Rules of the Road: Is it just me?

[RobS]

Is it just me or are we all seeing the rules of the road often ignored? On a 20 mile run home yesterday there were 4 crossings where I was the stand-on and I ended up having to give-way.

Are people ignorant or they just don't care? Or perhaps their threshold of when close is too close is much different than mine and they want to wait and see if we are going to really be on a collision course before giving way.

Whatever the reasoning it's too common and very annoying. Maybe this new NY Boating License requirement will help.

[Pitou]

Rules of the road ... what road, we're on the water! Ignorant in my book and way to much of it.

I do believe that most boaters think that putting the throttle down and getting there first wins. Stay aware, stay safe and don't forget the eyes in the back of your head! Too many people jumping into that twin outboard 28 - 32 as their first boat with no boating experience or education.

[RobS]

....don't forget the eyes in the back of your head!....

My Furuno eyes are always on. With "Trails" enabled it's easy to see the moving threats!

[jleonard]

Maybe this new NY Boating License requirement will help.

Ct has had a license requirement for many years now and based on that I don't think it will help much.

[RobS]

Thanks for the encouragement Jay. Yeah I've spent enough time in those waters too, good point..

[Marcy K]

We were the stand on vessel on Weds but did give way to the US submarine bearing down on us and intersecting our course through the Race! It was quite a sight to see the huge sub cross our bow - filmed it too. This was after having a pod of 35 - 40 Atlantic White-sided dolphins join Paumanok and swim under and around the boat in Block Island Sound. An amazing and memorable trip home from Block!

Marcy K
A 34 Paumanok
Westbrook, CT

[RobS]

Marcy that is just too weird!

Back in 2011 mid-summer we were heading back from Block to Long Island and half way btwn MTK and BI we crossed paths with this:

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And then (on that same run) in Gardiners we came across these guys:

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[jcollins]

Rules of the road ... what road, we're on the water!

I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one that feels this way. I spent way too much time learning the ColRegs only to forget about it in real life. I just don't see how licensing is going to make these newbies understand how things work. I could go on and on...

[mike66]

I swear they think they're on 95 in their cars. Defense is the best way to go. Luckily, being in a 40' boat gives some of these crazies a reason to turn........some days I feel like a slalom pole out there. Boat wakes from a 38' Searay or Carver 200' off my side also make for a fun time............big ocean out there, guess some people like a little togetherness.

[hetek]

I think many think that because the sea doesn't have yellow lines down the middle and no traffic signs it is free to roam. I bet I could ask that question to most of my water rat friends from my teenage years and they wouldn't have any idea what stand on or give way meant. I learned by reading Chapman's and taking a Power Squadron course.

They do have common sense though and would just bear off, regardless of who is privileged.

"Besides, it's not a road anyway!" I feel your pain, Rob.

In other sub news... I went past Electric Boat on the Cross Sound Ferry today. Two subs in the docks today.

[Tree]

Over here in off the coast of the Isle of Wight, the yachties seem to do as they please.

We have hard running tides here in the Solent and the number of yachties that insist on fighting their way around the bow of an anchored boat is unreal. One once even did a full 180 and turned round and T boned us, one of them fell in the water and the other was drunk leaving us to do the rescue.

I've sat my dayskipper and yachtmaster exams and I feel I have pretty good authority when it comes to understanding the rules of the road.

The phrase that springs to mind when we are anchored and have to shout at the yachties to take action is the reply they give....




"you're on my course!"


Numpties!

[Jack]

Ignorant is my vote. Very few people in the US know that 5 blasts on the horn means "danger". If you do less, it means either "I'm passing you on the left or right". A lot of idiots out there. I have taken to touring on weekdays when most of the idiots are on land. Too bad. Even then, like today, you see someone leave the helm and their boat is headed at you. They're looking for another beer or some other tool but meanwhile you have to figure out what to do. If you give them that look, they look back like "well, I didn't kill you...what's the problem?" It feels like drivers on 495 back when I lived on Long Island. The only remedy I can think of is to call the boat police or harbormaster to deal with live issues.

[jcollins]

I thought of this post yesterday as the admiral and I were cruising. Our first stop was Middle River for lunch. It was like rush hour on 695. Boats everywhere. No courtesy for other boaters. Big wakes! The bay was less than a foot but the river was 2-3's. Half way in I said the heck with this and turned around. We cruised into the bay and it was perfect. We ended up going to Tolchester, then Worton Creek. A high of 90 in October? I just laughed thinking about this post.

[Cape Codder]

Whenever my wife and I are heading across Nantucket Sound heading for Martha's Vineyard, and see another boat approaching, we take side bets on: "What's this Yahoo going to do?" Rules of the road? Forgetaboutit!!!!
All it takes these days is money to own a boat.......no brains required.

Many of these guys break every rule......when you hit them with your horn......all you get is a "surprised look" or better yet, "the Finger".
Whether is be Routes 95, 495, 128 or the water........drive defensively!

The older I get....the more I respect Sailboaters..............most know what they're doing.

[RobS]

I agree about the sailor's, I am much more comfortable when they come idling into a tight anchorage in the afternoon for a night on the hook than when most powerboaters come in and all I can think is, please keep going, don't drop anchor over here.

I certainly agree that the biggest help in dealing with the approaching boats is to make your move early and obvious. Then you are hopefully making the right decision for him/her before they have a chance to make the wrong one.

John, just the opposite here, yesterday we fished on T-R, my pops and Matt (mhanna). It was blowing and raining so the ignorant weekend warriors were off the water and instead out on the North Fork pumpkin picking, waiting in line at the winery's, running around in corn mazes and then lining their SUV's up in bumper to bumper traffic with bails of hay atop - NO THANKS. It was a perfect day to be on an Albin and I'm sure all the wet cold guys bundled up on the center console's would agree. And a 40" striper on our first bass trip of the year on T-R was a nice start!