Don't anchor in the channel and this won't happen.

[BigBoater917]

Not my video but here's what can happen when you anchor in the main shipping channel.
https://youtu.be/dW_dk2NCOUU

[MarkSF]

I wonder what that big red buoy is for. Never mind, we'll anchor just here.

[jongleur]

Got my heart goin'.

Lucky their rode didn't get caught on any
underbody thing on the ship.

[markpierce]

Thanks for staying out of the channel:

[Lodesman]

Were they anchored or stalled and adrift?
Probably didn't help much to have the "rescue" boat blocking the other reasonable escape route; forced the big guy to thread the needle between the sitting duck and the buoy. Did you hear the guy telling Horizon Athena to stop on the radio - like that could happen?

[FamilyVan]

He he, they just learned some important hydrodynamic principles there.

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[rognvald]

So,
Would it have been appropriate for a seasoned captain to have collided with the small runabout, irrespective of the powerboat's ignorance, to prove a point about his right of way? Would other seamanly considerations have been acceptable in this encounter where the tanker's captain altered course? Are all such encounters black and white?

[FamilyVan]

Originally Posted by rognvald

So,
Would it have been appropriate for a seasoned captain to have collided with the small runabout, irrespective of the powerboat's ignorance, to prove a point about his right of way? Would other seamanly considerations have been acceptable in this encounter where the tanker's captain altered course? Are all such encounters black and white?

Of course not. Intentionally colliding with another vessel either through positive action or inaction is a serious violation of the ColRegs.

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[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by rognvald

So,
Would it have been appropriate for a seasoned captain to have collided with the small runabout, irrespective of the powerboat's ignorance, to prove a point about his right of way? Would other seamanly considerations have been acceptable in this encounter where the tanker's captain altered course? Are all such encounters black and white?

There's no "right of way" in the colregs. And it isn't so simple - the tanker is clearly pressed up against the edge of the marked channel. If it's an option between going aground and causing an Exxon Valdez-level catastrophe, or mowing down a runabout, what do you think would be the right call?

[IdoraKeeper]

Who would write insurance for that guy? At what point does ignorance and idiocy become malfeasance? I think he thought he was on a parking lot or some such

[rognvald]

To Lodesman and Family Van,
My viewing/interpretation of the video showed sufficient room to starboard to divert-- and more so, if the Good Samaritan fishing boat had not blocked the tanker's pathway to port. I view such incidents as I do when sailboats maintain course and speed in a collision course with another vessel because they have the right of way. What's the point? For those of us who have sailed in close quarters with a cargo ship, the experience is nothing short of terrifying if one considers collision. Your chance of survival is decimally close to zero. The apparent novice boaters in the runabout appeared frozen with fear. I am pleased that no one was injured or killed. As a final thought and in answer to your question, if I were the captain of an oil tanker and my choice was between an Exon-Valdez oil spill and the loss of a human life, there would be no hesitation to save the human being. Maybe that's just my twisted perspective on life. Coloregs? Just go by the book . . . you'll never have to think. Good luck and safe sailing.

[FamilyVan]

Originally Posted by rognvald

To Lodesman and Family Van,
My viewing/interpretation of the video showed sufficient room to starboard to divert-- and more so, if the Good Samaritan fishing boat had not blocked the tanker's pathway to port. I view such incidents as I do when sailboats maintain course and speed in a collision course with another vessel because they have the right of way. What's the point? For those of us who have sailed in close quarters with a cargo ship, the experience is nothing short of terrifying if one considers collision. Your chance of survival is decimally close to zero. The apparent novice boaters in the runabout appeared frozen with fear. I am pleased that no one was injured or killed. As a final thought and in answer to your question, if I were the captain of an oil tanker and my choice was between an Exon-Valdez oil spill and the loss of a human life, there would be no hesitation to save the human being. Maybe that's just my twisted perspective on life. Coloregs? Just go by the book . . . you'll never have to think. Good luck and safe sailing.

First off- I don't know how you guys can tell that that's a tanker, but maybe that's just because I'm watching the video on my phone.

It just so happens that I have had the opportunity to navigate in close proximity to large ships.

Its impossible to tell if the ship had adequate sea room to starboard from the video, we would need to see the chart and have conducted a thorough investigation of how bridge resources were being managed and why to make that determination.

At any rate, they didn't squash numb nuts who found himself stopped in a shipping channel regardless of why he was there. I'm sure it was a positive experience for every one involved, since now buddy in the little boat knows where not to stop and buddy in the big boat knows that not every fool is just playing chicken.

Your assessment of survival rates of small vessels being hit by ships is questionable too. Between the bow wave and the boundary layer, you have a reasonable chance of just serious damage and or just the scare of your life in a situation like this.

I know lots of professional mariners that have had yachts and even kayaks bump down their sides without so much as a scratch (to the people).




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[redsky49]

I didn't hear any sound signals from the ship. Their fault.
Anchored in channel and not monitoring situation. Way big fault.

I am not clear where the actual channel is relative to vessels and buoy, but I didn't note ship altering course, or even if that would have been possible.

Very scary situation.

[Cheechako]

Looks like a lot of water for miles to me. Of course we don't really know without a chart of the area, but I suspect a tanker operator that was likely proving a point or not paying attention.
I saw no anchor line... was it anchored?

[FamilyVan]

Cheech, there was a buoy visible in the shot to starboard of the ship for a second or two. It appeared to be a lateral type buoy, probably a channel marker.

I agree 5 short should have been sounded, but if the mate was alone on the bridge with the wheelsman and had been dodging yo-yos fishing in the channel for the last 3 1/2 hours, he might have had his hands full.

Thought bubble"god, not another one", "when's this guy going to move", " ****, he can't get his engine started", "wheelsman, try and scoot over to starboard some", "that looks like buoy j17 do I have room to go to starboard, oh ****- I'm out of time, where's, **** I'll make an announcement on the loud hailer.". " I'm so screwed...". "Nope, we missed him- I wonder whats for lunch?".

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