Ignorant Semanship

[mottseng]

Ok, I appreciate all the comments and potential solutions. Lets be clear that a wake is much different than a wave. A wake is caused by a another boat which can choose to cause it or not. I remember hearing someone on CH16 complain about a wake to which the power boater responded "it a wave get over it". The other boat responded with "no, its a wake and it was caused by you".

For those of you who are familiar with the Georgian Bay area it is one of the most beautiful sailing areas around particularly the North Channel. Having said that, most weekends there is a rush of boats to get to the various anchorages and then there is a rush of boats getting back to the marinas on the Sunday. I believe and assume that this was the case for the ignorant power boater (IPB). He probably was in a hurry to beat everyone back to the marina, re-fuel and get his pump out before heading home. Really no excuse for his actions.

I have decided to mount a cannon on my bow and fire it whenever this happens again. On a serious note I will attempt to get the boat information next time and then have a conversation with the owner. I am not talking about a confrontation type of conversation but one that will hopefully enlighten and make him aware of his behaviour and actions suggesting alternate solutions.

BTW the wine was Cabernet Sauvingnon from the Niagara Region. There wasn't much left.

[mottseng]

Why is it that whenever I hear someone complaining on CH16 its always a someone complaining about the wake caused by a power boater and never the other way around?

[mottseng]

Ignorant Powerboater: Powerboat not relevant

There is no "Right of Way". There is only the "Stand On Vessel" and the "Give Way vessel". The purpose is to avoid collision. Either you collided or you didn't. Did you have to give way in order avoid a collision?

Yes, power boat is very relevant to this post

Stand On, Give Way ...... Potatoe, Potatoe

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by mottseng

......... On a serious note I will attempt to get the boat information next time and then have a conversation with the owner. I am not talking about a confrontation type of conversation but one that will hopefully enlighten and make him aware of his behaviour and actions suggesting alternate solutions. .

Go ahead and do that. Be sure to take the conversation off channel 16.

Do you seriously think you will be able to have a conversation with someone you're accusing of "Ignorant Seamanship" without it being confrontational? I wouldn't count on it.

One thing I've found in life is, it's nearly impossible to change other people's behavior and in particular, to change it to match your expectations.

My advice - let it go, forget about it and go boating.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Go ahead and do that. Be sure to take the conversation off channel 16.

Do you seriously think you will be able to have a conversation with someone you're accusing of "Ignorant Seamanship" without it being confrontational? I wouldn't count on it.

One thing I've found in life is, it's nearly impossible to change other people's behavior and in particular, to change it to match your expectations.

My advice - let it go, forget about it and go boating.

In most cases, Ron, you are correct about a conversation via VHF after an incident, however, we have encountered people who, for one reason or another, were unaware of their actions and were very apologetic. That's why we always try to contact the boater first. However, in a negative situation via VHF, we tell the rude boater that he is legally responsible for his wake, repeat the boat name several times and end contact. And, if the situation was seriously dangerous, we'll file a report with both the local authorities and CG. We have only done this twice in almost 30 years of sailing both resulting in fines for the offenders and in one case, a formal complaint against a commercial captain(I use that term very loosely--tour boat in Miami) in his CG file. As an aside, rudeness is not necessarily a power boat affliction since we have had many similar encounters with sailboats--the most common being racing through an opening bridge on the Intercoastal at unsafe distances and waving cluelessly when they pass before the bridge is fully open with the attendant wake and a pendulum swinging of your mast as a result. Good luck and safe sailing.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by mottseng

Ignorant Powerboater: Powerboat not relevant

There is no "Right of Way". There is only the "Stand On Vessel" and the "Give Way vessel". The purpose is to avoid collision. Either you collided or you didn't. Did you have to give way in order avoid a collision?

Yes, power boat is very relevant to this post

Stand On, Give Way ...... Potatoe, Potatoe

Or just plain "tater".

[Taichungman]

Originally Posted by mottseng

Allow me to vent on this subject which I am sure has been brought up many times already. This past weekend while cruising in Georgian Bay Ontario I encountered, for lack of better words, an ignorant boater. I was under full sail on a starboard tack when a 50+ motoryacht on my port side increased speed in order to pass me on my bow. Once he got past he slowed down and turned right to go around a buoy. The wake caused was at least 5-6 feet. I smashed through these waves with the only damage being a broken wine bottle.

I wish I could have spoken to this person and asked him/her how difficult would it have been to slow down and go behind me considering he had to slow down anyhow? For the most part the power yachts are respectful however when you encounter someone like I did you feel disadvantaged because you can't chase him down to discuss his behaviour and sounding off on channel 16 serves no purpose other than entertainment for others. You would think that someone who owns a $500K plus boat has some sense of reason?

Yes, I am concerned about any potential damage but more importantly I was concerned about my passengers. I had my 90 year old mother in law on the boat for the weekend.

So here I am a day later, still fuming and wondering what possible actions could I take in the future?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
IT happens on the water, on the highway and in the grocery store. Someone is always cutting you off. You either chase them down and beat the hell out of them or forget about it. Anyway, the powerboat guy was probably Canadian and didn't know any better.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by mottseng

......... Lets be clear that a wake is much different than a wave.............

Only if you see that it's coming from a boat. In reality, it is a just moving bump in the water that if it's large enough can cause a problem for you and your boat.

[skalashn]

I sail in the area. A lot of powerboat traffic on weekends. Even on calm days, we secure the cabin as if anticipating rough weather, before getting underway. Also the helm would alert everyone of the oncoming wake. This keeps people and wine safe. Then we just ignore the idiots. Bickering on 16 can get entertaining but will not make any difference.

Your boat is built to take much worse conditions , as long as the contents is secured.

[mottseng]

Originally Posted by skalashn

I sail in the area. A lot of powerboat traffic on weekends. Even on calm days, we secure the cabin as if anticipating rough weather, before getting underway. Also the helm would alert everyone of the oncoming wake. This keeps people and wine safe. Then we just ignore the idiots. Bickering on 16 can get entertaining but will not make any difference.

Your boat is built to take much worse conditions , as long as the contents is secured.

Thanks SKALASHN and for the most part I agree and do my best to ignore the idiots. This was a case of one such idiot who just pushed it too far. I can remember my first year up in Georgian Bay and the panic I experienced with all the weekend traffic. Now I have become more accepting of the large power boaters causing some wake. Its the ones who insist on going through the Cogneshene channel on plane or someone trying to beat you to the Lost channel entrance that get me.