Talking To Ships Offshore

[Gene :^)]

Even more sad than all the different things that we must fear, is that...

What we fear most is other people or caused by other people.

Can't we just get along?

[Jerry Woodward]

one more thing to fear:

[maxingout]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

Are you saying that if you try to hail a ship they might attack you? I'm sorry is anyone else picking up on this?

I'm not a fearful person, but when I'm 1000 miles offshore, I'm in a no man's land and at the mercy of random acts of stupidity. I've seen some desperate looking crews on the high seas. Some look like they were shanghaied, and I've worked in places where indentured servitude is alive and well. Those crew members live lives of quiet desperation on the high seas, and I'm not sure what their rules of engagement are offshore.

I've heard of plenty of incidents of yachts being shadowed by ships matching turn for turn, and eventually being struck. I've never had any aggressive action against Exit Only, but then I don't often talk to ships to announce my presence.

If I do talk to ships, it's because something unusual is happening.

Our most interesting conversation with ships happened in the middle of the Indian Ocean, and it went like this:

Me: Big ship, big ship, what is that huge long tube on your deck going from the bow almost to the stern?

Ship's bridge: That's a giant missle that we picked up in North Korea, and we are taking it to Saudi Arabia for delivery.

Me: Wow! Thanks. Have a great day.

It really happened. I don't know what kind of a missle it was, but it was humongous.

[BigDreams]

As a small boat sailor, I'm not experienced with the commercial shipping presence on the high seas although I've done quite enough reading to understand the various aspects of it.

However, how does one escape notice simply by 'not saying anything?" Are you not on their radar?

[maxingout]

Originally Posted by BigDreams

As a small boat sailor, I'm not experienced with the commercial shipping presence on the high seas although I've done quite enough reading to understand the various aspects of it.

However, how does one escape notice simply by 'not saying anything?" Are you not on their radar?

I've never asked a ship whether they could see me on their radar. That probably would have been a good idea. In rough seas, it's often difficult for me to see ships on radar when they are over five or six miles away unless they are broadside to me. I assumed that they probably would have a difficult time seeing me. Perhaps I assumed the wrong thing because their radar is much more powerful than mine. I may have had things wrong all these years.

[GMac]

In a big sea they probably would have problems seeing you Maxing. Yacht masts don't reflect much at all. And if the ship is close you could just be underneath their radar beam. All the more reason to have a good radar reflector up high.