Stand on Vessel?

[44'cruisingcat]

Yesterday, sailing up Lake Macquarie, deep reaching on starboard tack, we see a motor vessel heading towards. AIS shows it on a collision course.

We had no hesitation in gybing away and leaving them room....

[four winds]

Cool pics. Training exercise?

I suppose they would be RAM status?

[44'cruisingcat]

Yeah, training. They went up and down the lake several times doing this. Pretty good to watch. Nice flying from the helicopter pilot, was very very steady.

[gamayun]

Very cool that you got pics. They do this all the time on SF Bay. We give them a wide berth. I don't ever want to be anywhere near those rotors!

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by four winds

Cool pics. Training exercise?

I suppose they would be RAM status?

Not without the appropriate day shape.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Yeah, training. They went up and down the lake several times doing this. Pretty good to watch. Nice flying from the helicopter pilot, was very very steady.

I watched a helicopter lower a person to release the balls on overhead transmission lines between Maple Bay and Salt Spring Island.

Also very impressive.

[MarkJ]

Looks easy on a nice flat lake. I would want to practice that 100 times before doing it offshore in a storm.

[monte]

Actually he was the stand on vessel as you were also motoring. Well done to alter course to avoid collision 🍻

[boatman61]

Flash Bugga's...
Why don't you lot use parachutes like the rest of the world...

[Paul Annapolis]

"As you were also motoring"?????The OP said he was on a "deep reach" [broad reach??] and had to gybe so it is not clear why you said he was also motoring. The authorities operating that boat should have had one or two escort boats nearby and broadcast a security call and used a dayshape (perhaps?) to show they were RAM--if they were...who knows how an admiralty court would decide that one!!!??? It was a government vessel carrying out official duties.

[Brighteyes]

I think the rule of common sense applies here.

[lindabarzini]

I saw tourist paragliders pulled by boats slam into hotels in Cancun. Quite a difference between pros and amateurs.

[Paul Annapolis]

While gybing and turning away was probably the best course of action, I think most of us know there is no such thing officially or legally as either a tonnage rule or a common sense rule. We sometimes joke about it or perhaps refer to it in a well meaning manner but it is not correct and may be misleading, however unintentionally. The Rules are law and they have legal force and precedent. They may or may not encompass "common sense" (which is terribly uncommon and inconsistent) but what may appear to one as common sense may appear differently to someone else when discussing navigation here. If common sense were so consistent and prevalent, perhaps so many other things would seem so, uuh, well "common sensical" I suppose. The only rule that legally applies here are THE RULES so the question here is what makes the sailboat the stand-on vessel or not? I am not certain if the boat and helicopter are RAM but yes, common sense would dictate to keep one's mast far away from a low flying "chopper".

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

While gybing and turning away was probably the best course of action, I think most of us know there is no such thing officially or legally as either a tonnage rule or a common sense rule. We sometimes joke about it or perhaps refer to it in a well meaning manner but it is not correct and may be misleading, however unintentionally. The Rules are law and they have legal force and precedent. They may or may not encompass "common sense" (which is terribly uncommon and inconsistent) but what may appear to one as common sense may appear differently to someone else when discussing navigation here. If common sense were so consistent and prevalent, perhaps so many other things would seem so, uuh, well "common sensical" I suppose. The only rule that legally applies here are THE RULES so the question here is what makes the sailboat the stand-on vessel or not? I am not certain if the boat and helicopter are RAM but yes, common sense would dictate to keep one's mast far away from a low flying "chopper".

I think that would likely come under local and inland waterway laws surely... its a lake/lagoon but definitely not the sea.. is it..??
Exercise's in my experience are posted at least a week ahead of time in YC's etc.. some places even in the newspaper..
Its a case of switch on your VHF and if you look like infringing their safety area they'll soon give you a shout..
Personally.. I'd lay off and let them play in peace

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

"As you were also motoring"?????The OP said he was on a "deep reach" [broad reach??] and had to gybe so it is not clear why you said he was also motoring. The authorities operating that boat should have had one or two escort boats nearby and broadcast a security call and used a dayshape (perhaps?) to show they were RAM--if they were...who knows how an admiralty court would decide that one!!!??? It was a government vessel carrying out official duties.

There are people in this forum who believe catamarans motor 100% of the time. And have started topics to that effect.

Monte (who owns a cat' and so knows this isn't the case) was making a wry reference to that.