Not so great watch-keeping by big ships

[transmitterdan]

https://apple.news/APtjcvm1qQQCom9p0OFQYqg

[MV Wanderlust]

Truth.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if this is made into a movie. It's quite a story.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

https://apple.news/APtjcvm1qQQCom9p0OFQYqg

Keep in mind several things. First, yes there sometimes is sloppy watchkeeping aboard ship. I have seen it. However, it is rare, at least on U.S. flag ships and I will go so far as to say it is probably rare on ships of other registries as well.


When you see a ship, even from 8 or10 miles away, it looks big. It looks close. It looks significant. But they can't see your tiny boat. They can't see your feeble signals. In areas where tiny boats are often working far from land, they could see you and not realize that anything is wrong. The lookout on the bridge is scanning a HUGE expanse of ocean. if you are dead ahead at a mile, in good visibility, you will be seen. If you are dead ahead at 6 miles you will think you are doomed to be overrun in seconds and chopped into chum by the ship's propellor but will probably still be unnoticed by the watch on the ship, or disregarded as just another sailboat or fishing boat until close enough to warrant a course change. Your boat is your world. It is inconceivable that someone you can see so clearly cannot see your nice big (to you) boat and you waving like a madman or flashing your boy scout signal mirror guaranteed to be seen at 20 miles or your military weapon grade lithium cell LED flashlight. Ships might see you at several miles but not change course if/as required by the rules until very close, because small boats often behave unpredictably and erratically and causing the ship to be compelled to quickly turn one way, then the other, and back again, without a passing agreement.


This guy was not on a vessel designed or intended for voyaging. He had no GPS, no VHF, no AIS, no signal flags, not even a compass or a loudspeaker or whistle. This encounter was totally unexpected by ships and simply sighting a small floating object is not enough to make a ship alter course TOWARD it to investigate. Ships naturally maneuvered only to avoid it. A recognizable distress signal visible or audible at long range would have made all the difference. A handheld VHF and a means of charging it could have had the guy rescued by the first ship that he saw. Instead he suffered for 49 days and is lucky to be alive.



Don't blame the ships that passed him by. Blame the owner of the fish trap for not anticipating a breakaway and equipping it appropriately.

[AiniA]

Have to disagree with the last post. We were almost run down by Maersk container ship at noon on a bright sunny day about 30 miles off the coast of Ecuador - not a busy area for sure. Both of us were on exactly the same southbound course. We called the ship when it was less than a mile from us with a CPA of something like 30 feet (AIS). Before this we assumed he saw us - visually, radar, AIS, all of the above and was going to get closer before altering - we have noticed that ships sometimes want to have a look at a sailboat on the open ocean. When I called I asked the deck officer what his passing intentions were. He made a shocked kind of sound and didn't reply but altered course about 30° to starboard. Maersk is a highly respectable line and should have good crews, but stuff happens.

[psk125]

Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean...
https://www.nicematin.com/faits-dive...envoyes-266977
This happened Sunday morning, 07OCT2018, off the north end of Corsica. The ship on the right was anchored...

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by psk125

Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean...
https://www.nicematin.com/faits-dive...envoyes-266977
This happened Sunday morning, 07OCT2018, off the north end of Corsica. The ship on the right was anchored...

Holy crapweasel. No excuse for that one.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by AiniA

Have to disagree with the last post. We were almost run down by Maersk container ship at noon on a bright sunny day about 30 miles off the coast of Ecuador - not a busy area for sure. Both of us were on exactly the same southbound course. We called the ship when it was less than a mile from us with a CPA of something like 30 feet (AIS). Before this we assumed he saw us - visually, radar, AIS, all of the above and was going to get closer before altering - we have noticed that ships sometimes want to have a look at a sailboat on the open ocean. When I called I asked the deck officer what his passing intentions were. He made a shocked kind of sound and didn't reply but altered course about 30° to starboard. Maersk is a highly respectable line and should have good crews, but stuff happens.

Interesting. In late June, I was heading to Hawaii and was almost run down by Maersk Gamesh (try saying that 3 times in a row). I did not yet have the AIS reciever set to alarm mode or to calculate his CPA but it certainly looked like we were on a collision. I hailed and on the second attempt, the captain responded. I asked him if he saw me (clear day, 38-ft sailboat). He said yes. I asked if he was planning to go behind. "No, in front of you." Being a bit inexperienced in these things, I said ok. We were only separated by a couple miles at that point and I didn't think he would even be able to deviate if I asked. Next thing I see is a wall of rivets. As the ship is almost past, I have to turn down to take his stern wake at a better angle. I sail in San Francisco Bay and inside the estuary that leads to the Port of Oakland so I've gotten used to being close to these ships. I was more peeved that I had to disengage the self-steering, but this was 600 miles offshore and there was no need to come that close! No one else came even within 5 miles of crossing, either the rest of the way over or during the trip back.

[a64pilot]

So you saw you were going to have a close CPA, and yet continued on course?

If the same thing happened today, would you still do the same?

[rsn48]

Yes, I have to agree, if you are on a course with a potential unhappy ending, and as you say 600 miles of sea, why wouldn't you alter course? If there had been a collision, it would have been your fault as big can't maneuver as well as small.

As for seeing the ships rivets burned into your memory, that ship could have also stolen your wind and you could then have been in genuine trouble. When I used to sail, I stayed away from large ships as they could block the wind for a bit, why play with chance when there is no need to.

Remember, the officer of the watch is thinking the same thing you are thinking - there's 600 miles of sea, the sailboat has lots of room to maneuver. It wouldn't enter his head to deviate the ships course in such a condition as he has the right of way, based on the rule "might over right."

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

So you saw you were going to have a close CPA, and yet continued on course?

If the same thing happened today, would you still do the same?

Yes and no. Experience always makes me consider other courses of action. "Wall of rivets" was to a silly reference to a funny story I'd heard that actually has no bearing on how close our crossing was. However, I did not continue my course! Maybe it's my racing experience in which I knew where we'd cross and how close, and I was windward to the ship, but I beared away at the point it would have been extremely close. What didn't make sense was why he didn't alter course a degree to port and just cross easily behind me? Wouldn't that have been the prudent approach?

I could also tell you a story (eye witnessed by another skipper) of two cargo ships crossing each other in early August during our return in which the give-way vessel thought he was stand-on. I couldn't do it justice in the retelling! That skipper posts here, I do believe, so maybe he'll offer up the story.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by rsn48

It wouldn't enter his head to deviate the ships course in such a condition as he has the right of way, based on the rule "might over right."

Not correct....

[hellosailor]

"Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean..."
Yeah, got the early news on that yesterday and wondered WTF?
Then heard today that one had been anchored. And said to myself, no, REALLY? WTF?

I've got a vague memory, maybe 10-15 years ago there was a major ferry crash because someone was letting his girlfriend drive? Can't wait to see if we ever hear what's behind this one.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I've got a vague memory, maybe 10-15 years ago there was a major ferry crash because someone was letting his girlfriend drive? Can't wait to see if we ever hear what's behind this one.

That might have been the Concordia skipper who had his mistress on the bridge and was trying to impress guests by sailing too close to the island where the ship hit a reef.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by rsn48

Remember, the officer of the watch is thinking the same thing you are thinking - there's 600 miles of sea, the sailboat has lots of room to maneuver. It wouldn't enter his head to deviate the ships course in such a condition as he has the right of way, based on the rule "might over right."

Aaaaahhhhhrrrrggg!


That's wrong on so many levels!

[TrentePieds]

@ #13

More like the BC Ferry "Queen of the North" (ex "Stena Danica") proceeding from Prince Rupert to Vancouver. The inquiry found that the OOD (the Jimmy) and the helmsman (F), who had been "an item" in the past, were engaging in a little humpy-pumpy on the bridge while the ship was on AP in a confined, very difficult, very narrow channel of the Inland Passage that demands a sharp turn at one place. Being otherwise occupied, the OOD wasn't complying with COLREG 5, and branches of the trees on shore were sweeping over the wing bridge rail before he could extricate himself and try to knock off the AP. The ship struck the shore, a steep bluff, and sank, tho slowly enuff that all got off except two individuals believed to have been in their vehicle on the card deck contrary to ship's regulations.

Jimmy got four years in clink IIR and having served that time he is now AFAIK wandering the streets.

TP

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