Ovetaken by boat hauling fishing lines

[crankysailor]

So I am on a passage between islands and so vast as the ocean is, there is this sailor who just had to sail exactly behind me on my same course.. both under motor. I spot him miles away and realize he is way faster and will overtake me quickly. Ok fine.. I keep an eye on him and this guy is now just really tailgating me. I start wondering if there is anyone keeping watch. I get uncomfortable start preparing my horn and get ready to bear off 90 degrees. Then he turns a bit finally and overtakes with maybe 30 meters separation. He waves all smiley and I can even recognize facial features fairly well. Anyhow.. I think he is being stupid but whatver it is fine.. he has already almost passed us.. then I see he is hauling fishing lines.. I immediately turned sharp off course stepped out of the Cockpit and yelled out a piece of my mind.. I tried to contact him on VHF and ofc no reply. God knows if his radio was even on.

In fhe aftermath I was wondering was I overzealous by thinking overtaking a sailboat hauling fishing lines is an unnecessary risk? are the chances of fouling our propeller really that small? My instinctive impulse was thinking what if they break at the worse moment, what if they just drift off enough and Murphy rears his head?.. but I dunno, this guy was so non chalant about it... makes one just wonder afterwards..

[Tetepare]

If you plot courses, how exactly were his lines going to pass below your boat?

Props can be fouled by fishing lines, though very rarely lines being trolled. That's why when I go below to clear the prop of weeds I always carry a knife; a hook in the hand can prevent a diver from surfacing.

Concerning passing close, of course we all set our courses and stick with them unless collision is possible, or I might interfere with their wind. It is amazing on large bodies of water how often the courses of two boats bring them in very close proximity.

Then again there sailing idiots, just this year we had to suddenly veer off when a sailboat on a parallel course suddenly took a 90 degree turn toward us (crew screwing around getting the main up and not on the wheel.) I was ticked, but they seemed to think it was not an issue. Fortunately now I know the boat, so the owners/crew are now on the "Idiot List".

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

If you plot courses, how exactly were his lines going to pass below your boat?

Props can be fouled by fishing lines, though very rarely lines being trolled. That's why when I go below to clear the prop of weeds I always carry a knife; a hook in the hand can prevent a diver from surfacing.

Concerning passing close, of course we all set our courses and stick with them unless collision is possible, or I might interfere with their wind. It is amazing on large bodies of water how often the courses of two boats bring them in very close proximity.

Then again there sailing idiots, just this year we had to suddenly veer off when a sailboat on a parallel course suddenly took a 90 degree turn toward us (crew screwing around getting the main up and not on the wheel.) I was ticked, but they seemed to think it was not an issue. Fortunately now I know the boat, so the owners/crew are now on the "Idiot List".

It is easy for trolled lines to be somewhere other than directly behind the boat. Current and leeway mean they will never be straight behind. I’ve had mine cut off by both sail and power boats. We haul in early unless I can raise the attention of the other boat.

[Shrew]

It is actually fairly common for people to plot their courses along the shortest path. I expect that if I'm travelling from 'A' to 'B' that everyone else is plotting their courses along the markers and harbors.

As the overtaking vessel, he gave way and you stood on. There was no collision. it would seem that this was successful. If his lines are being trolled, they would be behind him and they would be 30 meters off of your beam. Unless you chose to steer into his lines, you risked little.

If he was comfortable with the pass and you were not, you had the opportunity to bear off.

[rslifkin]

I've found it annoyingly common for an overtaking boat in open water to climb right up my butt, then bear off right when I'm thinking about a course change, pass within 500 feet, etc. Of course, it's usually (but not always) a powerboat blasting along on plane who waited until the last minute to adjust their autopilot.

[thesaltytar]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I've found it annoyingly common for an overtaking boat in open water to climb right up my butt, then bear off right when I'm thinking about a course change, pass within 500 feet, etc. Of course, it's usually (but not always) a powerboat blasting along on plane who waited until the last minute to adjust their autopilot.

I've often wondered about this, if they were just waiting until last minute or if they like to get really close to "take a look" and don't really think about the effect of wake.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by thesaltytar

I've often wondered about this, if they were just waiting until last minute or if they like to get really close to "take a look" and don't really think about the effect of wake.

Might be both. I've had it happen to us (powerboat) both while running 6.5 kts and while running 17 kts. Last time it happened (we were running ~6.5 kts at the time) I waited until the guy was about a 1/2 mile back (and I'd been watching him approaching from ~4 miles out). Got him on VHF and asked for some extra space when passing. Response was "yup, I'm adjusting my autopilot now" and he passed us with 300 - 400 feet of clearance. No reason he couldn't have made a smaller adjustment 3 minutes earlier and missed us by a half mile. It's almost as if they feel maybe if they wait you'll just move out of the way and they won't have to turn...

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by crankysailor

So I am on a passage between islands and so vast as the ocean is, there is this sailor who just had to sail exactly behind me on my same course.. both under motor. I spot him miles away and realize he is way faster and will overtake me quickly. Ok fine.. I keep an eye on him and this guy is now just really tailgating me. I start wondering if there is anyone keeping watch. I get uncomfortable start preparing my horn and get ready to bear off 90 degrees. Then he turns a bit finally and overtakes with maybe 30 meters separation. He waves all smiley and I can even recognize facial features fairly well. Anyhow.. I think he is being stupid but whatver it is fine.. he has already almost passed us.. then I see he is hauling fishing lines.. I immediately turned sharp off course stepped out of the Cockpit and yelled out a piece of my mind.. I tried to contact him on VHF and ofc no reply. God knows if his radio was even on.

In fhe aftermath I was wondering was I overzealous by thinking overtaking a sailboat hauling fishing lines is an unnecessary risk? are the chances of fouling our propeller really that small? My instinctive impulse was thinking what if they break at the worse moment, what if they just drift off enough and Murphy rears his head?.. but I dunno, this guy was so non chalant about it... makes one just wonder afterwards..

Yes, you were overzealous.

[MicHughV]

guy was likely on autopilot....

[boatman61]

Much ado about nothing..

[ItDepends]

Yes, you were overly cranky about it. 30 meters separation at a relative speed of, what, 3 knots? Hardly scary. Certainly not worth screaming about.

And just to add to it, if I saw somebody having a temper tantrum I certainly would NOT pick up the radio to engage them. What exact purpose would that serve--for you or for me? Kind of like a bar fight, it is ALWAYS better to just walk away. Have your episode of road rage in private.

I am also not at all sure what you mean when you suggest that a "a sailboat hauling fishing lines is an unnecessary risk"

I fish all the time from my sailboat. There is nothing risky about it.

[crankysailor]

Ok it seems consensus is my initial jerk reaction was unwarranted and next time I can be more relaxed about it... noted. Still there is just something about fishing lines or ropes anywhere in the same area code of my propeller that gives me this grr feeling. Anyhow.. nothing to see, move along ��

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by crankysailor

Ok it seems consensus is my initial jerk reaction was unwarranted and next time I can be more relaxed about it... noted. Still there is just something about fishing lines or ropes anywhere in the same area code of my propeller that gives me this grr feeling. Anyhow.. nothing to see, move along ��

Your concern is understandable. Fouling running gear is a realistic hazard, and isn't a great situation to be in. The reaction is commensurate with anxiety level (if you genuinely felt that there was a significant risk to you, your crew, or your vessel). The question is, was the anxiety level reasonable for the situation??

Honestly, both anxiety and how we handle it are both difficult to control, and changing behavior is even more difficult.

There'll surely be a 'next time' so you have that to look forward too.

[goboatingnow]

You need to be careful I would have veered away. I was told of issues where fishermen deliberately got their nets trapped in a yacht. Blamed the yacht , which was then arrested and detained until a court could deliberate. The yacht owner who was not a national paid up the “ claim “. Thd view was the fisherman had life expired nets and needed replacements !!

[ItDepends]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

You need to be careful I would have veered away. I was told of issues where fishermen deliberately got their nets trapped in a yacht. Blamed the yacht , which was then arrested and detained until a court could deliberate. The yacht owner who was not a national paid up the “ claim “. Thd view was the fisherman had life expired nets and needed replacements !!

What, exactly, does that have to do with somebody trolling lines off the back of his sailboat?????