Today we were out at the jetties. We didn’t drop anchor because the current seemed to be holding us in place for the most part. When we were sitting there fishing (about 6 lines out) a dragger / trawler came behind us fairly far away but then turn directly towards us. I would say he got about 70 yards from us, we blew the air horn and attempted to get the lines reeled in, but he was getting even closer and didn’t seem to care that we were sitting in his path. We ended up starting the boat and gunned it to get out of the way.
Not trying to attack anybody, but this was the first time that I had been out to the jetties and want to make sure who has right away. Based on us not being anchored did the trawler have right away?
If we had be anchored would the trawler still had right away?
Again just a question not a rant, I am sure a lot of people will respond gross tonnage which I would agree with if we hadn’t been sitting in that spot well before that boat turned and headed directly toward us.
Thanks for your help!
Also I would like to apologize the the gentleman in the contender we almost drifted into trying to free the anchor. Thanks for your help again!
You can not block a marked channel, anchored or otherwise. If you were outside of the channel, a vessel at anchor or not under power has the right of way, the other vessel is the give way. That said, if a larger vessel is coming at me I’m moving!
If you are not anchored and not in distress, you are considered to be underway. When underway, the vessel to starboard has the right of way. A trawler pulling nets has the right of way over most vessels because it’s restricted in it’s ability to maneuver. And it’s bigger than you:smiley: It’s easier for you to avoid it than it is to avoid you.
We were outside the channel, but not anchored. The trawler did have his nets in the water and was approaching our port side. I figured it had a lot to do with us not being anchored. Just figured he would see us sitting there when he made his turn and would continue turning. All good though, just glad we weren’t anchored when he made his move because we would have been an anchor down then! Thanks for the responses guys!
I also do play the rule of thumb if its bigger I am getting out of its way haha. Gross tonnage always wins. I was mainly confused because he had plenty of room and made the choice to head directly toward us.
I watched a larger sailboat turn very near an anchored vessel last weekend, less than 20 yards and the vessel was pretty close to the rocks. It did not look like a safe action by the sailboat to me.
there is also a note in the rules that states than every vessel must take prudent action to avoid a collision. Did you hear 5 long blasts of the vessels horn? Just because I’m right doesn’t mean I’m gonna let another vessel sink me!
there is also a note in the rules that states than every vessel must take prudent action to avoid a collision. Did you hear 5 long blasts of the vessels horn? Just because I’m right doesn’t mean I’m gonna let another vessel sink me!
We did not hear anything from the other boat, but I agree with you even if it wasn’t a rule I would still do everything I could to avoid a collision. Guess it just irritated me a bit that he had plenty of room to maneuver, but instead he choose to potentially put my life in danger. I am just glad we were paying attention and it didn’t end with the worst case scenario.
quote:Originally posted by Wando Grill
Were you at dynamite hole? There is a channel there where shrimp boats often take a short cut.
Instead of using common sense, he followed the path on his navigation system.
He was posturing to you, expressing his displacement dominance and laughing when you ran.
I guess it gets boring on a trawler.
Whats sad is that’s a dying industry and things like this will do nothing but help eliminate them all together. He wasn’t doing anyone any favors, including himself.
Friend of mine had the same issue. I believe the trawler is named the Judy 2. He filed a report with the coast guard. Said the person driving the trawler turned and aimed right at them. They were scrambling around to get the anchor up. He barely got out of the way.
My thoughts exactly, they don’t want to hit you any more than you want to be hit, and if you sit still they won’t. They know that water a lot better than most of us do, including every inch of bottom structure and the snags they have to avoid…
Trawler with nets out does not navigate as easily as you do. He was probably on a planned drag (shrimp like that wall of rocks) and a trawler will get as close as he can and not bump a door on the rocks. Sounds like he felt he had right of way and proved it.