Sailing and Commercial Vessels do you follow the rules, Why.

[Uricanejack]

Just thought I would start this thread a a general discussion about interacting with commercial vessels.
Since the Ro Ro one is up to about 20 pages.
About what every one thinks about, one particular guy action in one particular situation. Rather than just one guy taking all the heat.

Where I go sailing there are some times quite a few of them around.
When I go sailing.

I follow the rules mostly.
Except for when I don’t.

Sometimes I just stay out the way, sometimes I get in the way.

I have for doing what I do the way I choose to, generally based on how I interpret the rules. So I mostly follow the rules.

Some rules like, displaying a cone apex down, I don’t have darn cone. hence mostly. Why not.
I don’t motor very often anyway. Sometimes I do furl the sail and harden the main sheet and motor for a bit when there no wind.
If they can’t figure why I’m doing 6 knots with a sail up when there’s no wind. Tough.
No body has ever complained.
I don’t have any balls either. I’ve never been asked about my balls either

I do have Nav lights and a set of emergency nave lights JIK. Why, I figure it helps if other boats can see me and tell if I am a power driven or a sailing vessel.

Where I sail, Southern BC Or venture south to the PNW when the border is open.
SGI or Saun Juan’s

There are a few TSS, a few narrow channels, some not quite so narrow channels,
Some Pass’s some are busy some aren’t. A couple of Straights busy and not so busy, A few harbours, Quite a Few Ferry terminals and route, A busy River, A couple of big Ports. And some relatively open water. Most of it Pilotage, I do occasionally venture out Jaun De Fuca where it’s not.

Enough so I encounter commercial traffic some times.

Lots of tow boats.
Some are restricted, most are not, some are short, long, multiple barges, huge sections of logs. Some are quite fast some are really slow.
Some push.

Narrow channels, TSS. Harbour, Vicinity of a Ferry Terminal. I follow the rules.
Quite easy really.
I don’t impead. I stay the heck out the way and let them do their thing.
My opinion, it common sense, or the practice of seamen not to impead. Even if there is only one ship. Or tug

Some times there is a TSS then there isn’t. Then there is another one a bit further up. What about the in between bits.

What would be the sense of impending in the in between bits.
It’s just an in between bit. f rule 10 follow the rules.
Na.
I know they are going from one to the other, I know where they will be. I have a pretty good idea where they are going.

Common sense to me let them get on with it. I will ussualy take early to not impead.

When is it a narrow channel? When is it just a not so narrow channel?
What if I am using the channel?

Narrow, Common sense I don’t impead.

How about not so narrow,

What if I using a channel, sometimes I sail through. I got a sailboat I like sailing.
I sail but I don’t impead. I stay out the way.
I stick close to my side.

What’s a safe passing distance? A well now it depends. How narrow is it.

Active Pass is 3 cables wide. You may have two larger pretty fast ferries passing each other. Plus a few other ferries or tugs from time to time.
I’ve seen 4 transiting active pass. At the same time.

There going to pass doing 18 to 20 knots. They will be Pretty close to 1 cable from their starboard shore.
I’m between them and the beach or cliff. If I go through.
I stay out thier way.

In between the pass and and the terminal, it’s not so narrow. There room.
I pretty much follow the rules, so do the ferries. There fast but manoeuvrable.
They will pass pretty close. But not two close. Probably closer than some might be comfortable with.

But if you are on your side of the road, things work out. If your crossing, they will go round you. Or I can just wait then cross, but they are like busses there will be another coming by in a few minutes.

Tug and tow, I will ussualy cut a break, it’s not so narrow. Most are not restricted.
But hauling 3 chip barges, what the heck let him go.
How far away am I when I decide to stay out the way?
Don’t know a mile or so may be a couple. But I make it obvious and readily apparent.
I ussualy get a friendly wave with all 5 fingers. When I give a tug a break.
Common sense to me.
As far as I’m concerned the rules are flexible enough, to cope.

Deep Sea guys. Most if not have have pilots, Most can manoeuvre ok. But most are becoming up through the straights and heading for the TSS of Sand Heads And into Vancouver.
Why impead.

Relatively open water mid straight all kinds of vessels, no TSS, there a range where the Navy’s go to play, which is a bit of a PIA.
There just best avoided.

Why not just follow the rules. They make reasonable sense, it’s clear what you are doing.

Radio,?

What do you guys do, where you sail, why,

[d8v1dl]

I follow my rules: Standard Colregs overridden by : Whatever course gets me as far away from them as fast as possible and insures I don't cross their bow.

[dfelsent]

Just follow the rules. And have enough sense to stay out of close situations where they come into play. Be alert.
I’ve been on a fast ferry bridge. Colregs.
Even in Boston Harbor it’s not so hard. Between tankers barges dredges cruise ships water taxis fast ferries tour boats slow ferries fleets of sailboats lots of powerboats and whale watch boats. And Codzilla. it is still not so hard. And you can still enjoy the day and go where you want.
Sometimes it’s not possible to stay away. So then follow the colregs. Which mostly say stay away, and tell you how.