Run Over by a Fishing Boat!

[hamburking]

You lived!

Don't waste any more time with that ahole that ran you down...what good would come of it?....a few bucks to cover the damage...an apology? Not likely. Count your blessings, learn from the experience, and move on to happier things. Life is short.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by 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

Foolishness Phil. Although I had thought about putting a round below the stern waterline after getting a hell of a wake from the same ass four times. Revenge at the dock. Less foolish yet foolish.

[JPA Cate]

Both in your dinghies and your big boats, you do need to keep watch astern, as well as to the sides and forwards. Too many folks getting run over by the careless and/or incompetent.

Ann

[Chas.7]

I'm glad you didn't get hurt.
I've been in that bad situation a few times. Once when I was a boy I told my father about a on coming boat. We quickly got underway and were soaked by the wave off his bow. He was on the stern in a suit jacket talking to two women. He didn't see us until he past. He didn't stop cause he didn't care. The other time it was a commercial fishing boat seeking shelter from a storm. I believe he was on auto pilot. I was on a great ship in no danger. He finally turned after my 6 mile whistle got his attention.
Since those times I would come of course 30 degrees or more, hide behind a buoy or take action unless I had an agreement with the other boat. If the bearing does not change take action
Good luck

[zeehag]

people ridicule me for my constant 360 scans when i am sailing as well as dinghying.
funny i musta been taught well. i practice these scanning tactics in cars as well as in boats.
knowing that which is trying to kill you can save your life and avoid a collision.
we in dinghies are difficult to see even with well lighted little boats.

glad you arent worse hurt. be safe. stay well.

[Chas.7]

I'm glad you didn't get hurt. I have almost been hit a few times. When I was a boy I pointed to a on coming boat to my father. We quickly got underway but were soaked by the wave off his bow. The operator was not at the helm, dressed in a suit jacket he was talking to two women on the stern.he didn't see us until he past. The other time it was a commercial fishing boat seeking shelter in a storm. He missed me, I think he was on auto pilot. I was on a great ship and my 6 mile whistle finally got him to turn.
If you have any doubt; come off course 30 degrees or more, hide behind a buoy, take action if the bearing doesn't change. Dark clear nights are the most dangerous.
Good luck!

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by 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.

Smart thinking Dave, I`m with you when it comes to personal safety. No sense in being "dead right"; after all, the rules of the road do say "when on a collision course with another vessel, both skippers have a responsibility to avoid a collision at all costs" . . . or words to that effect.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by 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

Now that is some seriously bad advice. Shooting at a boat is illegal to start with, but as a practical matter, if you shoot at a boat, there's a good possibility that someone on that boat is armed and will shoot back in self defense.

It's best to think these things out beforehand and it's best to think about what you post before you post it.

[Chas.7]

I would report the vessel

[Kenomac]

You can never trust the other guy to see you, just like when driving a car down the highway next to an 18 wheeler. Lots of blind spots around a large boat or truck, and the smaller boat or car will always be the loser in a collision. It's just best to always be defensive, and not spend too much energy worrying about who's right or wrong. Otherwise, you can end up dead right.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Now that is some seriously bad advice. Shooting at a boat is illegal to start with, but as a practical matter, if you shoot at a boat, there's a good possibility that someone on that boat is armed and will shoot back in self defense.

It's best to think these things out beforehand and it's best to think about what you post before you post it.

He didn't mean it...he was just being an American.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by ardoin

I'm on the French side, north near the big island and the incident occurred while heading to the french canal.

Explorer Island to the French Channel is a big open expanse of water and the rev heads scream through there.
You were so lucky!

The white lights on the ob are difficult to see if the bow is up. And some headlamps although bright for the user don't see to be bright for others to see.

I am in Simpson Bay off Kimshaw beach and it's good here because fast boats have to keep to the channel. And the bars I go to are close
If you want to move over there's a dinghy dock at Buccaneers beach bar to get your dogs ashore.
$20 per week for the Dutch side under 40ft

Water is cleaner than the lagoon too!

[ardoin]

His english was a bad as my french, but I did lay a couple of Cajun foul words on him in the process. I was just glad to be alive, afloat, and my motor still running.
I don't think many people understand that from the time you see one of these boats till impact is about 10 seconds.
You see him rounding the island, you look to see what path he is taking (4 seconds gone) You realize he is turning in your direction (2 more seconds gone). now you have to make a decision on which way to turn to avoid him (4 seconds to death). My little dink at speed cannot be jerked to one side or the other without throwing me overboard. I turned to starboard and he hit the backend of my boat while still underway at speed. These boats move very, very fast.

Originally Posted by 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

[meatservo]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

He didn't mean it...he was just being an American.

I would have went with .308...


meatservo

[Jd1]

How about a short section of steel cable on largish floats (easily seen by someone paying attention) near your boat. Ought to make a heck of a mess of anybody not paying attention.
And for the guy in the jet ski .... make it a nice log between two floats.