Re: [Paddlewise] crossing ship channels safely?

Is this an example of the "Law of gross Tonnage?"  He who has the grossest
tonnage has the right of way?  ;-)
Steve Featherkile

Donald R. Reid wrote:

> Tamia,
>
> Very interesting .... in Portuguese we would say 'touche' or
> 'para bems' ..... I scanned the Rules of The Road, a simple
> program I have on my computer .... on Inland Rules ..... I
> didn't go into detail as far as researching the COLREGS and
> all of the notations.
>
> My point was simply ... professional mariners the world over
> .. don't always abide by the rules as written ... espcially
> in these days and times of economizing on crew allotments.
> In the marine business, it is a known fact that that the
> American (especially) Merchant Marine is rapidly becoming
> extinct as 'owners' find it not economically feasible to
> 'abide' by the rules.  So they move their ships into 'flags
> of convenience' to circumvent these rules.
>
> This conversation is getting deep when we start trying to
> think about all of the reasons behind the 'truth' ....
>
> Rules are written by bureaucrats ... not seamen.
>
> In real life and real situations, such as a small kayak or
> row boat, or primative sailboat (or even one with so called
> modern lighting systems) ... on one side we have a so-called
> professional crew navigating a huge tanker in a restricted
> waterway from the comfort of an air conditioned wheeel
> house.  The coffee pot is on .... the music playing on the
> radio in the back ground ... a wheelman that is probably
> just getting over a good drunk in port last night ... an
> officer that is chatting with the pilot, if one is on board
> .... and on the other side, we have a small, probably unlit
> boat directly in his path trying to cross the channel
> paddling his boat or kayak (or under sail).
>
> On 'terra' we call this 'defensive driving' .... the small
> boat should try to respect the fact that things are not in
> his favor.
>
> First, 'right away' does not come into play ... considering
> everything, the 'big guy', even if somehow he was to see the
> little guy could never stop in time, nor change his course
> to avoid an accident.
>
> A strobe is one option ... if I was in the little boat I
> would at least like to make the big guy aware I was there
> ... however I did it.
>
> Believe me ... I am not arguing for the case of the ship ...
>
> The rules say that a lookout should be posted at all times
> .... 'forget it' .. not true ... it doesn't happen.  Many
> times the crew .. who have been up and working all day ...
> go to bed as soon as the ship leaves the dock.  Many times I
> have been in the wheelhouse by myself, no wheelman, no
> lookout, no extra pilot.
>
> An the guy or person in the little kayak, when he sees me
> coming down on him ... is not going to get out his 'rule
> book' and try to see what is the 'legal' thing for me to do
> now .... turn on the strobe, try the VHF, shoot a flare ...
> anything to get their attention.  Think 'defensive' ...
>
> Donald
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Tamia Nelson [SMTP:tamia_at_paddling.net]
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000, 9:06:12
> > To:   dreid_at_andetur.com
> > Subject:      Re: [Paddlewise] crossing ship channels safely?
> >
> > I found your earlier letter on this subject extremely
> > interesting and
> > very helpful, Donald. It's good to know that my own
> > practices are the
> > same as those advocated by a professional mariner.
> >
> >
> > With regard to your most recent note, however, you should
> > be aware
> > that there is one mention of strobe lights in the 72
> > COLREGS (the
> > International Rules, as later amended): Rule 36 (Signals
> > to Attract
> > Action) _proscribes_ the "use of high intensity or
> > revolving lights,
> > such as strobe lights."
> >
> > In their commentary on this rule, Llana and Wisnesky
> > (_Handbook of the
> > Nautical Rules of the Road_, 2d ed) suggest that, although
> > "these
> > lights have often been used by commercial fishing vessels
> > and some
> > recreational vessels to warn other vessels away[, s]uch
> > use is not
> > legal on International Rules waters except under Rule 2
> > when a need to
> > avoid _immediate_ danger would justify a departure from
> > Rule 36."
> >
> > They also note that even under the Inland Navigational
> > Rules Act, Rule
> > 36, while not "distinctly prohibit[ing] strobe lights,"
> > proscribes any
> > light having the "flash characteristic described for
> > distress in Rule
> > 37, that is, fifty to seventy flashes per minute." (Annex
> > IV to the
> > Inland Rules identifies "a high intensity _white_ light
> > flashing at
> > regular intervals from 50 to 70 times per minute" as a
> > signal
> > "indicat[ive] of distress and need of assistance."
> > [emphasis added])
> >
> > Best wishes,
> >
> > Tamia Nelson
> > Contributing Editor and Columnist, www.Paddling.net
> > tamia_at_paddling.net
> >
> > _In the Same Boat_ <http://www.paddling.net/sameboat/>
> >
> > ---------------------[Original Message
> > Follows]---------------------
> >
> > Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] FW: crossing ship channels
> > safely?
> > Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 22:24:53 -0500
> > From: "Donald R. Reid" <dreid_at_andetur.com>
> > Reply-To: <dreid_at_andetur.com>
> > CC: <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
> >
> >
> > Mike, at sea ... according to all the 'rules and regs' ...
> a
> > strobe, per sie, has no meaning ...
> >
> > A 'red strobe' might be interpreted as a distress signal
> ...
> > but .. a white strobe will certainly 'catch their
> > attentions' and that is the whole objective of the deal.
> >
> > ...
> >
> > I do have the inland rules on my computer ... and I find
> > nothing about strobes as 'distress' signals....
> >
> > Donald
> >
> > -----------------------[End Original
> > Message]-----------------------
> >
> > ----- End Of Original Message -----
>
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