Seaplane collides with boat in Vancouver.

P

Peter & Judy

New member
Harbours in the PNW can be busy places and often people in boats are not paying attention to all the activity in the water. A few days ago a seaplane collided with a small boat during take off. I have included a video here. I watched another video that I can't find again, but it explained that when taking off, a seaplane points its nose upwards so the pilot really cannot see where it is going once it starts gaining speed for takeoff. So it really is up to the boater to be aware of their surroundings and stay out of path of the planes taking off or landing. Luckily there were no fatalities in this accident.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBNkCoupeQ0
 
Maybe the rules are different in Canada, but in the US the CFRs state that the boat is the stand-on vessel and the seaplane is the give-way vessel. That said, it is up to everyone to be aware of activity around them. Looking at the video, anyone not versed in the rules would be thinking the boater was the cause of that accident. Both parties will have some percentage of blame assigned.

Victoria's Inner Harbour has seaplane "lanes", which seems like a smart way of handling the mix of boats and seaplanes. Running commercial boats out of Friday Harbor, I never saw a "close call" even between boats and seaplanes. Scariest situation I've seen is at Nanaimo, with a steady stream of dinghies crossing between the town docks and Protection Island, mixing it up with landing seaplanes.
 
JamesTXSD":2sufjmwi said:
. . . Scariest situation I've seen is at Nanaimo, with a steady stream of dinghies crossing between the town docks and Protection Island, mixing it up with landing seaplanes.
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Agree 100%. That place gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Ketchikan can be pretty intense, too. Once, just north of the harbor there, I had a plane appear suddenly in front of me as it descended in my direction of travel having approached from above and behind. It touched down just ahead of me - waaaay too close for my taste!
 
I’ve had some very close calls with sea planes in SE Alaska & have learned to be very watchful when coming into any of the docks around the small towns, especially when visibility is poor.
 
For me, sea planes are another "right of tonnage"--stay out of their way if possible. Yes, I know the rules of navigation. I also realize that in some circumstances the sea plane may not have as good visibility or maneuverability as I have In a boat. --particularly in a designated Sea Plane Zone. I make the same decisions with large ships.

With slower sailboats, it can be a bit more difficult with low speeds. However that mast sticking up 60 fetid the air does give an increased visibility. I also like to give commercial craft every benefit of a doubt. In my years of sailing, I have had to take avoidance measures at least a dozen times. Usually large ship, no one visible on the bridge, and at night. But it can be daytime or even perhaps intentional....let's see how close we can get to the American sailboat...."Scare that rich American yachtee".

With boats I am on the VHF (easier now with AIS where you can usually identify the boat by name-plus you have a projected path and speed from the AIS data.) asking the commercial vessel what their preferred course is. I will stand clear.
 
Float plane pilots feel like they own the water. I don't get it, I guess the sky wasn't enough? Anyway, they can have all the water they need in my opinion.
 
it's correct, the boat is the stand-on vessel but something about that spinning prop just screams "get the hell out of the way". I always used to look both ways when navigating around the Elfin Cove International airport..... the only airport in the world without a Starbucks
 
Here is another clip from CBC on who has the right of way, boat or plane. According to this expert, the boat was more maneuverable than the plane taking of, so it should have given way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXys5IxmQmI

The question is asked if boater's know these rules. The answer should be yes as all boat operators in Canada are required to pass a test and get a boat operators licence. The unfortunate reality is that lots of people pass the test, hop in the boat and crack open a beer. When I first got my drivers licence, my Dad enrolled me in a defensive driving course which has been very helpful on the road and the water. Boating often being a recreational activity often has boaters goofing off in a way they would never do on the road. My feeling with this boater in the collision is that he/she were not paying attention to the other hazards on the water. I recall in my defensive driving course that you always look out for what the other driver is doing wrong. As a kayaker and canoeist I am more aware of bad boaters than what I notice in power boat. There are lots of fools, idiots and drunks on the water, best to watch out for them for your own safety.
 
Ian Gilson of the Canadian Safe Boating Council gives BC Today host Michelle Eliot an overview of what traffic has the right of way in the busy waters of Burrard Inlet.
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The person who is quoted as an "expert". If so he should follow the rules as written, not make up "Right of Way" for Seaplanes.

I don't have a copy of the Canadian inland rules handy, but I have followed international rules of Navigation when in Canadian waters.

Rule 18: (e)
A Seaplane on the water when taking off, landing and in flight near the water shall in general, keep well clear of all vessels and avoid impeding their navigation. In circumstances, however, where risk of collision exists, she shall comply with the Rules of this Part.

(f): (i). A WIG craft shall when taking off, Landing and in flight near the surface, keep well clear of all other vessels and avoid impending navigation.
(ii) A WIG craft operating on the water surface shall comply with the Rules of this Part as a power-driven vessel.
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WIG = Wing In Ground effect. Rule 3 establishes that a WIG and Seaplane are both vessels in the view of these rules.

The only time "Right of Way" appears in the US inland rules of Navigation are in Rule 9(a)(ii) does convey a right-of-way in a unique circumstance: to power-driven vessels proceeding down bound with a following current in narrow channels or fairways of the Great Lakes, Western Rivers, or other waters specified by regulation. (Mississippi River and its tributaries above Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and on some other rivers that flow toward the Gulf of Mexico.)

Rule 16- Action by Give-way Vessel.
Every vessel which is directed to keep out of the way of another vessel shall, so far as possible, take early and substantial action to keep well clear.

Rule 17- Action by Stand-on Vessel
(a)(i) Where one of two vessels is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course and speed.
(ii) The latter vessel may, however, take action to avoid collision by her maneuver alone, as soon as it becomes apparent to her that the vessel required to keep out of the way is not taking appropriate action in compliance with these Rules.

(b) When, from any cause, the vessel required to keep her course and speed finds herself so close that collision cannot be avoided by the action of the giveway vessel alone, she shall take such action as will best aid to avoid collision.

(c) A power-driven vessel which takes action in a crossing situation in accordance with Rule 17(a)(ii) to avoid collision with another power-driven vessel shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, not alter course to port for a vessel on her own port side.
 
Having flown in Kenmore seaplanes mamy times (the company we worked for partnered with them) and operated commercial boats (and our personal boat) all over the Salish Sea, my experience is the seaplane pilots are conscientious and professional. They know that commercial boat operators know the rules and expect that pleasure boat operators don't... but they are still required to follow the CFRs.

Yes, the small boat in this circumstance is "more maneuverable," but neither of those vessels are "burdened." Rightfully, BOTH of the operators should have taken whatever measures were necessary to avoid the collision. No doubt, both of those parties will be assigned a significant percentage of responsibility in this incident.

While the boat may have been the stand-on vessel, it would be stupid to push that - and I can't imagine ANY boater would have intentionally moved into the path of a landing or taking-off seaplane. The seaplane pilot should have "cleared the area" within his path. They are both responsible for this collision... neither party is going to come out "good" on this.

While the only mention of "right of way" is exactly as Dr Bob stated, any claim of "right of way" in this accident will show the operator's lack of knowledge.

Some may remember the incident between a Washington State Ferry and an idiot boater who put his boat on auto pilot and went below to use the head... and ran right in front of (and into) the ferry. The professional captains on the ferry did all they could do to avoid the collision and did get that huge vessel almost stopped. Looking at the video on this seaplane/boat collision, it looks like neither party tried to avoid the accident.
 
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