Poll for Professional Masters and Mates (over 500 tonnes)

[Tanqueray]

Originally Posted by Tingum

Poll really does not make sense. Am I the master of a large commercial vessel or am I the operator of a pleasure craft? If the master of a commercial vessel I will follow the colleges up until the point that it endangers my vessel. If I. Am the operator of a pleasure craft I will get the hell out of the way! And in doing so I will communicate with the larger vessel. I can’t count the times that some idiot in a sail boat has cut across my bow. For all the pleasure craft operators who are standing by their rights remember, we can’t stop or turn on a dime. So get the F out of the way.

I am an operator of a 32-foot sailboat on Lake Michigan. I go out of my way to avoid being in the path of the many Laker boats and barges that traverse my sailing area. Usually no issues and I can stay out of the way.

But occasionally things happen and I appreciate the professionals that are in Command of the large commercial ships and how they also look out for idiots like me

I have called on a ship just to ask if they see me, and to confirm that I am not in their way and that they want me to stand on.

Always reassuring to me when I chat with the skipper and he sees me.

Greg