This is actually a vent or ramble but maybe some of you can relate to my story. While out on my 16 today I must have been passed by at least 30 power boats most of whom thought it was perfectly ok to pass on my windward side doing between 30-40 knots and sometimes faster. Keep in mind the winds were light to medium and I was in a VERY narrow channel. I lost track of the cuss words that flowed from my lips like water coming down a mountain stream. I flew the bird so many times my middle finger is about stuck in the extended position. Is it just me or do they let any moron purchase a power boat or is it just me? If I had the chance and go pull it off think I could get away with ramming one of those no good son of a @*$%*@? Anyways, I'm done for now..or until I go out again next weekend to face the idiot power parade.

As a boater that both sails and powerboats all I can say is GIVE ME A BREAK. You really expect someone to worry about which side they are going to pass you on?!? I haven't seen anything in the CG regs that say anything about passing on the windward side. It's hard enough navigating around sail boats that will tack at any time and not even bother to signal. Sure the overtaking boat is the stand down boat but lets be reasonable.
No wonder powerboaters think sail boaters are idiots.

Brian, perhaps you should think about what you type before you type it. I for one own both a power and a sail boat. Yes, I own one of those noisy "cigar" boats.... and also a small sail boat (a sunfish if you must know). I enjoy both boats a lot. BUT, if you were sailing a hobie cat in light wind, in a narrow channel, then you should not be bad mouthing the power boaters for passing you to leward or windward. Frankly, I would have done the same... and I know all about sailing a hobie (probably have as many hours sailing them with my father as you have on yours).... not easy to tack in light wind, not real manueverable in light wind.... perhaps the better part of valor would have been to turn back to your dock and get out of the way???? As for ramming.... give it a try... see who wins. Laws Of Gross Tonnage will ALWAYS prevail... whether you are on the starboard tack or not.... Ever heard of "dead right or right and alive"... your choice... and if that statement does not mean anything to you, see the next paragraph.

The Coast Gaurd regs do NOT say a thing about passing a sail boat to windward or leward. Perhaps you should take a class?? I happen to be CG certified in boat handling (both sail and power) and navigation.... class was fun and very informative.... so I guess I'd have to agree with Garry, GIVE ME A BREAK!! And learn more about boating before you shoot off your mouth.

'Foul

I think his point was more along the lines of "the powerboaters were inconsiderate" which is a common theme. His situation is kind of interesting, what with being in a narrow channel and all... I think if they were going 30mph then they would be planing which will create a smaller wake than if they *weren't* planing... I dunno.

My rant about powerboaters is from last weekend. Seemed like this guy was following me around with his tuber, going in circles to make bigger waves for the tuber, but killing *my* momentum. There's a big-butt lake here, why does he have to follow me around? Aside from that, I can't really complain about anybody in my lake...

If you are in a channel its kind hard to stay away. But when you are in a huge bay, lake or open ocean, I really see no need for a power boater to pass close to you.

Its nothing but trouble waiting to happen, either on the sailboat side, or the power boat side.

Either way, to go out sailing is to have fun. Not to get mad. If thats the case go back home and save yourself a headache. Definatley not worth in my opinion.

Please give Eric Arbogast's story in the latest Catamaran Sailor a read and report back on whom you think was the idiot.

My 15 year old son and I showed up at Hobie Beach for the scheduled races on Saturday the 17th. John set up the course the way that Tradewinds was set up, windward / leeward with a gate. We had scheduled 4 races for the day and had completed two and had just started the third. We were roughly 400 yards off shore and about 600 yards south of the Rickenbacker Causeway. We were on port tack heading west at about 8 knots, Scotty was on the wire and I was sitting inboard in an attempt to lift the hull a little. All of the sudden I hear my son say Dad!, Dad! I looked to the right and saw the port side of this huge powerboat still on a plane. At the same moment that I looked the impact occurred, I had no opportunity to maneuver my boat. His boat was already crunching mine. A fraction of a second after the impact it seemed as if he made a full hard turn to starboard and all I could thing about was propellers. Next thing I know I was underwater, I think it was only for 3-4 seconds. When my PFD popped me up I immediately started scanning the surface for my son, he was no where in sight. I stated to panic but he came to the surface a few seconds later. He said he was pulled under by the trapeze and had to unhook to get free. I don't remember hearing anything until after I saw Scotty, then I head screaming on the power boat. All this happened so fast yet so slow. The images in my brain are very vivid, I noticed that I had lost a batten cap from the bottom batten as I saw the powerboat make impact. I can see the hole in the end of the boom where I had moved the block hanger. I can see the stainless rail on the powerboat and the chines in the lower section of the hull. I never saw the bow of the powerboat so that indicates that he hit me near the shrouds. That’s all I can say about that. Soon after, all the catsailors were back at the scene making sure we were not hurt, thank fully nothing too serious.

He circled around and pulled us out of the water after about 5 minutes. The were apologetic although communication was difficult because of language barriers. I sat there on the powerboat watching my parts float away, everything was still connected by shrouds and sheets. Finally, a cop on a jet ski showed up and made sure we were OK and to report the accident to the Marine Patrol. He took the basic story, shook his head, and then ordered the power boat to stop and wait for the authorities. We must have waited for 3-4 hours for the right people to get there. The coast guard stopped by but then left, finally the Miami Police came by. At this point my son and swam back to Hobie Beach to get my truck and to retrieve the mangled mess from the beach. The police took the powerboat to the Miami Yacht Club where I met up with them with the remains of my boat. Now they put us in separate rooms and took written statements from everybody involved. I was given a case number and asked to provide witnesses, then sent home.

One of the eyewitnesses told me that the boat was traveling at "top speed" at the point of impact.

I want thank John McKnight, John Sherry, Mike Powers, Oriel, Rafael Quesada and his brother Jose and all the CABB sailors that helped recover the wreckage and for the obvious moral support that they provided by returning to the scene and hanging with us.

Lucky to be living,I will be back!


Eric Arbogast, Scott Arbogast
H-20 R.I.P.
CABB
NAMSA
Miami Yacht Club

If it is such a narrow channel, does it not have an enforced speed limit ? Most such places in the UK where navigation is difficult or in harbours are limited

Arbogast's experience is terrifying. There are truly fools and idiots in all categories. And the sheer size, weight, and speed of a powerboat make it a deadly projectile. With that said, it is obvious that in any marine collision that there is always somebody at fault. The powerboater in Arbogast's story is obviously a no-looking, hamfisted, foreign language speaking fool. I guess that makes all powerboaters idiots. Must mean I am an idiot, too. All these years my wife must have been correct...

I have spent very little time on a sailboat, but I have spent enough to appreciate the attributes that make it popular to some. The tranquility, and sound of the water on the hull, the calm winds, and the appreciation for making motion out of something pure and natural.

I'm not embarrassed at all to say that sailing is not for me. Not my bag. To me, it parallels golf. Golf is a game that many many people are passionate about. I've played it. It's not for me. When it comes to playing golf, I'd rather sit and watch grass grow. Sailing is not for me, either. In fact, for me, it is a WHOLE LOT LIKE watching grass grow - except I think the grass may grow faster...

Blasting across the water at high speeds? Yep, I like it. Pulling innertubes and wakeboards? Yep, I'm there, too. Loading up a cruiser with 30 friends and running 35knots to the steakhouse up the lake? You betcha.

I grew up across the channel from a sailboat harbor on our lake. My whole life, from my 13' Whaler days to current times, I have boated in close proximity to sailors. I've read the regulations. I've taken the courses for my sticker.

I pass many sailboats. I pass em when they are pleasure sailing. I pass em when they have their little buoys out for their races. I pass em slow. I pass em fast. Whenever there is a toss up decision, I've always tried to pass them to their stern with the simplistic view that my wake (large or small, whichever) will "help" them go faster. Whether I'm right or wrong, that's my logic there.

I am happy for everybody to enjoy the lake.
Whether their desire is to:
* pull something fun on a rope behind a boat (ski, tube, etc).
* park dead center in the channel and hang chartreuse glitter worms on a string underwater (fishermen).
* fly all over the lake cutting donuts and hopping out of the water (jet skis).
* transport loads of drunk people from restaurant to restaurant on giant boats blasting tidal waves behind them (cruiser guys).
* running 80 in small raceboats with trolling motors in search of apparently very rapid fish (bassboaters).
* running 100 in large very loud boats, usually with augmented women in bikinis (cigar boaters).
OR
* planning detailed strategy on how to make their wind powered boat get from here to there (sailors).

I want everybody to enjoy.
Can't make everybody happy all the time though.

I WILL say that if I am trying to do what I *think* is correct and I get a bird flown at me, I will make a mental note of it and will try something DIFFERENT the next time I see you out (and DIFFERENT doesn't always mean better...)

Sailors of old times learned to use common sense and logic, else they died far away from home with saltwater in their lungs. I feel that common sense is still a helpful thing, although we have other inventions to helf keep us alive when we are stupid.

The guy who parks his pontoon boat in the center of a narrow channel to fish will have to endure some significant boat wakes while he sits there. And when the commercial barges come through he will have to move or be crushed.

The guy who fishes 18" off a rock bluff on a river channel will need to expect to get his boat smacked into the rocks.

The guy who tacks a hobie cat in a narrow crowded channel will need to expect to get passed on all sorts of sides.

The guy who runs a 40' cigar boat on a crowded day will need to expect to do a lot of maneuvering and also a lot of slowing down in various sections.

The guy who runs a 50'cruiser fast will need to expect to post a lookout for small vessels in compromising situations and will need to reduce his wake for them.

It's give and take for us to all enjoy the water.

If you shot me a bird, I will probably take some steps to reduce your enjoyment. Motion me to slow down? That's fine. Fly the finger? You've just requested some special treatment, brother...

Be so insanely clueless to consider ramming me?
I've got some out of date flares I need to do something with. I'd hate for you to end up with a big smoldering hole in your sail...

I'm a considerate boater for the most part.
Hope to see you out soon.

mc

"The" finger did not fly at all the ones that passed me. As for me and the channel, after deciding my passage through it would impede on others enjoying the water I decided to heck with going through, that's the way I boat. I commend the ones who while having to pass close by decided to throttle down or the ones that in more open water give a wider berth. That is what boating should be about. But because someone can not give me the same consideration that's when I get annoyed. My problems with the powerboat community goes back many years. Back when I had a mono hull on several occations I had to fight to keep my boat from banging into a bridge fender because somebody else either lacking in the brain department or just not carrying flew by me while under a bridge(which happen to be very good wind blocks). I was almost run over by a 40' Sport fishing boat who was coming up on my stern and actually blew for me to get out of his way when from everything I've read a boat under sail has right away in most cases. If I could I would love to take anybody that decides to purchase a powerboat out in a sailboat in light winds just so that maybe they could understand how our boats operate and how it's like to get slamed by a huge wake when somebody flies past very close.

When I go against the grain of the rest of the world, quite often, I try to stop and think if I am the one who is wrong. In a perfect world they would all slow down. But the world ain't perfect. My hatred for jet skis and power boaters was quite intense. Best way for me to handle it was to join the CG Aux and get to know them better. I wish I had the knowledge most of these guys have. There are even good people out there with jet skis. Try to remember who is going to rescue you when needed. And don't forget...Lower your sail next time the finger flies.

Kim

MrKim, I don't recall saying I hate anybody and a lot of my remarks were in jest but maybe that didn't come out like I wanted it to. I do believe I have said I commend some of the operators that actually power down until they are by which is great and how it should be. I'm also a great believer in the laws of gross tonage. While I might have right of way over a barge full of coal I'm not about to be stupid enough to put my life on the line to show that I do. I'm sure there are jerks in sailboats as well as powerboats which I hate just as much because it makes us look bad. But my problem is the lack of consideration that I have seen on the part of a good majority of the powerboat community in my sailing waters here in Northwest Florida. I do wish this wasn't the case but like you said this ain't a perfect world, if it was we would all be powered by the wind But seriously, if everybody would show common courtesy we all could enjoy ourselves on the water.

You guys seem to forget that any uneducated beer swilling moron with a checkbook can buy a powerboat and manage to steer it into your favorite sailing areas.

The same moron who buys a sailboat usually stays darn close to where he started from.

This, by simple nature of the ease of mastering the raw basics of making a powerboat "go", will ensure that you run across more nautically illiterate powerboaters than you will similarly clueless sailors.

We powerboaters hate that fact as much as you sailors do.

Our benefit is that we can get clear of them FAR easier than you can...

mc

I was going to let this die a slow death but after reading your comments I just had to respond. The part about the uneducated beer swilling moron.....add from Pensacola, Fl and you'll be spot on. As for as getting clear of them..it all depends on the wind my friend. Take one our boats out in a nice little 20-30 knot breeze and we can scoot to safety pretty darn quickly. But if God has blessed me with a light wind I have been cast into Hell itself.

I'm not sure about open water, but in the channel, you do not have the right of way over a barge.

Kim

CG Auxillary and US Power Squadron members are underappreciated and underrecognized for promoting safe boating. Unfortunately, far too many boaters are unskilled/untrained. CGA and USPS each offer a basic safe boating class that anyone who ventures on the water should consider taking.

Also consider joining. Their membership has been waning. You do not need to be an expert to join. Another reason I joined was to supplement my lack of knowledge about water things. They offer many good courses on seamanship, navigating, weather, etc..

Kim

In open water I have right away, I believe that and this is dependant on his draft, that in a canal he does. But either way I am not going to argue the point.

So what is right of way? Right of way does not give you the right to do anything you want. If you have the right of way you are the privileged boat. The privileged boat MUST maintain her course and speed. That means you can not iniate a tack in the middle of a channel and expect everyone to go around you!
The rules also state the any vessel that is "restricted in her ability to maneuver" has right of way. In a narrow channel this could very well be a large power vessel.

Also from the USCG "Navigation Rules should be regarded as a "code of conduct" and not a "bill of rights". They do not bestow rights or privileges, but impose the duty to either "give-way" or "stand-on", dependent on the circumstances. What is important is not so much what things are, i.e. sailing vessel, operational, etc., but how to avoid collisions, e.g. although under sail yet able to be propelled by machinery, obtaining an early warning by radar, etc. Understand, the Rules are in place to "prevent collisions" not to define nautical terms or to be subjected to strict interpretation."
So reality you don't have the right to anything, period.

I don't know much about your area, but here we are on a Bay that is actually part of a salt water tidel river. When I'm in my 41' power boat I have no choice but to stay in the channel, restricted by draft. But when I'm in either the whaler, hobie, or sunfish I stay away from the channel. Sure there are spots in the bay that are only 6" deep but I know where they are and stay away from them. The rest of the bay is plenty deep to sail or run the small boat. I feel I don't need to get into anyone's way in the channel. There is absolutely no reason for me to be there. If possible, stay out of the channel and it won't be a problem.

Many powerboaters may be indeed be idiots, but many more sailors are on a horse so high that they can't even see the water.

Safety should always be the Number 1 concern on the water. I am constantly amazed by the chicken games I see people play out on Clear Lake.

Everyone on the water does dumb stuff sometimes, but I think it's worthwhile to examine why. I don't know about powerboaters (boredom, maybe?), but for sailors I know we usually do it to show to ourselves how "awesome" we are.

Here in Clear Lake we have a channel that goes out under the Kemah Bridge connecting the lake to the bay. It's 100 feet wide or less, with most of the wind blocked due to the presence of very expensive houses. If I had a nickel for every time I've seen someone take it under sail, I'd buy new main blocks for my Hobie.

As sailors we have as much responsiblity to safe boating as anyone. Tacking across a channel that sees a boat every minute in both directions is not it. (I'm not accusing the parent poster of doing so, I'm just giving the example of what I have seen.)

If the sailboat is too big to easily trailer, it should mount an engine. If the sailboat is too small for an engine, it should be trailered past bottlenecks like the Kemah channel. That is the way I see things from the tramp of my Hobie.

Good wind to the sailors (and expensive gas to the powerboaters :+D ).

Brian

(In the interests of clarity: Not the Brian who started this discussion)