Alvor, Portugal. Fishermen blasting with 20+ knots through an anchorage within several meters

[Franziska]

Hi,

I accept that there is perhaps no solution to this, but I still wonder what would be options to remedy this. Maybe someine has some clever ideas (except the obvious one, just go somewhere else, which we may do).

We are anchored in a lagoon in Alvor Portugal. There are probably 50-100 boats at anchor here.
Accordingly there is also traffic of slow dinghies, SUP and the like going on.
The channel is not very wide but there is enough space to pass easily with leaving space to the anchored boats.
The anchor field stretches about 1/2 a mile from town.
The above seems to be the case for many years.

The local fishermen seem to ignore this and just foot it. Happens all the time. Just now we had a guy passing our stern within 3m going 20+ knots.
It even happens at night.
See here:
https://we.tl/t-C81KBervRA?src=dnl

It's a huge risk.
Eventually someone will die when being run over.

How could we get those guys to slow down the last 1/2 mile?
I understand they do their job. That's fine, but speeding like this in an anchorage is just really unprofessional.

Tricky part, if a single boat owner approaches them they are likely to feel some sort if revenge later.
Best would be to find a way to sort this amicably.

Suggestions?

[pete c]

Pointless to talk to them directly.

Contact the harbormaster. If you get no solutions, you might contact town officials and tell them you won't be spending any more Euros in their town and will be moving on to a place that treats cruisers a little better.

You might also encourage the rest of the cruisers there to do the same.

[leecea]

A bit of Googling found comments that the anchorage gets overcrowded and the local fisherman don't like the yachts being there.

[boatman61]

I have not anchored in Alvor for a few years and when I did I used to anchor just off the channel opposite a large house on the N side of the channel.
Back then it was pretty much okay.. used to rock a bit when the bigger boats went past but generally things were fine and used to give them a grin and wave as they went back and forth.
That sounds like a lot of boats from my days there about 10yrs ago when there were maybe 40 boats total including local boats and visitors plus maybe 6 liveaboards yachts on permanant moorings.
If it is getting you down move a few miles up the coast to Portimao and anchor behind the breakwater on the E side of the river across from the marina or about 1km upstream on the E side just past the creek entrance of Ferragudo and S of the headland with the fish Dock and boatyards.
Nice little town.. I go there every year and I love the anchorage and Praia Grande.
Doubt you'll get much joy in Alvor, with that many boats the locals are likely getting pissed off and threatening to take your euros elsewhere will draw loud laughter.. for every boat there's 500+ hotel rooms full up.

[rslifkin]

The key word is "fishermen". Unfortunately, some portion of them (even charter fishing guys in the US) seem to have an attitude like they own the water because they're working and we're not. They probably think "stupid sailboats anchored in my way trying to make me waste fuel going around or waste time slowing down, so screw them".

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by leecea

A bit of Googling found comments that the anchorage gets overcrowded and the local fisherman don't like the yachts being there.

Well, the fishermen just blast full pelt through the lagoon.
Those guys are not fishing in the lagoon. They are just taking the least amount of time to get on the ocean and fish there.

So these fishermen might not like the yachts, but there is no logic reason as to why should not go slow inside the lagoon. They only want to get home faster.

It's a crowded anchorage, but not to the extent that the channel is blocked or causes them unduly hindrance.

In the lagoon there are very few anglers and they usually go reasonably slow.

[Oeanda]

Sporties, or local food-fishing boats? Any chance of infiltration and making new friends? There’s usually alcohol involved. But on the flip side- seafood.

[Rumrace]

Many years ago at Wasaga Beach a dirt bag in a Thundercraft 280 twin 305 would go on plane right in front of our tiny club of 9 small Cruisers. We often shared finger signs at each other. Because the river was where water skiing contests began it was still no speed limit so no help from the law.
Aircraft cable scuba gear dock pylons mercruiser stern drive swim platform bolts removed no living witnesses.
I stopped seadoo’s jumping the transom wake by dropping the tabs and creating a hole.
For your situation I recommend the wooden dinghy full of logs which keeps coming untied. Or the chicken wire nylon rope lobster trap. “ Gee buddy you done caught a lobster trap. “

[Jim Cate]

I had a pal who had a house on one of the sloughs in the Delta area near SF Bay, and he had a similar problem with waterskiers incessantly waking his dock and boat. His solution was buying a bunch of cheap polypro (floating) rope and throwing it out perpendicular to the shore when needed. The ensuing prop wraps discouraged the skiers and they went elsewhere (most of the time).

Not suggesting that anyone actually do this, but...

Jim

[JPA Cate]

Hi, Franziska,

Try going to the tourism board. Often they have some clout locally.

Another thought I had was to leave your dinghy on a long painter, with a stern anchor out on the dinghy, for a guarantee of a safe area astern. I have sewn Solas reflective patches on our dinghy chaps, and it really shows up well if a flashlight beam strikes it.

I don't have any good ideas for the sides of the boat.

Here in Oz, the various states have their own clearance rules, and pretty much people go along with the rules. Speed among anchored boats is 5 knots. Portugal may have such laws, and then perhaps the harbour master can enforce them? The ensuing fines might be a nice money maker for the harbour. Think of reasons enforcing a speed limit would benefit them.

Ann

[MicHughV]

This problem is not isolated to Alvor....I've found that this problem exists elsewhere.

Local fishermen tend to view these waters as their home turf and they will do as they please or put another way...do what they've always done....and you...the visitor....are only there for a short period of time.

You could file a claim to the harbor master, but for all you know, he might be one of the fishermen or related to them.

I find a better way is to smile and wave. A bad attitude might have them "buzzing" your boat on purpose, whereas a friendly attitude might give them pause.

[goboatingnow]

Agree , fisherman view yachties the way I view some guy in a brand new bmw. I’d steam past him at 10 knots of I could.

Learn to live with the wake

[double u]

recognise the quote?

"Fund the research to understand why they do it substantially. Then use the know how gained to develop efficient methods to repell the behavior.
....
It's their habitat not ours.
...
Yes, it's uncomfortable to think about it, but all over the risk to have your boat sunk by them is fairly small.

Of course I would be angry if we were to be attacked ourselves, but hey, cruising is a risky thing and this is one more risk to accept.
.....
We are colateral from overfishing tuna and the like."

interesting, no?

[boatman61]

It's Orca on captured fast fishing skiffs..

[MicHughV]

..a wake from a fisherman's boat is no different from a wave breaking over your boat.

...cussin' at a fisherman does as much good as cussin' at a wave that breaks over your boat....

...it's called sailing...we do it because we love it.....personally, I like the motion of a rocking boat...it lets me know, my ship is floating and all is well.

...if this kind of stuff annoys you...let me suggest an RV...but then again....that comes with it's own set of problems..