Beware of Your Wake

[saltshaker]

A big Amen to that very clear statement...

I cracked up reading this as I've said the same many times before. I guess the idiots up here are no different from the idiots down there.

 

[oscarvan]

The Chester river is not that wide. There is no commercial traffic, other than an occasional waterman in his 25' crab boat. This is recreational water. The log canoe races are a huge event with lots of floating spectators. This is a loud and clear situation. You do not barge thru there at 17 knots throwing 2-4 foot waves. If anything that's too much speed to keep up with all the, occasionally small, traffic. This dude was a buffoon, he got what he deserved.

 

[Boatsb]

The Chester river is not that wide. There is no commercial traffic, other than an occasional waterman in his 25' crab boat. This is recreational water. The log canoe races are a huge event with lots of floating spectators. This is a loud and clear situation. You do not barge thru there at 17 knots throwing 2-4 foot waves. If anything that's too much speed to keep up with all the, occasionally small, traffic. This dude was a buffoon, he got what he deserved.

Were you there?

Maybe the guy was right and just rocked a politicians boat the wrong way.

Its hard to tell from a court case when one party is a local and influential judge.

 

[saltshaker]

The report says he may have been as close as 150ft. Most likely that's exaggerated and if he was at least 200 ft away, the sailboat should have been able to keep his boat from being swamped. I doubt the wake of that boat is too big when running on plane. I personally would have slowed down but all too often I find myself extending courtesy to someone who isn't doing the same to me. Can't tell you how many times I have to slow down or stop because someone is fishing in the middle of a narrow channel.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I wasn't there, first of all. Log "canoes" aren't really canoes at all; they are racing sailboats, with no keel, and a very large rig, which are balanced with crew out on hiking boards. They are only sailed in events such as the one mentioned, which are kind of a big deal in this area. I'm going to have to read the article a bit more and see what happened.

John North is a retired and very wealthy judge who lives in Talbot County, the adjoining county, I think. He is also a car collector and supporter of the maritime museum in St. Michaels.