Rules of the Road: Is it just me?

[Bluey]

I'm with Pitou. Returning to the marina this weekend, we were the middle boat of 3 heading for the breakwater, all nicely spaced, all taking their turns. Lo and behold, a 40+ foot cruiser comes blasting in from our starboard, and to the port of the 3rd boat in the chain. The cruiser jumps in front of us, ignoring the spacing the 3 already in queue were maintaining. At least as soon as he entered the breakwater, he slowed to no wake speed. And it turns out he was headed to the same dock as us, but at the T. Couldn't he have waited, and joined the queue to be number 4 boat headed to the marina? Geez.

[Denis]

I learned my boating rules and navigation from the Power Squadron and I thought they were very good. The boating classes that the states offer don't even get into navigation at all and they only touch on rules of the road, they pump them in and out to get them a certificate and out on the water they go. I love watching how some people navigate inlets, obstructions and reefs, I suppose that is how the towing companies make some of their money though. My objective out on the water since I never know what someone else is going to do, is just don't crash. I do whatever I need to do to keep someone from crashing into me. But even at anchor or fishing you are never fully safe.

[denchen]

I`m pleased to see we have not got all the idiots on our side of the pond. A few years ago whilst at anchor in my old 40 ft heavy clinker with all anchor marks showing, a 14ft sail boat approached and started to shout Water...Water. What did he expect, me to press ``the beam me up Scotty button`` anyway the wife put her head out and said``What was that bang`` I explained it was some guy knocking the weed off my anchor cable with his gel coat.

[Jack]

Rob, is it ignorance or apathy? They don't know and they don't care. A lot of both. My father, grandfather and great grandfather were tugboat captains in NY harbor and the Erie Canal. I heard about the rules steering my father's tug as an 8 year old. Later I took several USPS courses. Unfortunately, a lot of other people just buy a boat and away they go. "Hey where are the brakes on this thing?"
One rule I follow is to give the ferry or tug or ship the right of way no matter. I've seen sailboats cut in front of ferries with two feet to spare believing they're right. Dead right.

[whwells]

My personal opinion is the license requirement is a good one. While I have been boating 50 years it was a good refresher and fresh things learned. Oregon where I also boat requires the license. Calif. had not yet and I think Wash. State where Nibble is kept has a license requirement -but the Oregon license is sufficient there as well. Well, I still make mistakes but it is a learning process.
whwells "Howard"
2006 35 Albin Sportfisher Conv.

[Capt Ron]

My "Capt Ron" sign on is not just because of the movie. I've had my OUPV license for ten years. I boat in a very conjested area. Every time on the water I test the "rules of the road". Stand on means you don't change course until the last minute to avoid collision. I get more nasty looks and a few middle fingers by obeying the rules. Jack is correct, don't press the issue when there's a larger working vessel in your way. I hate to say it but sail boaters know boat handling and anchoring better than most power boaters.

[jcollins]

I hate to say it but sail boaters know boat handling and anchoring better than most power boaters.

I agree with that!

My personal opinion is the license requirement is a good one

Respectfully disagree with that.

[Tree]

I`m pleased to see we have not got all the idiots on our side of the pond. A few years ago whilst at anchor in my old 40 ft heavy clinker with all anchor marks showing, a 14ft sail boat approached and started to shout Water...Water. What did he expect, me to press ``the beam me up Scotty button`` anyway the wife put her head out and said``What was that bang`` I explained it was some guy knocking the weed off my anchor cable with his gel coat.

If you didn't have Boston as a location, I'd have said you were down in the Solent! We now refuse to anchor up down here at a weekend for all of the All Money No Brains yachties!

[denchen]

I just keep laughing, whilst at anchor in Brancaster I had a dingy guy racing who took a short cut between my anchor cable and my bow. Learnt a lot of new nautical terms that day.

[Serenity]

There is nothing better than drifting or trolling for fish in the middle of the Atlantic, no boats around for a mile or two and some a..hole decides to come within 50 feet of your boat at full throttle. Even today I was pulling into the gas dock top off and I was turning Serenity around to go along side the gas dock. As my bow is pointing at the dock, this idiot tried to go between me and the dock, which was all of 15 feet. He had to reverse quite fast. Licensing is not the issue, common sense and a IQ greater than their shoe size might help. Is it legal to have a 40 mm cannon mounted on the bow? Probably in Florida!

[RobS]

Max, I doubt you were in the "middle" of the Atlantic...
Hopefully you got into some of that bass frenzy east of FI Inlet that's still going good. I was between Davis Park and Cherry Grove today, what a beautiful ocean..

[Serenity]

Rob, great boat, great fish and a great ocean for running. I see that there is no yacht coming across your bow.