Please read carefully before reacting! paragraphs 1 through 9 to state the case.
1) I believe the every person should have the right to experience the adventure and enjoyment of venturing out onto
water regardless of their financial status or choice of the type and size of
water craft they decide or are able to own.
2) In the jurisdiction of
Canada there are laws under ‘The criminal code of Canada’ specifying penalties of fines and jail time for swamping small craft and endangering life through the careless operation of water craft. On an international basis Regardless of whether there are laws in place of not? There is a basic principle at play called ‘seamanship’ that the person at the controls of a large powerful water craft should not operate it in a way that swamps and soaks passengers in a smaller
boat such as a
dinghy.
3) Practice in the use and operation of dinghies, powered by sail or
outboard is a fundamental part of pleasure
boat cruising. Right from the beginner
learning how to board one from a
dock to the greater challenge of egress at a vessel at
anchor, they are a fundamental part of ‘The cruising life’.
4) Persons using this mode of transport should expect to be able to arrive alive, safe, and dry under normal circumstances without having to deal with the threat to their
safety being caused by an ignorant operator of a larger vessel.
5) By definition, most of us have ‘come up through the ranks’ as
children introduced to the
boating life by our parents, while others have diligently taught themselves theory through reading literature plus watching videos on the
internet produced by accredited organizations.
6) Unfortunately the standards of licensing and testing for competence in the non-commercial maritime realm do not yet seem to equal those normally applied to comparable sized vehicles used in air and land transportation.
7) Thus the sad commentary is that any idiot with enough wealth or credit can avail themselves of a powerful watercraft and with all engines on full throttle; career around the coastlines of the world. Creating three very steep wake waves and swamping small
boats.
8) In this jurisdiction it is not illegal to drink alcoholic beverages on a boat: It is only illegal to be intoxicated. Right! Prove that out on the ocean more than a few yards/meters from land.
Remote from law enforcement supervision I believe It has been reasonable to assume that in many instances alcohol has played a part in the lack of inhibitions & charged up excitement for the quest for speed has fueled the disregard for harbour speed limits and small craft
safety of SUP’s, Kayaker’s, canoeists, and small
dinghy operators.
9) The
boating safety video’s sanctioned by The
Government of
Canada quite rightly advises dinghy operators to turn towards and cross the steep wake waves, (which in one case also swamped our
outboard so that it would not restart and We had to be towed back in by another boat) unfortunately that same set of instruction video’s does not include
advice to large
power boat owners/
Now I did not write this preamble to gripe, but rather to ask IF there is a
power boat owner out there somewhere with an interest in photography/drone operation, who could
experiment, photograph and document the principle. That while on approach to a small craft, especially if on full plane; The throttles should be rapidly closed, This will cause the
hull to continue to glide forward past the small craft, So that after passing it; when the throttles are once again progressively opened, will speed the
power boat upon its way with minimal loss of time and speed. Yet leave the small craft in a calm pool of water.
In
English experience I have heard this called “Break your wake” The small craft operators request for consideration indicated by a slow movement of outstretched arm moved like a bird’s wing. (NOT intended as a greeting!)