I Keep Peeving Tugs.

[scoobert]

so far about 4 have given me the horn.
that horn that oscillates.
some type of collision horn...?
happened again yesterday.
yesterday was like this.
i was on the right side of the channel.
i could see the port side of the tug coming south.
he turned to port, and i could now see his starboard side.
then he started with the horn.
he was waving his arms about and flipping me off as he went by.
WTH was i doing wrong?
am i not to be in the channel?
i have a 6.5 draft, and i do not feel good on the wrong side of red....
i am sure they were yelling on channel 16, but i dont run the radio :P
its not the first time either.
i thought the rule was, keep right....?

[MarkJ]

If you were on the right side of the channel and he turned so you could see his starboard side he must have then gone out of the channel ahead of your bow.

If I am not correct you might need to draw a diagram for me please.

If you were on the right of the channel I dont see why he could be flipping you off!

Also Colregs say you must monitor VHF 16 and 13 when in a shipping channel.

[Sailmonkey]

Use your radio or they will continue to flip you off. The push boats are difficult to maneuver, at times they'll want port to port, other times they'll want starboard to starboard.

The horn blasts all mean something too, depending on the number of blasts.

There are also specific channels that are used for comms in different areas. Sometimes 13, sometimes 72, etc.....

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Also Colregs say you must monitor VHF 16 and 13 when in a shipping channel.

the hudson is an inland waterway, does that apply?
also i thought radios were only required for vessels over 60'?
these day sailors don't even have engines sometimes out here.

[scoobert]

i didnt count. i didnt realize they had blasts for red to red, green to green, and such. it translated to me as ahole noise.

the reason i do not use the radio right now is the PO mounted it at the nav station, and thats great, if your down below with the engine off... there will be two radios when i am done.

never had this issue before......

passing a massive bardge on the hudson river - YouTube

i used to be faster....

[sabray]

They are going to call you on 13 not 16. You can call them too. Usually they prefer a call so that they know your intentions. Better if you have ais and can hail them by ships name.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by scoobert

the reason i do not use the radio right now is the PO mounted it at the nav station, and thats great, if your down below with the engine off...

No. The reason you don't use the radio right now is that you haven't set up your vessel to safely navigate your home waters, plus the fact that you don't really understand the Colregs.

You can blame the PO during the sea trial, but once you're the skipper of your own vessel, the onus of proper navigation is on you.

[Suijin]

I think the simple fact that you've had repeated experiences in this situation indicates that you're doing something that is provoking them. If you simply turned your radio on and tuned to channel 13, then you'd already know what it was because you could have a conversation with them. Running in a channel frequented with commercial traffic, particularly tugs with loads with your radio off is poor practice and poor judgement.

Don't forget that tugs pulling anything on a long leash or a loaded tow on a short leash have very low maneuverability. If you wander into the center of the channel, or don't keep a relatively straight course from marker to marker they are going to get pissed off because you're not being predictable...and if they can't hail you to inquire about your intentions, then they'll get downright mad.

[JustaBoatDriver]

5 short blasts would be the danger signal. That means watch out. Also perhaps he needed the red side of the channel because the other side was too shallow for him.

[rebel heart]

You should really take a class on the rules of the road. Most of the 1 or 2 day safety classes will cover regulations, radio usage, and practical considerations. I'm not sure if this is close to you, but a basic vessel navigation class would be money well spent.

Boating Safety Courses -- New England Maritime

[Roy M]

Scoobert, Although the Colregs may exempt you from certain rules due to your vessel size and classification as a pleasure craft, that doesn't mean you, the skipper of the boat that could be involved in a marine tragedy, are exempt from using all means available to avoid such a tragedy. Having a VHF radio aboard, in working order, and failing to keep tuned to Channel 16 in a significant waterway, is more than poor judgement and ignorance. It is a violation of the watchkeeping requirement of all vessels. So, to reduce your legal liability, remove all the radios, binoculars, or any evidence that you may be operating the boat as though responsible and conscious of marine hazards. If you were involved in a collision, you might be able to get off on a technicality.

Rule 5 - Lookout

Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.

[scoobert]

i took a boaters safety course, 6 years ago.
they didnt mention sound signals.
i guess having a radio would have been a moot point, even on the powerboat i ran channel 16. now i have to monitor two channels?

[keyspc]

Barges cant stop! If that's you in that video; you will get hit sooner than later.
WAY TO CLOSE! I used to drive a 200' derrick barge with a lil push boat(alexanders marine "BULDUZER") that only had two 671's. Thing drove like a bar of soap.
4 blasts mean your standing into danger.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by scoobert

the hudson is an inland waterway, does that apply?
also i thought radios were only required for vessels over 60'?
these day sailors don't even have engines sometimes out here.

You need to educate yourself not only about the COLREGS but about safe practices in general. Your last comment leads me to believe that you don't understand "the rule of tonnage". You won't find it in the regs but it's the most important rule there is when operating in a busy channel. If they are considerably bigger than you and limited in ability to maneuver, get the *#&$ out of the way.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by scoobert

i took a boaters safety course, 6 years ago.
they didnt mention sound signals.
i guess having a radio would have been a moot point, even on the powerboat i ran channel 16. now i have to monitor two channels?

So make sure the next one covers sound signals, day shapes, lights, and at least the most commonly encountered COLREGS stuff (in old parlance, who has the "right of way").

People who know COLREGS really well generally went to a formal class. There's really no other reason you're going to study that hard and drill yourself on funky scenarios. In a classroom environment you can also ask questions and have a qualified instructor provide all the background info for why things are the way they are.

Yes, you will need to potentially listen to multiple VHF channels. When it doubt stick on 16. But 13 is more typical for bridge-to-bridge and in various waters other frequencies are for different things. In Mexico all the English speaking boats use 22a, so I generally have a constant scan going with 16, 13, and 22a in that priority. So a transmission on 16 will break in if someone is talking on 22a.