Coast Goard hovercraft hits unlit anchored sailboat with no radar reflector.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

With respect, you are wrong. You previously flagged Rule 19 - the sole Rule in Section III - Conduct of Vessels in Restricted Visibility. "Restricted visibility" is specifically defined in the Rules, as I indicated previously. I agree that darkness affects the "state of visibility", as does bright sunlight, a full moon, background light, etc, etc. Darkness does not equate to visibility being restricted insofar as it pertains to the rules. Nav lights have specified minimum ranges of visibility - if I can see a vessel at 6 miles, do you call that "restricted"?

If the CGV had "adequate visibility" for the conditions,why did they hit the sailboat? / Len

[Jim Cate]

Hmmm... As new info is posted, my thoughts have changed a bit. The combination of size (90+ by 40+ feet!!) and poor maneuverability and a reportedly crowded anchorage area have led me to consider 8 knots to be excessive speed for the situation.

The fact that he was almost able to dodge the anchored vessel with a last second turn rather supports this thought: if he had been going slower, then the dodge would have been successful.

Trying to thread a 40+ foot beam though many anchorages would be difficult in broad daylight!

Still no excuse for no anchor light, that's for sure.

Jim

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by deblen

If the CGV had "adequate visibility" for the conditions,why did they hit the sailboat? / Len

Because it was unlit - duh!

I have yet to serve on a ship equipped with headlights, so the onus really is on all vessels to be lit in accordance with the rules.

[osprey877]

Would anchor light have helped? The CG vessel is travelling in a crowded harbour back lit with the bright lights of the town of Ganges and the houses that ring the harbour so any mk 1 night vision is shot. There is both a large permanent mooring buoy field and permanent anchorees (is that a word?) in the harbour, the vast majority of which are unattended and do not show anchor lights. There is also a large transient fleet moored in amongst and around the perimeter of the permanent fleet. Most of the transients show some form of anchor light. In those conditions, my experience has been that it is very difficult to match anchor lights with boats, as there is no depth perception, so a low dim light may be a distant sailboat's mast head light, or a close on power boats low powered solar lights By the time you're close enough to tell which it is, you can see the actual boat anyways and the anchor light was of limited utility in collision avoidance. Having said that, I understand that the law, and good seamanship, requires an anchor light and the prudent anchoree/mooree (also a word?) should always display one. Just don't assume it will always prevent bumps in the night, or that it would have in the situatiion in Ganges.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Hmmm... As new info is posted, my thoughts have changed a bit. The combination of size (90+ by 40+ feet!!) and poor maneuverability and a reportedly crowded anchorage area have led me to consider 8 knots to be excessive speed for the situation.

The last time I went in there was on a 108 ft vessel that's nearly 30 ft wide; and it was at night. It's not the busy season now, so not quite as crowded as suggested. I also don't consider the background lighting to be particularly bright. The main channel is relatively clear - it is a seaplane landing strip after all. It would be interesting to see where this collision occurred, as I would like to understand if this vessel was anchored in the fairway, or if the H/C was out of it?

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

It's a huge Anchorage.
Lots of boats with Anchor Lites on.
Bet they got confused.
Radar wouldn't be much good in close, with lots of return signals.
They Need Night vision goggles for the helm.
Boatyarddog

From my experience driving through a crowded harbor at night with lots of lights showing on the shore the best way is to follow a ribbon or path of reflected light from a source on the shore.

I use it like a highway. As long as I can see that path of light in front of me then any boat or other object will appear as a silhouette. The silhouttes are more useful than anchor lights when the background is filled with lights.

When I need to turn I find some other reflection from the shore to follow.

You need to go slow.

Good lookouts and a helmsperson looking ahead, can thread a way through a crowded harbor without incident.

[requiem]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

The only thing pertinent here is background lights. Point is in the postage stamp of GH compared to SF is not a "fair" comparison unless it's ONLY background lights. GH is well lit compared to SF Bay.

That is pretty small! Looking at some of the satellite pics, the Sausalito channel comes to mind. In theory you could stick to the main channel and think the path is clear, but I've had a few small (and unlit) dinghies cross the channel ahead of me at night.

If talking of a space 500 meters across, then speed is only really relevant insofar as it's required for steerageway. 10 knots would cover 500 m in about 100 seconds, so the affect of doubling or halving that on response time would be negligible. Probably not much different than an ambulance slowing to "clear" an intersection before proceeding through.

[TrentePieds]

Lodesman said: "I have yet to serve on a ship equipped with headlights, so the onus really is on all vessels to be lit in accordance with the rules."

Given what she is tasked with (SAR), I would be very, very surprised if Siyay does not have a searchlight, which surely is better'n'headlights :-)

I am told - by a source wearing funny clothes, odd boots and a weird hat - that at "Depot" (the Queen's Horsemen's training establishment), recruits are taught to make their decisions when on duty "...on what is ethical, not on what you fear may bring punishment or praise, but on what you deem to be noble and just" Who knows if the CCG views things the same way? I'm pretty certain our SAR people do!

And I know fordamnsure that if I had been ordered on a MEDEVAC mission to pick up a victim requiring Advanced Life Support (as was the case here), and a bowsprit on a piddling sailboat lying forlornly about GH got in my way, I would say "Devil take the sprit!". Best to avoid ripping it off, of course, but let's keep some perspective here!

We all know what THE RULES say. Let the sailboat's owner - if it has one, of which there is no certainty - make a claim. SOMEBODY will sort it all out. But it won't be us :-)!

TrentePieds

[Oeanda]

Texted a friend on Saltspring and their summary was “Hovercraft was on a medivac call… sea gypsy floatila has expanded beyond traditional anchorage... boat is rotten piece of junk no anchor light... coast guard says they ‘came in hot went bump in the night’ “

**** happens.

[smj]

If only the sailboat would have left it’s AIS on while at anchor……..

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Lodesman said: "I have yet to serve on a ship equipped with headlights, so the onus really is on all vessels to be lit in accordance with the rules."

Given what she is tasked with (SAR), I would be very, very surprised if Siyay does not have a searchlight, which surely is better'n'headlights :-)

No doubt you've sailed at night - do you light your path? Or are you like most normal mariners (if there is such a beast) and like to preserve your night vision, so that you can see the lights of the other vessels?
Perhaps you can explain that to Len

[Bill Seal]

Aircraft have landing lights which are usually turned on during final, don't they?
And isn't a hovercraft actually an aircraft?

[IolantheSF]

A vessel at anchor “suddenly appeared”?
They were only traveling 7 or 8 knots?
They were moving faster than their visibility allowed them time to maneuver.
Was Russell Perdock at the helm?

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by Bill Seal

Aircraft have landing lights which are usually turned on during final, don't they?
And isn't a hovercraft actually an aircraft?

A hovercraft is covered in ColRegs.

[Bill Seal]

What about when they're travelling over land?
Motor vehicle code?
Or would it be an Off Road Vehicle?
Or hook a plow to it and call it An Implement of Husbandry?