Jklotz
Guru
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2024
- Messages
- 579
- Location
- On the water
- Vessel Name
- Carol Ann
- Vessel Make
- North Pacific 4518
Fair warning, I'm going to rant a little bit. Feel free to click on over to the next thread and spare yourself. You've been warned.
Incident 1: On the St. John's River, west of Jacksonville, just shy of the inlet, a sailing cat with sails down and under motorized power, was crossing parallel to the channel. It was daylight. He was off my port bow. I was in the marked channel. I had the right of way. My AIS blared a collision warning, surely his must have been as well? He showed no signs of altering course or slowing down. Bewildered, I held my course and speed just to see what he would do. At the last minute, I pulled back to neutral and let him pass. I pulled out my binoculars, only to discover there was nobody at the helm, but I could clearly see a couple, enjoying a bottle of wine, at the table, just chatting away. Ironically, the boat name was "Fearless".
Incident 2: Oceechee River, around Racoon Key. At least 3/4 of a mile navigable waterway widthwise. Plenty of depth for at least 1/2 a mile. What I think was a Mainship 400, with a giant GA Bulldogs banner across the front of the pilot house, doing maybe 3 knots faster than I was, passed me, to my starboard. No attempt at radio contact, no warning. He was 5 feet off my starboard railings. His fenders were out. Had I had my boat hook out, I could have snagged one, that's how close they were. Onboard, on the fly bridge, were 2 very large, shirtless men who appeared to be oblivious there was another boat there. Ironically, when we pulled into the marina a few miles down the road, they were there, tied up a boat in front of us. I didn't say anything, they didn't seem like the kind of folks anything positive could have come from engaging.
Incident 3: Somewhere north of St. Augustine, ICW was fairly narrow. I had maybe 15 feet on either side with enough depth for my boat. Going the opposite direction, traveling about my speed (7 knots), was a small pontoon boat with a family to my port, several small children onboard. Behind them, comes a skiff, full speed, on a plane, who decided it was a good idea to pass around the pontoon boat and cut between us as were closing in on each other. All I could see from my pilot house, was a skiff, at full speed, on a plane, heading straight for my bow. He must have realized, mere feet from a collision, that he wasn't going to make it, and veered to my starboard, at full speed. I couldn't see what happened to him, don't have great visibility aft from the pilot house, but I do remember going into full on emergency mode, "can my bow handle a high speed collision?" "Do I need to hail the coast guard?". I'm 45ft, 22 tons, I'd faired better than he I suppose. After he passed, feet from my bow, I stepped out to the side deck and looked aft. He made it, was down from the plane and the pontoon guys were yelling at him, hands in the air, wtf man????
It's a dangerous world out there folks. Y'all be careful.
Incident 1: On the St. John's River, west of Jacksonville, just shy of the inlet, a sailing cat with sails down and under motorized power, was crossing parallel to the channel. It was daylight. He was off my port bow. I was in the marked channel. I had the right of way. My AIS blared a collision warning, surely his must have been as well? He showed no signs of altering course or slowing down. Bewildered, I held my course and speed just to see what he would do. At the last minute, I pulled back to neutral and let him pass. I pulled out my binoculars, only to discover there was nobody at the helm, but I could clearly see a couple, enjoying a bottle of wine, at the table, just chatting away. Ironically, the boat name was "Fearless".
Incident 2: Oceechee River, around Racoon Key. At least 3/4 of a mile navigable waterway widthwise. Plenty of depth for at least 1/2 a mile. What I think was a Mainship 400, with a giant GA Bulldogs banner across the front of the pilot house, doing maybe 3 knots faster than I was, passed me, to my starboard. No attempt at radio contact, no warning. He was 5 feet off my starboard railings. His fenders were out. Had I had my boat hook out, I could have snagged one, that's how close they were. Onboard, on the fly bridge, were 2 very large, shirtless men who appeared to be oblivious there was another boat there. Ironically, when we pulled into the marina a few miles down the road, they were there, tied up a boat in front of us. I didn't say anything, they didn't seem like the kind of folks anything positive could have come from engaging.
Incident 3: Somewhere north of St. Augustine, ICW was fairly narrow. I had maybe 15 feet on either side with enough depth for my boat. Going the opposite direction, traveling about my speed (7 knots), was a small pontoon boat with a family to my port, several small children onboard. Behind them, comes a skiff, full speed, on a plane, who decided it was a good idea to pass around the pontoon boat and cut between us as were closing in on each other. All I could see from my pilot house, was a skiff, at full speed, on a plane, heading straight for my bow. He must have realized, mere feet from a collision, that he wasn't going to make it, and veered to my starboard, at full speed. I couldn't see what happened to him, don't have great visibility aft from the pilot house, but I do remember going into full on emergency mode, "can my bow handle a high speed collision?" "Do I need to hail the coast guard?". I'm 45ft, 22 tons, I'd faired better than he I suppose. After he passed, feet from my bow, I stepped out to the side deck and looked aft. He made it, was down from the plane and the pontoon guys were yelling at him, hands in the air, wtf man????
It's a dangerous world out there folks. Y'all be careful.
Unbelievable! I could think of a few names even "better" than "Fearless"...
