how close to container ship?

[redhead]

I am by no means an expert, but while reading this a thought occurred; if you put yourself in the other Captain's shoes he really has no idea of your level of experience or the capabilities of your boat. He may have had one or many close calls with yahoos of another sort and is hyper-vigilant.

When another boat approaches and come inside my comfort zone I am always looking for clues as to how they are handling the boat, their level of sobriety, etc. We have been crossed at night literally yards away by a boat with no lights and some serious partying going on. Even after they passed they were unaware of our existence.....I will never automatically assume a boat approaching is in the hands of a master. So if your situation had happened to me I would have chalked it up to some scenario like that.

Better safe than...

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Lepke

In the US, as part of the punishment of ordinary citizens for 9/11, port areas and ships in those ports are within a restricted area and we are excluded. Some ships that appear as civilian are under lease or contract to the military and often as restricted as a warship. In the PNW I have been run away from log loading dock areas when no ship was in sight and wasn't aware the dock was part of an organized port.

San Francisco police shooing away a boat coming to close to a docked cruise ship:

[dannc]

Was the OP on the Cape Fear off of Sunny Point? If so, that would explain things.

Later,
Dan

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

That is incorrect. The general rule is no go closer than 100 yards, must reduce speed to minimum within 500 yards.

http://www.uscg.mil/d13/dpw/docs/Pro...neswebcopy.pdf

And that is U.S. Navy vessels, not container ships. The other protected ships are tankers and large passenger ships. Nothing about ordinary freight carrying ships.

I was also confused by Zee's post. The Patriot Act doesn't have anything in it about this. There might be something in ISPS, but I couldn't find it. I think this may be a matter for local rules.

[Cheechako]

I don't get that radioman. But then again if he's docked or anchored the captain is likely not on the bridge anyway. Heck, I get up 50 feet away if it's fun to show my passengers how big he is. Often we get "hello" waves from crewman standing around. (no they're not waving us off!) Obviously not so with a boat with a boom around it or a naval ship. He's docked or anchored right?

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

And that is U.S. Navy vessels, not container ships. The other protected ships are tankers and large passenger ships. Nothing about ordinary freight carrying ships.

Well, it can get "complicated", because ordinary looking cargo ships can be "US Navy protected status" if they are on military lease or charter. There is no way I am aware of to know just by looking at them, so I just apply the basic rule to all. They should in theory be able to tell you by vhf, but it's usually easier to just given them the extra room.

[markol0]

A few weeks ago we came pretty close to a container ship under way in Boston Harbor. The way the wind was blowing I needed to get pretty close to him to avoid a big rock in the middle of the channel on the next tack. The wind was all sorts of awkward. I was aiming right at his midsection. The idea was to get pretty close then tack away. At about 75 yards, approaching at about 3knots closing speed, and still plenty of room IMHO, he starts the 5 horn routine. I immediately tack to make him happy, (go go gadget self tacking job) so that only 4 horns actually happened. I made the gesture of why are you freaking out but he was too big to make out anyone on the bridge.

[roland stockham]

Not all commercial sailors appreciate how maneuverable small sailboats are. from you description you where perfectly safe unless there was something you where not aware of. Do you know the marks displayed for dangerous cargo, maybe he had just loaded explosives? Shame you did not ask what his concern was.

[captlloyd]

Don't assume that Captians are infallible. I was one at one time. I would have inquired as to what he thought the problem was. I was canoeing with my wife once in Pennekamp State Park in the channel leading out of the Marina when a tour boat overtook another tour boat in the channel by us. He gunned it and ended up throwing about a five foot wake. I backed the canoe into the wake and we managed to stay up-right. He got on the loudspeaker and declared that we shouldn't be in the channel. I unfortunately did not have a loudspeaker to respond but if I did, I would have told him he was responsible for his wake, especially so close to the marina. The channel was in mangroves and he had no way of knowing where his wake was going and who it would effect.
The captain of the container ship might have had a legitimate reason for his radio contact with you. Then again he might not. Captains make mistakes too.