Just one old farts opinion.

[Uricanejack]

When it comes to opinions you know hat they say every a hole has one.

So I’m not very surprised by poll results.
My vote was in concurrence with the expected majority. A soft vote.

For the record, My primary collision avoidance tool. my eyes.
They tell me more, quicker and more accurately than any electronic device I have seen.

My eyes tell me what is happening now.
All the fancy toys , tell what has already happened.

Radar is my next most important tool.
ARPA makes things a bit easier.

AIS, I have never de activated B Class AIS I can’t think of any good reason to do this.

AIS is good but it’s not high on my priorities.

I will talk on VHF, preferably on a VTS channel. By voice, I will answer.

My opinion it your boat do what you, want follow the rules or apply some other logic of your own.
I will do what I do regardless without getting upset about it. Life’s to short to let such things worry you.

For the record, I do not get angry or frustrated by the actions or inactions of sailboats or even small power boats.

So for those of you who decide to follow the rules, it makes my life easy, I can predict what’s going on and I can deal with it.
I am more than happy to follow the rules and give way when required.

As for open water, it’s all relative, where I operate some would consider is almost never open water.
Legally most of it is, except for when it isn’t.
So mostly open water.
Sometimes I spend all day dodging little boats, big boats, sail boats, power boats, fish boats, sport fishing boats, tow boats,

With some bits restricted by TSS or even narrow Chanel’s

A lot of mostly narrow channel’s.,or pretty narrow but not really narrow.

For those who don’t feel comfortable with following the rules and want to just stay far far away, please just stay far far away.
Do it early make it clear.
Every then one continues happily on their way.
If you don’t do it far far away, at least make it obvious.
So I know what you are doing.

If it’s a tighter spot where close quarters is inevitable,
I still follow the rules and give way as required when required.

You do what you like, I don’t mind either way. I give way as required.

If you choose instead to just alter or to not impede, do so early make it obvious enough so I can tell what you are doing.
When I pass I will give a friendly wave or even a thank you on the radio.

Dockhead posted some good stuff on applicable distances,
Good advice.

If you choose not to follow the rules, I would recommend turning away from a give way vessel JIK he is not sure what you are doing and alters as is required.

Those who decide to cross ahead at close range. cause me to doubt the validity of Darwin’s theory.

If you hear me sounding 5 you got it wrong, or somebody nearby did, and is trying to cross my bow. When I am stand on.

I don’t sound 5 when I am give way.

For those few who no doubt are not here, who insist on tying to cross ahead.
I do what is required.

Up to now I haven’t hit anyone.
A few might have had to change their shorts.
I log it
I report it
I shrug, oh well, what can you do,
And get on with my day.

My advice is follow the rules, it’s the simple and safest thing to do.
I would also advise to not impede when it is appropriate not to,

The rules are not carved in stone, you can use common sense,
What I think is common sense and you think is common sense might be different.

There is room on the water for all of us,
Stay safe and enjoy sailing however you choose.

Maybe some other old farts have a different opinion.

[BillKny]

From one old fart to another, I find that the people who are most obsessed with fussing about who was "right" and who "wrong" are the ones most likely to cause the most troubles on the water.

In many years of recreational and professional moving of small boats I have NEVER had a close quarters situation with a "large ship" that left me puckered up.

I try to avoid close quarters situations whenever possible, if I will be "close" to a "big boat" a VHF call makes clear my intent, and all is good.

In my experience, the number of people who are idiots are tiny. The number of professional skippers who are idiots is vanishingly small.

It's a big ocean out there, and room for everybody.

The most difficult ships to deal with in my experience are US Navy vessels who basically insist that you keep clear, no matter what they are doing because... well because they have guns. I couldn't even count the number of times that commercial ships of all kinds have altered course to keep a 1NM CPA with me as a sailboat. I have never seen a US Navy ship alter course for anybody. I am sure it happens, maybe...

[TrentePieds]

Well, thank God for old farts :-0)!!

TrentePieds

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Well, thank God for old farts :-0)!!

TrentePieds

I firmly and roundly second that.

[Mike OReilly]

Wow, this original COLREGS poll is spawning spinoffs like a 70s sit com. Fun, fun

[Pegu Club]

Lots of Old farts, I third your statement, the only vessels I have had close quarters angst with are forty foot and smaller power boats, mostly because they just don’t care for the most part, the big guys are predictable in their actions so it’s easy to be predictable in return.

Fair winds,

[redhead]

I would gladly claim membership in your old farts club but I'll never admit to being that old. Good on ya!

[clakiep]

I have been on board of yachts where the owner or skipper actually changed course to force another vessel to do so also, to demonstrate and enforce his right of way, even if just staying on course would have resulted in no colision danger.

Capt. Claus - ocean tramp of the eighties

[AJ_n_Audrey]

I second the observation that the only ships that do whatever they want without regard to COLREGS are Navy ships. Also the "guard boats" around military installations (we have one nearby). One guard boat came up behind me at night when I was in the channel that passes the ammunition facility near us, and turned on a million watt spotlight to look at my boat. Talk about having zero night vision after that! I'm glad there were no other boats in the channel just then.

I had to steer completely by chartplotter for five minutes because I could see nothing. I didn't trespass upon the "restricted area" at all, I think it was just the old story of a small man with a little bit of power. Not sure why the Navy, etc cannot be as considerate as the Coast Guard, who in my experience are always professional and helpful.

[guyrj33]

Originally Posted by Pegu Club

Lots of Old farts, I third your statement, the only vessels I have had close quarters angst with are forty foot and smaller power boats, mostly because they just don’t care for the most part, the big guys are predictable in their actions so it’s easy to be predictable in return.

Fair winds,

I agree, the level of ignorance and neglect by SOME powerboats while passing near sailboats and other smaller craft is astounding.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Well, on second thought, what I said about the Navy only applies to "ships". Small powerboats are my biggest day-to-day worry.

[boatman61]

[Quote] "Up to now I haven’t hit anyone." [{Quote]

Never hit anyone either, but have been hit twice.. both times while under sail and by motor vessels..
Life can be a bitch.

[Ken Z]

THANK YOU. Maybe common sense is not common.

[jlblan2]

Originally Posted by BillKny

From one old fart to another, I find that the people who are most obsessed with fussing about who was "right" and who "wrong" are the ones most likely to cause the most troubles on the water.

In many years of recreational and professional moving of small boats I have NEVER had a close quarters situation with a "large ship" that left me puckered up.

I try to avoid close quarters situations whenever possible, if I will be "close" to a "big boat" a VHF call makes clear my intent, and all is good.

In my experience, the number of people who are idiots are tiny. The number of professional skippers who are idiots is vanishingly small.

It's a big ocean out there, and room for everybody.

The most difficult ships to deal with in my experience are US Navy vessels who basically insist that you keep clear, no matter what they are doing because... well because they have guns. I couldn't even count the number of times that commercial ships of all kinds have altered course to keep a 1NM CPA with me as a sailboat. I have never seen a US Navy ship alter course for anybody. I am sure it happens, maybe...

From an old Navy Fart. The basic attitude of the Navy is "I'm haze grey so stay out of my way" I was in San Francisco Bay, aboard Enterprise when a sailboat thought they had the "right of way". That was just before one of our sponsons de-masted the sailboat. I always stay out of their way.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by AJ_n_Audrey

I second the observation that the only ships that do whatever they want without regard to COLREGS are Navy ships. Also the "guard boats" around military installations (we have one nearby).

Interesting... the one time I got into a bit of a pickle was with an American military vessel (big and fast ... don't know what it was). I was crossing well in front of him. I had plenty of time, but the damn vessel kept turning towards me. Instead of staying on a steady course, and staying in the marked shipping lanes between the island and the mainland, it kept altering course and angling towards me.

Commercial shipping has never caused me any concern. But I am extra wary of the big grey ships now. This one certainly didn't care about observing the regs.