Bigt

I have a question. This summer I was on my way to Put-in-Bay in my boat at about 1 in the afternoon. A direct heading from the Marblehead Lighthouse to the Perry Monument. I saw a patrol boat approaching from my Port side on a heading towards Kelley’s Island. No overhead lights on. It was not a CG boat, like the Police or something. I kept my course and speed and passed in front of the patrol boat with plenty of distance to spare. I even waved to them. Well, I look back two minutes later, and he is on my Starboard side with lights on trying to catch me. If I would not have looked, I would not seen him. He stopped me and asked if I knew why I was being stopped. I said no. He then asked me if I had ever taken a boating course. I said why YES. He then told me that I did not yield the right of way to his vessel. I said, “What?” You were approaching on my port side, I have right of way. He said not in a crossing situation. ???? I felt like asking him if he ever had a boating course. I have been boating on Lake Erie in this area since 1987. About twenty years, never had a stop like this. Anyway, he did BS about my safety stuff, showed him everything, and he let me leave. Now, was he right or was I? Listen, if was close, I would have certainly slowed down. You could right, but you could also be dead. I saw him way in advance when I was approaching him, he had no intentions on slowing down, but if any boat should have yielded, it would have been him, right?

Thanks,

T.

Ted G

iTrader: (1)

Yes, you were right. A vessel must yield right of way to any other vessel from straight ahead around to 115 degrees off the starboard stern. Actually the picture shows 112.5 deg, but I think it's 115 in the Colregs,

Scott B

Regardless of whether or not they had lights a flashin, sirens a blarin, they had an obligation to stand down when it became apparent he other boat did not see/hear them..

Course, the CG Capt was also calling the chrysler tri-hull a "speedboat", so he may not have been the sharpest knife in the drawer to begin with