Almost run over.

[Captain Bill]

Saturday we were going to Chub from Nassau and were almost run over by a megayacht with no one at the helm. The boat's name is Andiamo and can be seen at this web site: Andiamo Yacht - Azimut Yachts Motor Yacht | superyachts.com

The boat was on a slightly different course coming from about 10 degrees off of the port stern. It was not transmitting any AIS so I was calling it in the blind since all I could see was the bow. I made 4 calls starting when it was about a half a mile away. I was basically yelling into the mike as they got close trying to get someone on the bridges attention. At about 200 yards I started blowing my 123 db horns as well. Seas were 5-8 feet and we were sailing with 1 reef in and the jib. I started a 90 degree turn to starboard as a port turn would have put us across his bow broadside. I started the port engine and went immediately to full throttle to help the turn. We managed to get about 50 feet of separation before they passed our stern. We were only about 45 degrees through the turn. At that point I was continuously sounding the horns. Still no response. I got the name off of the side of the boat as they passed and made 4 more radio calls to the boat by name and still got no response. I then made a securite call advising all boaters that there was a 120 ft megayacht named Andiamo with no one at the helm headed in the general direction of Chub. The boat was about 1/2 mile away by then. The Securite call got a response which was "This is Andiamo, are you talking about us?" My response was "Yes". They replied "What's the problem? To Which I replied "You almost ran over me" . His reply "I'm sorry the captain's not here right now and there's no one at the helm." I replied they needed to get someone at the helm before they killed somebody. They said they would have the captain call me when he returned. About 20 minutes later the captain put out a radio call to another boat that they had passed about 15 minutes before almost running us down. He wondered why they had a problem with their passing since it was .7 nm separation. I broke into the conversation and explained it was us, not the boat that he was talking to had the problem and that the only reason we had 50 feet of separation was because I took evasive action. He said he didn't see us and he had two people in the wheel house. I asked if anyone heard my horn, no they hadn't. I don't know how they could have missed 50 foot tall white sails passing 50 feet off their beam if they had been looking out the windows, so clearly they weren't keeping the required watch by sight. Now I'll admit the noisy ends of my 123 db horns were at all times pointed away from them, but they're pretty noisy. The guy who first answered the radio seemed oblivious. The captain wasn't much better. The yacht is for charter and boasts a professional crew of 4, of which at least two don't know how to stand an watch and possibly didn't know how to turn the boat or pay attention to the radio. The advertisement boasts that it's air conditioned throughout. Perhaps it is soundproof as well. In any case the next time someone sings the praises of professional mariners, I'm going to suggest that the perform an anatomically impossible sex act on themselves.

Rant over

[44'cruisingcat]

You sound pretty pissed off, and no wonder! Glad you came out of it OK.

[arsenelupiga]

that is more efficient to get required attention

[Jim Cate]

What country is Andiamo registered in? A formal written report to the licensing authority, in many countries will cause some grief for the skipper of the vessel. I dunno about your neck of the woods, though...

A friend of ours, a retired Admiral from the Aussie navy, was nearly run down by a foreign merchant vessel in Australian waters. There were a number of radio transmissions with no answers. He e-mailed a report to AMSA. A day later he received a phone call from an AMSA officer requesting some details... the officer was on the bridge of the vessel at the time, reaming out the captain. Not sure what the ramifications were for the captain, but it couldn't have been favourable... and our friend got some relief for his angst.

Cheers,

Jim

[sanibel sailor]

I was thinking an accidentally misdirected flare... tough for the Captain to explain the little mark on the teak decks to the owner...

[senormechanico]

+100 for the "accidentally misdirected flare". I may have gone a bit further !

[markpierce]

Maybe you need much louder horns.



But then there are ignorant/uncaring/unconcerned/unconscious people one needs to avoid as early as evident.

[Stu Jackson]

I got hit at anchor last November. I feel for you. Glad you're OK. Jerks!

[ohdrinkboy]

Make a formal complaint to the Bahamian CG? That might get their attention.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

What country is Andiamo registered in? A formal written report to the licensing authority, in many countries will cause some grief for the skipper of the vessel. I dunno about your neck of the woods, though...

A friend of ours, a retired Admiral from the Aussie navy, was nearly run down by a foreign merchant vessel in Australian waters. There were a number of radio transmissions with no answers. He e-mailed a report to AMSA. A day later he received a phone call from an AMSA officer requesting some details... the officer was on the bridge of the vessel at the time, reaming out the captain. Not sure what the ramifications were for the captain, but it couldn't have been favourable... and our friend got some relief for his angst.

Cheers,

Jim

It's registered in St. Vincent's and the Grenadines. I'll look into it but it seems to be a tax shelter flag of convenience. Which probably means no rules and no oversight.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Maybe you need much louder horns.



But then there are ignorant/uncaring/unconcerned/unconscious people one needs to avoid as early as evident.

Maybe I need to put on two more facing astern.

[Lepke]

When I was a commercial fisherman and we had Russian trawlers off the coast, they would often refuse to change course. I didn't, but some of the guys shot at the pilot house windows. That worked.

Sorry for your experience.

[Dulcesuenos]

We've seen them before, anyone can drive (or not) a megayacht over there. We've had similar issues before, watched one beach herself trying To go directly in to compass cay as if there wasn't a giant sandbar there. The 33' cc they were towing almost speared them but grazed their side as it too got beached.

Sent from my PLT1077G using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by Lepke

When I was a commercial fisherman and we had Russian trawlers off the coast, they would often refuse to change course. I didn't, but some of the guys shot at the pilot house windows. That worked.

Sorry for your experience.

I have to admit that the thought of putting a few rounds through those big windows did cross my mind, but I left my 30.06 at home.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

It's registered in St. Vincent's and the Grenadines. I'll look into it but it seems to be a tax shelter flag of convenience. Which probably means no rules and no oversight.

Probably true. On the other hand, if they are operating in The Bahamas then a letter to the Bahamas Maritime Authority might get some action.