Run Over by a Fishing Boat!

[masonc]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Why would you assume that you'd been seen, especially in a CBDR situation? Assuming that you've NOT been seen is SOP, day or night. Until it's well, & fully clear that there's no danger of a collision. IE; you're past the CPA, & distances between you are opening.

When you are sitting low to the water in a putt-putt dinghy at night in a large waterway like the lagoon, and there is a very fast boat coming at you with his bow in the air so he can't possibly see you, how are you going to know what course he will take? In the ten seconds you have to react, he could turn either way. All you can do is wave a light and hope he sees you. These guys in the lagoon travel at ridiculous speeds and have little care for who is in the way. There is one monster power boat that puts out a rooster tail about 40ft into the air, while he goes through the pond at 30kts. Why? Because he feels the need to show off. There's a jet ski guy that goes by our boat on the mooring at about 6 am, probably ten feet away, going full speed. If there is any people in the water, he won't see them. And that's a group of about fifty boats all close on moorings. St. Martin is the wild west.

[ardoin]

You only have a few seconds from the time you see the overtaking boat gradually turning your way and when he will run you over. These boat go really fast with twin 300s running a full speed on a 30ft boat compared to my 9hp dink running a 3/4 throttle. Which way do you turn and if you do turn there is no assurance he will not turn the same way. There is a speed limit in Le Lagoon, not sure what it is, but I hear there is one that everyone ignores. I'm on the French side, north near the big island and the incident occurred while heading to the french canal.

[masonc]

I see you on AIS. I pass you everytime I go to my mooring. I should be there Wednesday, will give you a wave.

[masonc]

Originally Posted by ardoin

There is a speed limit in Le Lagoon, not sure what it is

You should report the incident to the Captainarie, they need to know there are accidents so they can push some enforcement.

[rwidman]

Cudda, woulda, shoulda. It's too late now but at least you're alive and not seriously injured.

We have to watch out for other boats whenever we are on the water and especially boats that are bigger than ours. In a dinghy, you are just slightly above a kayak on the food chain.

Some of these bigger boats are even running on autopilot and nobody is watching. In any event, you don't know their course because they could change it at any moment. They won't likely hear a horn over their engine noise and stereo that's turned up high enough to mask the engine noise. A light only helps if they are watching and recognize that the light is from a small boat that they are about to hit.

Best plan - don't run the dinghy at night. Second best plan - stay out of the channel. Way out. If possible, run in shallow water where they will hit the bottom before they hit you.

If you have to run your dinghy at night, do like you would do if walking across a busy highway; look both ways and don't cross the channel until no boats are in sight.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by ardoin

...................... Which way do you turn and if you do turn there is no assurance he will not turn the same way. ...........

We are taught to turn to starboard. If the other boat also turns to starboard as he has been taught to, there will not be a collision. There's no guarantee of course, but all other things being equal, that is your best bet.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Delancey

When you say it like that it sounds like you believe your god is also responsible when people do get hit. I have a nephew who was severely disfigured in a car accident. You gonna tell me your god was doing him some kind of favor?

Chill, Francis. Get a life.

[masonc]

Originally Posted by rwidman

We are taught to turn to starboard. If the other boat also turns to starboard

Since the fishing boat didn't see him, he's not going to turn either way.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by masonc

Since the fishing boat didn't see him, he's not going to turn either way.

I suppose that's true but - If the fishing boat did see him at the last moment, his instinct should have been to turn to starboard also. No collision. Turning to port would put the dinghy in the path of the fishing boat.

The safest maneuver and the one taught in boating safety courses is to turn to starboard.

[ardoin]

I turned to starboard as I should, this was not in the channel, only about 4ft of what where I was, but these 30ft high power boat have no problem in that depth when on plane.

Originally Posted by rwidman

I suppose that's true but - If the fishing boat did see him at the last moment, his instinct should have been to turn to starboard also. No collision. Turning to port would put the dinghy in the path of the fishing boat.

The safest maneuver and the one taught in boating safety courses is to turn to starboard.

[ardoin]

Yell,
I might be walking the dogs, but usually, working some boat projects while here. Have a generator causing me some problems. Otherwise loving St Martin.

Originally Posted by masonc

I see you on AIS. I pass you everytime I go to my mooring. I should be there Wednesday, will give you a wave.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by ardoin

You only have a few seconds from the time you see the overtaking boat gradually turning your way and when he will run you over. These boat go really fast with twin 300s running a full speed on a 30ft boat compared to my 9hp dink running a 3/4 throttle. Which way do you turn and if you do turn there is no assurance he will not turn the same way. There is a speed limit in Le Lagoon, not sure what it is, but I hear there is one that everyone ignores. I'm on the French side, north near the big island and the incident occurred while heading to the french canal.

Originally Posted by rwidman

Cudda, woulda, shoulda. It's too late now but at least you're alive and not seriously injured.

We have to watch out for other boats whenever we are on the water and especially boats that are bigger than ours. In a dinghy, you are just slightly above a kayak on the food chain.

Some of these bigger boats are even running on autopilot and nobody is watching. In any event, you don't know their course because they could change it at any moment. They won't likely hear a horn over their engine noise and stereo that's turned up high enough to mask the engine noise. A light only helps if they are watching and recognize that the light is from a small boat that they are about to hit.

Best plan - don't run the dinghy at night. Second best plan - stay out of the channel. Way out. If possible, run in shallow water where they will hit the bottom before they hit you.

If you have to run your dinghy at night, do like you would do if walking across a busy highway; look both ways and don't cross the channel until no boats are in sight.

Exactly!...It so easy to sit behind a computer and criticize someones action. As the OP said, "You only have a few seconds" by the time you figure he didn't see the light you were shining at him, is not slowing down and then to grab the tiller on the outboard and take evasive action. That boat was probably traveling at 60ft.@second. Not much time to do anything.

[Dave22q]

If I'm in my dinghy and a power boat approaches at speed, I move at right angle to his apparent course. No way will I bet my life of the rules of the road or the competence/awareness of the approaching boat's driver. It's pretty much the same as on a highway. Unless I'm driving a semi I always try to avoid A-holes. My rule is I would rather be safe then right.
The OP is right- your seeing them does not mean they can see you.

[Kita]

You said he came back to see if you were alive, I bet that was a spirited conversation to say the least. I know I would have had a few Choice words. I would have loved to been a fly on the wall to hear that conversation! I was pulling a guy on a kneeboard in a lake and had a guy on a jet ski that kept wanting to jump our wake while I was pulling the kneeboard. I had to stop to try to talk to him and he ran, so we would get started again then he would come back that was very frustrating. So we kind of tried to ignore him and that was a mistake soon the kneeboard fell down, and sure enough the jet ski hit him the down skier was smart enough to hold the board up and the jet ski hit that and just gave him a black eye then the jet ski ran again but that time I ran him down and didn't let him getaway. It turned out to be a 12 year old that ran home Beach the jet ski at speed and ran inside the house. We had to call the police to get to talk to anybody. His parents were not home and he was not supposed to be on the ski. Luckily nobody was hurt bad

[Capt Phil]

It is amazing what a couple of rounds of .223 through the windscreen will do to slow down a fast moving power boat! Phil