+1 on giving one or two whistles and going on if they don't respond. I
monitor 13 and 16 but I really don't get the whole
radio contact when it is clear what needs to happen. I always drop back when someone is astern, then ride into their wake as others noted.
I also wish some boats would just stay on plane passing. I usually wave people on if I can turn into their wake. I try to have things tied down well while underway so the wakes don't matter. Sometimes I'll make contact just to keep someone trucking along, but I like to be courteous, and if there is no issue I'd really rather see a
captain keep on at cruising speed. Something about rhythm and flow.....
Twistedtree I woud be happy enough if every
boat was more reachable, but shrimp boats? Ya right.
I remember calling a tug once back in NC after being in
Hampton Roads, where everyone is professional; one whistle, two whistles, yada yada. I called the tug in the Pungo or somewhere wide and said I'd see him on one whistle. He replied, "well, how in the world else would we do it?"
It is easy to get a little overzealous on the
radio. Radios are obnoxious sometimes, especially with the volume turned up over a droning
diesel in a sailboat. And radio contact for routine passing is overkill in my opinion, but I'm certainly not criticizing your desire for order,
safety, and making the
ICW a better place. Consider a policy of a couple of attempted radio contacts on 13 1W, then your horn, then come on by. For routine stuff. Passes that really need a radio contact are pretty infrequent but no doubt it is annoying to come up on a shrimp
boat that is actively trawling and trying to figure out what the hell they are gonna do. I also sail mostly
offshore, but I am not some kind of purist and I go wherever makes the most sense. I really love the coastal areas that the ICW accesses. For covering miles, can't beat the big
water, thereby avoiding all the BS radio chatter, wakes, bridges, shoaling, and constant attention at the
helm. You might try that some more, see if it suits you.
My canoe stern makes it hard to read mine, so I don't think you would be happy passing me. But if you use your horn, I'll wave and smile, and if you have
AIS and
DSC, you will def reach me.
The more toys on decks, and clothes/towels drying on the lines, or pirate
flags flying, the less likely to find a
communications geek on board ready to chit chat about a routine pass. Some people just don't consider radio chatter a cool or fun part of cruising, and some people just don't know any better. Channel 13??? what???
cheers-