NoGas

I have no idea what this "stand-off" boat stuff is - I'd like to learn something.

The small boat was on starboard and had rights over the larger boat (MF) on port. If both boats were on converging tacks then MF was obligated to avoid the smaller boat. If the smaller boat tacked in front of MF and MF couldn’t avoid the collision then the small boat was at fault.

Looks like the big guy owes the little guy some fiberglass work and a case of beer (or Dom!).

BUT...The smaller boat should have been aware of his surroundings and avoided such a thing...hope nobody was hurt.

Shanghied Again

No that would only hold if the small boat was in right of way. from the pictures, looks like the big sailboat was running the channel and the small boat was tacking across the channel. He put himself in Harms way. He should have turned, dropped sail. Maybe Paid More Attention? If I had my boat and a Boat of that size was coming my way even if he was wrong I am not going to play chicken. I will also lay a bet that the Falcon had a Captain and that boat being as large as she is is really restricted to water depth compared to the small boat. But they are sailors and are supposed to know more then us. From What I see I don't think so?

Lofty

She had a charter aboard during the incident, people paying $5k each for a charity event. She was in the shipping channel between Yerba Buena and the City, 1/5 west of where the Cosco Busan was when it hit hte Bay Bridge. She draws almost 20 ft so out of the channel is out of the question with a vessel that size. Don't know if the little boat tacked into him but from what I saw a week ago people would do anything they could to get as close as possible to her.

NoGas

"A few minutes before this photo sequence was taken, the Falcon had turned to
port, to give the right of way to the smaller yacht, which was to leeward on the
starboard tack. The Stand By was originally on a roughly reciprocal course to
that of the Falcon. Prior to the photos shown here, Stand By was bearing away,
and the two yachts were on safe courses to pass roughly with a distance of 200
feet separation. After Stand By had sailed past the Falcon's bow, the smaller
vessel suddenly rounded up, possibly to tack in order to follow the Falcon, when
she lost control. With her main sheeted hard in, the smaller boat was unable to
bear away to avoid a collision. A San Francisco Bay Pilot was on the Falcon's
bridge overseeing the Falcon's course at all times. The pilot is also an
experienced sailor and sailboat owner. Because of the Falcon's tonnage, a
licensed pilot is required whenever the yacht is underway, approaching, or
inside the Bay. The Stand By did not stop after the collision. The Falcon furled
her sails and pursued the 40-footer under power, in order to determine her name
and registration number. The pilot radioed the U.S. Coast Guard, which
intercepted Stand By and boarded her. The accident was caused by Stand By's
sudden change of course, which was much too quick to permit the Falcon to
respond. The Falcon sustained damage to hull, capping rail, superstructure and
main lower topsail, but fortunately there were no injuries to persons aboard
either vessel."

"We spoke to others who were aboard Falcon, such as Tad Lacey, who has been
sailing and racing the Bay for more than 50 years, and they were dumbfounded at
what happened. Lacey and the others said the boats were passing with no problem
until Stand By suddenly luffed up.

"We sailed aboard Falcon the next day, and can confirm that many small boat
skippers seemed intent on getting as close as possible to Falcon -- even if it
meant crossing a short distance in front of her bow with a backwinded genoa or
sailing on a reciprocal course. Please folks, give a little room. Besides, the
view is even better from several hundred feet away." -- Excerpt from a story by
Richard Spindler posted with pictures on the Latitude 38 website:

29Firefox

Navigation rules of the road. Rule #9 part b.

fatdaddy

freshwaterfiend

Any boat that needs a pilot to navigate coastal waters kicks ass.

Hope it gets fixed appropriately.

Propster

By leaving the scene of the accident, the smaller boat revealed his guilt. Innocent people would never leave the scene of an accident.

If he had any case of a right of way violation, he would have stayed on scene and logged an accident report to obtain compensation for his damages.

He knew he was guilty of the accident and tried to get away to avoid paying for the damage he caused.

Karma got him this time. Between the Falcons experienced crew, the coast guard pilot on board, and the coast guard ships in the area, they were able to chase him down and make him face the music.

Skullkrusher

It took you two years to type that post?

Propster

Oops, my bad, I was doing a search on something else and did not look at the date!