Beware of Your Wake

[Artzco]

An interesting article.

http://m.myeasternshoremd.com/news/...c1e-23c8-5489-b61a-ea04a8a84987.html?mode=jqm

 

[krush]

So what if a tug was pushing a barge went by that made a large wake?

I understand "you are responsible for your wake", but when is it safe to make a large wake?

Big guys say:

10. What are the regulations concerning wake effects, wake damage, and responsibility? Regarding one's wake, vessels over 1600 Gross Tons (GT) are specifically required by Title 33 CFR 164.11 to set the vessel's speed with consideration for...the damage that might be caused by the vessel's wake. Further, there may be State or local laws which specifically address "wake" for the waters in question.

While vessels under 1600 GT are not specifically required to manage their speed in regards to wake, they are still required to operate in a prudent matter which does not endanger life, limb, or property (46 USC 2302). Nor do the Navigation Rules exonerate any vessel from the consequences of neglect (Rule 2), which, among other things, could be unsafe speeds (Rule 6), improper lookout (Rule 5), or completely ignoring your responsibilities as prescribed by the Navigation Rules.

As to whether or not a particular vessel is responsible for the damage it creates is a question of law and fact that is best left to the Courts. For more information, contact your local Marine Patrol or State Boating Law Administrator.

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesFAQ#0.3_10

 

[Freeebird]

I'm trying to come up with a mental image of a log canoe with an $1,800 sail, and damned if I can do it.

 

[Boatsb]

I'm sure the seaworthy canoe was out in a safe area for it that judge smails would vouch for. How much responsibility should be on the small vessels operator for being out where wakes regularly occur?

 

[tellico]

Log canoe races are a pretty specific and high profile event in that part of the bay.

Funny, I know the defendant somewhat, a fixture on the Balto waterfront. 58' Navigator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiS6XOSvHhQ

Check out the boards.

 

[Freeebird]

I'm sure the seaworthy canoe was out in a safe area for it that judge smails would vouch for. How much responsibility should be on the small vessels operator for being out where wakes regularly occur?

Sounds to me like that section of river should have been closed or at least patrolled by LE to set up a temporary no wake zone for the event. That's the way we do things down South.

 

[Freeebird]

I may have shared this before, but I got fussed at by a duck trooper for making too large a wake during a rowing competition that was being held smack dab in the middle of the main channel of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, just below the dam. Things were fine when I was going downstream, but later that day when I was going against the current (which was pretty significant), the problem began. He rolled a wake twice as big as mine in order to come up behind me and complain that I was making too large a wake.

I informed him the rowers didn't seem to have a problem with my wake (gave them as wide a berth as possible), and that I could drop anchor in that current and STILL make a wake. That's when he said, "You need to walk it, Captain, walk it"... this while using his hands so simulate me alternating placing each of my engines into and out of gear. I considered my own hand gesture but just ignored him instead as there were no other rowers ahead of me, and the course ended within another 100 feet or so.

Moral of the story, you just can't make some people happy.

 

[Boatsb]

I don't remember the law but I believe anyone holding an event in the navigable channel accepts the risk of regular traffic.

I don't take a small boat out in areas where larger vessels may need to change course and speed to keep me safe. That's just common sense.

 

[Walter P]

Hey Scott... Unfortunately "common sense" is not so common. While all of us have from time to time been annoyed with small boats lollygaging in the channel or fishing, we are still responsible for our wakes and do not have the right to endanger them. Of course we have some water police that probably over react but most are OK.

We all need to remind ourselves from time to time that none of us owns the water ways and we are all out there for pleasure.

Walt

 

[Freeebird]

I don't remember the law but I believe anyone holding an event in the navigable channel accepts the risk of regular traffic.

I don't take a small boat out in areas where larger vessels may need to change course and speed to keep me safe. That's just common sense.

They absolutely close the river to navigation in Kingston when they have hydroplane races. I'm assuming they are able to do that on that on the Clinch River as there is no regular commercial traffic. If you get stuck on the wrong side of the race course, you just have to wait until a designated break when they allow traffic to move through the course.

 

[SeaEric]

This is the "canoe" the article referenced. Owned by Judge North. You don't screw with Judge North. Dr Rosenthal has met him (socially)...ask him

 

[krush]

Looks like those guys all need a bit of redneck culturing to become more sophisticated.

 

[Boatsb]

Common sense is not common anymore. If you take a small boat that's not seaworthy into a channel and can't handle a 2 foot wake you should be the one at fault. Just like if you drive an unsafe car you should not be able to sue the county for the curve in the road that you can't make. What happened to being responsible for you own actions.

 

[rsmith]

Where's Rodney Dangerfield when you need him?

 

[captddis]

Looks like the judge had a in.

This is my biggest complaint. Everyone wants superior rights not equal rights.
I love it when I see the motorcylists with their watch for bikes stickers as they zigzag through traffic and run down the median to get in front of everyone.
I love their special rights to stop traffic and let their buddies pass ahead of everyone.

Then the Bikers. last I head, they had to follow all traffic rules. Almost every day when I turn onto my street off of the four lane road with on coming traffic, a biker ignores the do not cross sign and forces me to jam on my brakes. The cops refuses to ticket them.
On Gulf Boulevard they put in lanes for joggers and lanes for bikes on each sides!
The travel lanes are now so narrow that you almost click mirrors.
Somehow the bikers still need to ride in the traffic lane.

Since people are no longer smart enough to look both ways, we have crosswalks every 500 feet on what used to be a 40 mph road. There are lights and flags but the road is full of J walkers and a bout a fatality a month.

Then the paddleboarders and kayakers who for some reason need the middle of the channel and middle of the bridge. The kayak must draw 5 feet because then stay right in the channel even though there is half a mile outside of the channel.

I had a paddle boarder come right across the channel and cut across my pulpit. I blasted the horn and she did not flinch.


I have a 9 ft whaler that is slow. I don't expect anyone to slowdown for me and I get out of THEIR way.i know how to handle a small boat and have never been swamped.

I guess the next fad will be picnicing in the middle of I 95 !!

 

[captddis]

Where's Rodney Dangerfield when you need him?

That Striker is in St Pete. They named it Caddyshack

 

[Boatsb]

Looks like the judge had a in.

This is my biggest complaint. Everyone wants superior rights not equal rights.
I love it when I see the motorcylists with their watch for bikes stickers as they zigzag through traffic and run down the median to get in front of everyone.
I love their special rights to stop traffic and let their buddies pass ahead of everyone.

Then the Bikers. last I head, they had to follow all traffic rules. Almost every day when I turn onto my street off of the four lane road with on coming traffic, a biker ignores the do not cross sign and forces me to jam on my brakes. The cops refuses to ticket them.
On Gulf Boulevard they put in lanes for joggers and lanes for bikes on each sides!
The travel lanes are now so narrow that you almost click mirrors.
Somehow the bikers still need to ride in the traffic lane.

Since people are no longer smart enough to look both ways, we have crosswalks every 500 feet on what used to be a 40 mph road. There are lights and flags but the road is full of J walkers and a bout a fatality a month.

Then the paddleboarders and kayakers who for some reason need the middle of the channel and middle of the bridge. The kayak must draw 5 feet because then stay right in the channel even though there is half a mile outside of the channel.

I had a paddle boarder come right across the channel and cut across my pulpit. I blasted the horn and she did not flinch.


I have a 9 ft whaler that is slow. I don't expect anyone to slowdown for me and I get out of THEIR way.i know how to handle a small boat and have never been swamped.

I guess the next fad will be picnicing in the middle of I 95 !!

I'll bring the beer.

 

[Pascal]

Speaking of common sense, here in the grove (well over there in the grove since I m away ) they installed pedestrian crossing lights a block from the marina.bright flashing yellow lights...

Problem is that they are so bright that at night you can't see if a pedestrian is behind then ready to cross. Worst, for the past few weeks they now come on every 10 seconds or so...

As to the wakes, I strongly believe in common sense and courtesy.

Courtesy means that when I cross or pass a small boat in a narrow channel, I slow down to min wake. Cost me a few seconds, no big deal.

Common sense means that when We are sailing either the small catboat or the 26 gaffer, w stay out of the channels and out of the way of bigger boats. Our draft allows us to sail outside the channel so why not.

In this case, it's hard to know exactly what haooened but at the very least there should have been a securite call by the race commitee or safety boAts.

And don't get me started on race committes who set up race course in channels, busy waters or worst right in front of a channel entrance. Or idiots who think that because they are sailing they can cross a narrow channel in front of big power boat in disregard of rule 9

 

[rsmith]

Looks like the judge had a in.

This is my biggest complaint. Everyone wants superior rights not equal rights.
I love it when I see the motorcylists with their watch for bikes stickers as they zigzag through traffic and run down the median to get in front of everyone.
I love their special rights to stop traffic and let their buddies pass ahead of everyone.

Then the Bikers. last I head, they had to follow all traffic rules. Almost every day when I turn onto my street off of the four lane road with on coming traffic, a biker ignores the do not cross sign and forces me to jam on my brakes. The cops refuses to ticket them.
On Gulf Boulevard they put in lanes for joggers and lanes for bikes on each sides!
The travel lanes are now so narrow that you almost click mirrors.
Somehow the bikers still need to ride in the traffic lane.

Since people are no longer smart enough to look both ways, we have crosswalks every 500 feet on what used to be a 40 mph road. There are lights and flags but the road is full of J walkers and a bout a fatality a month.

Then the paddleboarders and kayakers who for some reason need the middle of the channel and middle of the bridge. The kayak must draw 5 feet because then stay right in the channel even though there is half a mile outside of the channel.

I had a paddle boarder come right across the channel and cut across my pulpit. I blasted the horn and she did not flinch.


I have a 9 ft whaler that is slow. I don't expect anyone to slowdown for me and I get out of THEIR way.i know how to handle a small boat and have never been swamped.

I guess the next fad will be picnicing in the middle of I 95 !!

We get the Lance Armstrong wanabe' ride down A1A 3 abreast or more. Don't give a damn about blocking traffic. Or the fact that we spent all this money putting in a bike lane for them. The worst are these old farts in parking lots that walk right out in front of cars. You see them glance at you then look the other way and walk right out.i always think "yeah buddy you've got the right of way but your going to lose with a 4000lb car" every once in a while that same old lady that thinks 7/11 is a drive thru bowls over a bunch of them at Walmart. Then we have a whole load of kayakers that go out at sunset with no lights on these river tours. Bird watcher types and their nasty SOB's that will yell and scream at you even if your crawling. They want to ban all boats from the Indian River lagoon. Libs it's all about acceptance as long as it's their way.

 

[Artzco]

We get the Lance Armstrong wanabe' ride down A1A 3 abreast or more. Don't give a damn about blocking traffic. Or the fact that we spent all this money putting in a bike lane for them. The worst are these old farts in parking lots that walk right out in front of cars. You see them glance at you then look the other way and walk right out.i always think "yeah buddy you've got the right of way but your going to lose with a 4000lb car" every once in a while that same old lady that thinks 7/11 is a drive thru bowls over a bunch of them at Walmart. Then we have a whole load of kayakers that go out at sunset with no lights on these river tours. Bird watcher types and their nasty SOB's that will yell and scream at you even if your crawling. They want to ban all boats from the Indian River lagoon. Libs it's all about acceptance as long as it's their way.

A big Amen to that very clear statement...