I Think I had Right of Way...

[goat]

Originally Posted by mbianka

This situation falls under the "might makes right" rule!

I call it the 'right of weight' rule.

[weavis]

A Colt 45 always beats 4 aces.

Standing on your rights is not as effective as a big boat standing on your small boat.......

[atoll]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Is this the Johor Strait we are looking at, pictures taken from Changi maybe?

it looks remarkably like the view from Changi yacht club BAR!

i'm guessing the BAR had right of way in this instance............

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Knu14TlvCQE

[BostonFlicka]

All kidding aside, small sailboats can be a nightmare for these larger vessels. I was returning from Martha's Vineyard yesterday on the ferry to Woods Hole, when a clueless individual nearly killed himself . Those familiar with the area know that the current is no joke in woods hole and it would certainly meet the definition of a narrow channel.

As we approached the steamship dock about to start a long sweeping turn to the slip I heard the captain give two blasts of the horn, I was on the top deck of the ferry and thought normal traffic just overtaking a slower vessel.

I went to the side in time to see a smaller sailboat, looked like a sonar decide to tack on to starboard and put us in a crossing situation. At this point he was less than 100 yards off the ferry's starboard bow. Ferry captain thankfully was on his game. He gave 5 warning blasts and full reverse throttle, I'm talking pray a prop doesnt shear off throttle. Quickest I've ever seen a 235 foot boat stop. Jackass in the sonar, no life jacket mind you clears the bow by about 20 feet.

Too close for comfort, that's for sure.

Captain clueless kept on sailing as if nothing happend. Probably thought he had right of way

[JPA Cate]

I like "right of weight"; we say "gross tonnage rule: the ship goes first, and it's gross!"

Maybe next time Capt. Clueless from BostonFlicka's post will be dead right.

A.

[Randy]

I've been in and out of Sembawang many times on a 40,000 ton 700' ship and the Johor Straits are very very tight. As opposing ships are making turns at the various bends they need lots of room to make their turn and get back the stbd side to allow passage. Small boats like 12' fishing boats are often out in the center and on our approach we will use the whistle but often they're content to go down our side by 20'.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

I like "right of weight"; we say "gross tonnage rule: the ship goes first, and it's gross!"

Maybe next time Capt. Clueless from BostonFlicka's post will be dead right.

A.

I always referred to it as the "Magilla gorilla rule." I guess it depends on where you learned to sail.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Yes this is from Changi clubhouse looking across at Pulau Ubin. Northeast corner of Singapore.

Up channel on the Malaysia side is a pretty big docking facility.

Further up is Sembawang shipyard and they do some repairs up there - This guy is obviously unloaded but there is also a palm oil loading facility up there.

I've never seen anything this big in the channel loaded. I don't recall the depth in the middle and my charts aren't handy. He may have been up for maintenance?

Spent 4 months at the Sembawang dock yard in 1988 on a 260,000 tanker after a one sided altercation with an Iranian gunboat which did not go in our favour.
Few years later managed managed to "salvage" a yacht while we were at the Loyang base. The yacht had broken adrift, and we managed to grab it with a heaving line as it drifted past a few feet away.
Not been back there for years, but certainly had some good times in Changi village.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Oh, geeze Dan, they arn't ships! They are tiny!

There aint no Panamax there! Even the bigger one is too small to take the kids fishing.

But i do remember when i was there sailing on your boat they did come kinda close. The channel turns through 90 degrees and the two ships would get pretty squashed.

I think you should yell louder and with a British accent... Wearing a yachting blazer and cravat would help too....

My photo archive drive is not hooked up right now or I'd post your twilight race photo.

mark knows that how you handle the ship crossings is about as important as currents in our weekly can races...

Originally Posted by Randy

I've been in and out of Sembawang many times on a 40,000 ton 700' ship and the Johor Straits are very very tight. As opposing ships are making turns at the various bends they need lots of room to make their turn and get back the stbd side to allow passage. Small boats like 12' fishing boats are often out in the center and on our approach we will use the whistle but often they're content to go down our side by 20'.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Everyone here is super careful not to interfere with shipping, regardless of regs. Pleasure boating is not near as important to the Singapore economy as shipping.

We do learn how to maneuver and deal with the big ships and still get to where we want to go.

Originally Posted by nigel1

Spent 4 months at the Sembawang dock yard in 1988 on a 260,000 tanker after a one sided altercation with an Iranian gunboat which did not go in our favour.
Few years later managed managed to "salvage" a yacht while we were at the Loyang base. The yacht had broken adrift, and we managed to grab it with a heaving line as it drifted past a few feet away.
Not been back there for years, but certainly had some good times in Changi village.

You'll be pleased to know that good times can still be had at Changi Village. Although I think it's days are numbered as "sleepy backwater" - Lot's of hotel development going on.

Our club only has two years left on the land lease and we have a lot of prime waterfront. All very political...

Too sad - Sunsets from the bar are amazing...

[Pelagic]

.....Then this other dude showed up like he owned the channel.

I was a sailboat and moreover I was on Starboard tack...

They were all like, "Excuse us while we execute this head on pass." and I'm yelling like, "Excuse me! Sailboat under sail fellahs!"

Discuss...[/QUOTE]

Absolutely right Dan....!

Crossing Victoria Harbour by RHKYC is another example of those "commercial" types getting in the way of a good race...

You do need to be careful though if they look like they will anchor
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=y...&v=y3WveEZykJ8

[blackswan]

Rule nine narrow channel..?

[Stu Jackson]

Ex-Calif,

Aren't you supposed to wait until the pointy ends of the two big guys are almost in line and then squeeze through?

[Ex-Calif]

Depends on where I'm going.

Common strategy is to pass the bow of the big one on starboard tack, hard a port if heading up channel and then the blue guy becomes the overtaking boat and my "rights" are even better...

Although some would call them, "Dead rights..."

PS - When crossing the bow of a ship - I find it useful to get real close - When I'm far away they blow their horn. When really close they don't for some reason. I think it's because they want us close - efficient use of sealanes and all that...

[Jim Cate]

Crikeys, Dan,

Don't muck about "thinking" you have right of way - DEMAND it. It's your right and your duty as a real sailor to show those guys in steamships that sail still rules the water. Be proactive... those guys are pros and will manage to avoid you, 'cause they know they are in the wrong.

Don't be a pussy, be a man, a real sailorman.

Jim

[Ex-Calif]

Next time I'll roll out the canon...