Remember I said that he did not fit the definition of a fishing vessel, and he probably didn't think so either. Some people in these cases try to make that point.

He was a motor boat, you're a sail boat, but you're a high speed sail boat. I'll bet the speed of the cat exceeded the speed of the fishing boat. A fast cat flying up on some guy dragging fishing lines with his two boys in a skiff (maybe I'm making the wrong assumptions on the fishing boat) is going to have a hard time justifying the "I'm a sailboat" thing IMO. Again, depending on the angle from astern, it may have been an overtaking situation where you become burdened whether under sail or power. Would he have been able to gun the gas to get out of the way in time? Was his boat even capable of that? I don't know. Even if he hit the gas the lines probably still would've gotten snagged. I still think 10 feet is too close to be to a non-participating boat.

He was probably pissed enough that maybe the cost of the gear went up to make his point. And part of him being pissed was probably him believing he was being buzzed. Maybe the rod that was lost was his best rig, and the others were just crap from the garage. Maybe it was favorite handed down from his Dad. Who knows? Give people enough room on the water and you won't have to find out.

There are still a$$holes out there. One Lighthouse Race I gave a guy that was anchored a wide berth. He pulled his line up, went to the bow, and gave a mighty effort to cast the line across my bows. Had I cut it too close he would've got me. As it was I needed to round up.

My $0.02