boatme

Interesting reading from our area


http://www.boatsmart.net/viewstory.p...=105&year=2005

GLH

Where do you think those white streaks on freighter's waterlines come from.... Thinning the herd, Marc, thinning the herd.

yahoo

Ive had them almost run me over in a no wake zone.

They are under power and they run right up your stern and start screaming to go faster in a no wake zone.

They think even under power they have the right of way.

CM

JnT

Remember this: New(Not Under Command) Reels(Restricted Ability to Manuever) Catch(Constrained by Draft) Fish(Fishing boats trawlers) So(Sailboats) Purchase(Powerboats) Some(Seaplanes) Not under command being the one always having the right of way. Seaplanes are always at the bottom of the right of way pecking order. But courtesy goes a long way for that fellow trying to land his plane. Give him some room. New reels catch fish so purchase some.

waybomb

A question about the fisherman. I can understand them getting the right of way. No problem. But what about when they have drag lines out traversing the channel leading to St Joseph? I mean, its probably only 200 feet wide, if that.
Are fisherman allowed to fiosh any where?
I obviously ain't one.

JnT

Trawling ( commercial nets, think shrimp boat) fishermen have right of way. Trolling (sport fishers)Fishermen do not.
Thats where responsibility and good seamanship come to play. Go around the sportfish boat and be courteous. Bottom line when approaching a fish boat (recreational) is fishing line. It can and will foul your prop and kill an engine if its heavy enough at low speeds. Then your dead in the water with a pissed dude bearing down on you!
Fishermen are not allowed to impede traffic in a narrow channel but they do. I always give as much room as possible.

MitchStellin

I saw that Marc, it was good, thanks for posting it. The fishermen around here traverse the channel and cause a huge problem. They yell and scream about their lines and would rather you hit the wall than move or pull up the lines. I have had many shouting matches with them, they are as dumb as they look in most cases.

WildSafaris

I was reading your post Sir.

I'm a little shocked. I would think that someone with 2749 posts would know a little more about the Navigation Rules yourself...Making a comment like that, and describing how you handle those situations...well I'm not too impressed.

How far must you be to cut across the stern of a commercial fishing vessel?
What is the light pattern of a fishing vessel?
What is the light pattern of a mine sweeper?
What are the markers on the bouy for the prefered channel?

Everyone should know the navigation rules. It's for everyone's safety.

jtmiller02

Uhh, I've never once seen a commercial fishing vessel fishing in a narrow channel. Its always some jackass in a john boat that thinks you are obligated to not only avoid him, but avoid waking him too. Usually its the same moron that was blocking the fuel dock while you waited because he thought it was a convenient place to tie up.

I give them the same "professional courtesy" that every professional captain gives them... a nice wave to go along with the nice wall of water coming their way. I'm extremely respectful of others on the water and around the docks (when you're commercial and the phone # is on the side of the boat, you better be), but the people he is refering to are not in anyway commercial fisherman nor do they deserve any respect for their idiotic and dangerous actions.

If I had a dollar for everytime some jackass in a sailboat said he "has the right of way" because he's a sailboat. Those guys usually learn the rules of the road about the time a container ship runs them flat over.

PS. lights are easy, go for day shapes...those usually throw people off.

MitchStellin

Yes, these are just Coho Bob Six Packs in a 12ft row boat with an electric motor. Or fishing off the pier with lines 1/2 way across it. I am very courteous to all forms of boating....I even yell STARBOARD when a sailboat comes. Anyway, it is when the warm water flows out the inland lake and hits the big lake, thats when you will find them all over. The last SOTW they were thick as theives at the mouth and would not move. I have not seen a mine ship in Holland since WWII and we have no commercial fishing. So bite me Popeye. If you want to be impressed, let me show you something.