by all means practice or take a course. Better with it than without. But if you think it is showing the whole and complete picture, particularly in weather, you are sadly mistaken. As countless radar assisted collisions have proven.
DDW is offline   Reply With Quote