Re: [Paddlewise] radar

Regarding radar (again),

It isn't the really huge ships one should worry about, in that (as all agree) there is zero possibility of making them see you, and frankly they won't stop or maneuver around you anyway.  Stay out of their way.  It isn't hard to stay out of the main shipping lanes in most areas.  It is the medium and small guys that behave erratically.  Those people may have their radar turned off, even in fog, or have no experience or training.  For the 30' fishing boats and cabin cruisers and sailboats, you just might be visible on radar, under best of circumstances, but this will never be reliable.  Whether you are canoeing, kayaking, or even in a small to medium motorboat, the best advice is to assume they don't see you, don't have radar, and may have been drinking.  There was a major collision in the English Channel in August -- two experienced captains, large commercial boats, radar, GPS, and damn if they didn't hit each other anyhow.  A freighter out of San Francisco hit a large fishing boat called the Jack Junior a few years back, caught its nets, dragged it underwater, and no trace was found for months.  You just have to minimize time spent in the shipping lanes, know you are invisible, and work from there.

jerry.



At 12:25 PM 10/22/1999 -0800, Rev. Bob Carter wrote:
>    An important point about being visible on radar.
>
>
>    Even if a ship has "the best radar" and your kayak is made entirely of
>radar reflecting material the main safety factor is whether or not the ship's
>crew  is paying attention to the radar. Obviously the crew of the Exxon Valdez
>was not! Bligh reef was marked and visilble on radar.
>
>
>    Last summer here in southeast alaska the ferry LeConte (200') almost
>collided in the fog with a small cruise ship. Both ships had radar!  They
>missed by 50'!
>
>
>    Also I have often seen fishermen in southeast working the back of the boat
>where the fishing gear is and they only occasionally look forward to see if
>they are still on course. The radar could be showing a dozen kayaks and they
>would not notice. 
>
>
>    Also some of the bigger ships in narrow passages have little or no room to
>manuvover and it takes miles for them to stop!
>
>
>    So I always assume they are unaware of my presence and it is up to me to
>stay out of their way.
>
>
>Happy boating
>
>
>Bob
>
>
>sitka
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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