Almost run down

[gstraub]

I just need to rant about this. Yesterday my wife and I went out for a short ride in our C-Dory. We went out to the entrance of the river where we live, and since it was a nice day and we were not going anywhere in particular, we were just drifting. There were no other boats anywhere in sight.

Now the entrance to our river is about 1 mile wide and the "channel" is about 1/2 mile wide. We were probably 100 yards outside the channel drifting over a shoal area, but still about 6-8 ft depth. We see this power boat coming in the distance heading in our general direction. I figure he is going to make a gentle left turn and head for the channel mark. Nope, he keeps coming toward us and actually changes course to aim right for us. We are dead in the water and I'm afraid now to move because he is getting closer and going fast and I don't know which way he is going to go. He passes by us less than two boat lengths away from us leaving a huge wake. I gunned our engine and spun the boat to meet the wake. There would have been carnage if I wasn't able to do that or if we were in a smaller boat. There were several people in the flybridge cockpit and only one looked over at us. It was the most irresponsible thing I have seen.

I was so mad, I decided to report them. I called the local CG station on the radio...no answer. So, I looked up the number for Virginia Marine Police and called their "emergency" and dispatch number. No answer! Twice! I then called the local marine police office...no answer, but the answering machine said if it was an emergency to report a violation to call the dispatch number I had just tried to call!

Anyway, I can see where someone might pass close aboard in a narrow channel. In this case, there was almost a mile wide path available and we were not even in the channel. It was a deliberate act of aggression and negligent vessel operation. Unbelievable!

[T.R. Bauer]

People are crazy....you can count on that! Sometimes they also are not paying any attention at all, have had way too many beverages, are high as a kite, or just don't give a crap. There have been plenty of times people have done something similar while we've been on the water. Sadly, I just sort of expect it....doesn't give license to it, but I'm always on the lookout for the next time. I'm glad it turned out ok.

[Foggy]

Having a good rant (venting) helps - like clearing flotsam from your boating area;
getting rid of frustration, feelings of being harmed or just removing surface debris
can restore some inner feeling of order.

After all, people often say and do infuriating things - things that are out of our
control. The truth is it is our choice as to whether or not to allow another's
words/actions to upset us. Further, we usually do not fully understand why the
event happened. The devil is in the details.

What if you knew, for certain, the boater who almost swamped you, was more
concerned about an on board person, not visible to you, having a medical
emergency (heart attack, uncontrolled bleeding, blocked airway, etc) than making
some big waves for you? Probably unlikely but possible...

The key is not to be upset by others in the first place. Easy to say. Hard to do.

[ssobol]

If the Coast Guard is nearby call them up, tell them what happened, and say you are a concerned boater and that maybe a wellness check might be order.

[colbysmith]

I would have made a call on VHF Ch 16 to the Coast Guard. That serves two purposes. One, hopefully it gets a response. Two, if the moron had his radio on, he would also hear the call. Rather that moron had an emergency on board or not, it still does not dissolve him from operating his boat safely if able. In this case, it sounds like a drunk that shouldn't have been on the water. I assume you got his boat name or numbers. I'd keep trying to contact the USCG or Marine Law Enforcement and report him. He could be a danger to others as well. What's even more concerning here than the moron in the other boat, is that you got no radio response from the USCG or LE. I assume you were within radio range, and that your transmitter worked and volume up for receive. None the less, you said you called on the phone also. I realize there are a lot of agencies under staffed, but seems like one should still be able to get a hold of law enforcement when necessary. Colby

[srbaum]

Gerhard,
I know the feeling and this happens to me often (even yesterday evening). In 2007, I was sailing a catamaran in the middle of the river and was more than 1000' from the navigation channel. This was a clear day, with light wind and my son was in my rigid hull inflatable center console boat milling about around a mile from me. He and I were taking turns on the cat, as we were preparing for an out of town race. There were no other boats on the river when we got out there. Anyway, I hear an outboard heading my way and assume it is my son, coming up to my quarter, to do the swap. It was not... A 20' center console boat ran over me and the catamaran. The catamaran hulls were both cut in half and the mast was also cut in half. I was submerged, as the V of the boat went over my lifejacket. Fortunately the prop didn't get me. The wires of the mast tangled in the outboard's prop and the boater did a head plant on his dash.
In summery I survived, though it took a few years for the pain to go away. The boater had no insurance and had never taken a boating class. This guy was even educated as he was vice president of a major company in the Hampton Roads area.
I'm a retired Coastie and even taught boating safety, full time in the late '70s. I have given tickets to boaters for the craziest stuff that you can imagine. I do wish that we required the same level of water safety, as they do in various parts of Europe.

[thataway]

Unfortunately what the larger power boat did is not illegal. There is no action that marine patrol or CG would normally take unless there is damage over $300 or injury to a person. Perhaps a warning. There was not a "no wake" or minimal wake this area. Yes, we are all responsible for our wakes. Unless there is serious damage or injury there is no recourse--and even then, it might be difficult to prove. Florida requires over $2,000 in damage, other states threshold is from $200 to $5,000 damage.
If you see such a situation unfolding, have one of the passengers turn on their phone to record both the video and audio, documenting your response to a potentially dangerous situation.

He is guilty of being a jack-$$, If I had a dollar for each time this has happened to us during a boating career spanning 74 years (the length of time I have been skippering boats over 25 feet) it would be enough to buy a fine dinner at a fancy restaurant. The first of these I can remember happened in 1946 when my dad's boat was in San Pedro, CA--and there was a fleet of "Tuna Clippers" and they always made a very steep wake, which would roll our sailboat under sail or power to the point we would get water in the cockpit.

I learned to be like Foggy (our resident philosopher--or had least grandma or grandpa philosophy). and live with the wave, turning the boat to best advantage to avoid damage or injury. The cats are better than monohulls in taking these waves at speeds.

I do understand your concern about being rundown; your best course would have been to get in even shallower water proactively. Even if you had to bring the outboard trip/tilt up. Make a change of course definate, at right angle to indicate to the other boat your intent. This type of situation where the boat was on autopilot and at times no one was sighted at the helm--could be skipper went to the head, or was in a bunk with his girlfriend or mistress. Boats have run on the beach or rocks with no one on the wheel or watch. I personally know of 6 hitting the breakwater or beach, no one at the helm.

I found some of the least courteous skippers were large sport fishers or large Sea Ray's on a "slowdown" semi displacement speed, especially in South Florida.

I always try and slow down when I am near a small fishing boat, Kayak, jon boat etc to a speed which is minimal wake or no wake.

Almost getting run down is an entirely different situation. I have had that happen at sea in boats from 35 to 62 feet LOA over a dozen times. Most of the time it was freighters, with no person visible on the bridge at night. Several times it was intentional--probably someone who hated Americans or just small sailboats. These were cases where I had to radically change course to avoid being run down, when I was the stand on vessel. I know in at least one case where the mate who was on watch and asleep, was going to be fired when the ship reached its next port. He had awoken when I used my last ditch effort, before letting all sails go, and powering into the trade winds (which I did). That was to shine my. search light on the bridge of the freighter. I always give way to larger or. military vessels. I just wanted to know if the freighter was towing (Since his lights indicated he was) and how far back was the tow? So I could judge how much I needed to pass astern of him. He woke up and panicked: He could see only my forward steaming light over 60 feet off the water, and assumed that I was another vessel the size his was. (When there was ambiguity I had started the engine, even though we were sailing down wind in the trades with mainsail vanged down on the port side and 150% Genoa on the Stb. side with a spinnaker pole rigged to hold it out. By The time I had started my turn, to let all sails fly and power parallel to his course or up wind, he turned on every light on deck and the masts--which led even more to my confusion as to what was going on. The captain was awoken by the all power in reverse signal issued to the engine room. When the captain arrived on the bridge it was with an apology. The mate had fallen asleep, and he would be leaving the ship at the next port.

Another one:At 2 AM I was East bound just North of Sicily under power at 6 knots, entering the Straits of Messina (which separate Italy from Sicily). I was well out of the right (south) side of the channel, and just about to round the high point into the straits. A small inter costal freighter about 150 feet long rounded the point on a direct collision course--about 100 feet away. We both did the instinctive action--turn to Starboard, and missed collision by less than 20 feet. The Freighter's helms person was very apologetic, he was on the wrong side of the channel, and out of the traffic separation scheme to save a little time--never expected to see a larger yacht in the middle of the night in his path.

My mantra was always assume that there may be "disability" on board a boat--and give them wide berth proactively if a collision is possible. The one time I called the CG was for a huge cruise ship leaving Long Beach opening of the breakwater in S. Cal. I was on auto pilot under power, at dusk. The ship swung toward me and was on a constant bearing as it picked up speed. I held my course, but had pulled a survival suit on, had the life raft ready to deploy. I called the San Pedro Coast guard to come and look for me, if I didn't call back within 10 minutes. I had tried to rise the cruise ship on channel 16, and the harbor working frequency with no response. The cruise liner went about 200 feet in front of us at closest point of approach. I had already turned and was heading the opposite way by that time.

I have lost several friends at sea due to being run down by a freighter, and two close friends' boats were hit by larger Mexican fishing boats intentionally. The scam was that the yacht was forced to go to the nearest port, and a claim made that the yacht was at fault, and a high ransom (like $50,000 be given to "repair the damage). I had that happen, but I was forewarned. The fishing boat was on a direct constant bearing, and was the stand off vessel. I attempted calling on Channel 16, and several others in Spanish, with no response. At the last minute I spun the 62' ketch around and got right on the fishing boat's transom as it passed in front of me. (A maneuver left over from match racing days.) His mistake was not understanding that my top speed was at least a knot faster than his. I stuck on his stern for about 30 minutes, before he broke off and headed out to sea. I kept up my faster speed for a few hours, and kept watching his position via radar. I had informed the US CG and Mexican Navy of the situation. Life can be crazy; take care of your self.

[ssobol]

Guess it depends on where you are. I got stopped by the marine police because my wake rocked a boat tied to a dock too much. I was going about 5 mph at the time.

[colbysmith]

I believe many states have laws that effectively make it illegal to wake another boat. Wisconsin's law says (a) No person shall operate a motorboat so as to approach or pass another boat in such a manner as to create a hazardous wake or wash. Colby

[gstraub]

Thanks for all of the thoughtful comments. I'm especially shocked to hear of how many have had much more serious incidents. Makes what we experienced nothing.

Just to make a few reply comments, yes the radio works properly. I actually inspect commercial vessels communications systems, so my radios USUALLY work! The hours of manning of the local CG station have been reduced, so I wasn't surprised at no answer and I didn't want to cause a big stir by calling sector, but sector would have heard me. I was disturbed by the inability to call the state marine police dispatch center when the voicemail announcement for the local office told us to call that number! I could have called the local sheriff's office and they would have relayed it, but as someone pointed out, what they did may not have been technically illegal. The goal of reporting it was mainly to put them on the radar of the marine police or CG because they are eventually going to cause an accident.

As they passed, I knew there was nothing serious going on with the vessel or passengers, as they were all topside having a good old time. It actually looked like a possible charter to me. Yes, sometimes there is an emergency that trumps courtesy or even safe operation. The local volunteer sea rescue group has a boat stationed down river of us and have to pass our dock when they go out. They told me they usually go by slow, but if it is an emergency, they may give us a wake. I understand that.

We were not making any way at the time and by the time I realized this guy is going to come too close and is going too fast, any direction I moved could have made it worse. I had my hand on the throttle and wheel to make a very fast move if necessary once I knew his likely path. I forgot to mention that he went right over a crab pot float after passing us. What I wouldn't have given to see that wrap around his prop!!!

Anyway, Foggy makes a good point that we are in control of how we react to being "wronged." I do know I need work on that!!!

Thanks all for listening!

[Foggy]

It's good to know about Safety at Sea, especially if you are in a boat.

The way I learned started with Grandpa: "Always, safety first."
Then in the Boy Scouts, their motto: "Be prepared."
It sunk in, nautically speaking. I took it from there, generalizing it.

The below safety steps can be applied to just about anything you do; walk a dark
street at night in a strange city, answer a knock on your door at 3AM, fly a plane,
go to the grocery store, take a spin in your boat or go a long voyage, etc.

STAYING SAFE

i) BE VIGILENT, BE AWARE - know where you are, know what's happening around you,
study weather patterns, do not use mechanical things or weapons under the
influence, dedicate an onboard watch

ii) HAVE A PLAN - realize "stuff happens", prepare in advance, practice some
things, know your options when things change, know your limitations, don't rely
totally on your instruments, fuel before leaving, know how to use the VHF

iii) USE YOUR VOICE - "Stop", "No", "Stay back", "Help", "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday",
"Holy ****", etc.

iv) ACT - Hide, run or fight. Make a distinct change of course. Use the VHF.
Leave the area. Keep silent, do nothing (Zen: 'doing nothing is still doing').

Knowing and implementing the above, the the appropriate situation, can change
the outcome of a potentially dangerous situation to become more in your favor
than otherwise. It also is an example of being "proactive" rather than "reactive".

And, don't forget to have fun out there.

Aye.

[Marco Flamingo]

Don't call the CG on Ch. 16. Call everybody on 16. The CG will hear it. Maybe even the Yahoo.

Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité. Hello all stations. Be advised that an XXX bound vessel of approximately XXX feet is being operated in a reckless manner by an impaired operator. All mariners in the vicinity are advised to keep a lookout for a XXX colored XXX-style boat traveling at XXX knots and to take necessary action to avoid collision.

I heard this once in the LaConner canal, which supposedly has a speed limit and no wake area. The Yahoo would not have known which of the several boats it was weaving through made the broadcast, but everybody further in the canal would be on the lookout. And maybe even the CG.

How would the Yahoo respond? "I'm not impaired. I'm just _________."

[Marco Flamingo]

Forgot to add this. We just returned from our summer's cruise in northern B.C. I was telling my wife that it sometimes appeared that the small fishing boats that are trolling have an uncanny way of determining what will be a collision course with us. It was entertaining to see a little boat a mile away suddenly turn away from the shoreline as soon as we appeared and, with the timing perfect, head out to intersect our autopilot course. It was good practice for my wife on the radar, plotting the constant bearing and diminishing distance. We couldn't take evasive action too soon or they would alter their course to again ensure a collision.

The little fishing boats didn't have radar or AIS. How could they do this without fail starting from 1 or 2 miles away and not knowing our course or speed? Maybe it is something that they teach in Trolling 101?

[thataway]

To add to Foggy's excellent list...

As my dad used to say:

[KevinMc]

Was it a Black Pick up Truck or a Dodge Charger? I know the type! Glad you survived.Take pics next time,find the boat and sink her. :smiled