# Stupidity on the high seas



## rix181 (Apr 4, 2008)

I was out today at Molineaux Point in Botany Bay when I couldn 't believe what I was seeing.An individual in a bright blue hobie kakak trying to cross the shipping chanel in front of a 30,000 odd ton ship.Even after a dozen blasts from the ships horn this stupid individual still persisted to try and get across the chanel in front of the ship.
I was listening on my marine radio and to say that the Pilot and tugboat opperaters were not happy would be an understatment.They were trying to get the water police or maritme to attend to deal with this stupid individual.The tug boat driver even went back and gave this kayaker a mouthfull.

If anyone knows who this kayaker is could you please try and tell him about on water laws as acts like this reflect badly on the whole kayaking comunity.


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## ronston (Oct 21, 2008)

Thats more than stupidity, thats a death wish. Ronnie


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## AJD (Jul 10, 2007)

Rix - sounds like a 'temporary' kayaker by their antics. The boat captain wouldn't even feel the bump. :shock:


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## rix181 (Apr 4, 2008)

Thats it if it hadn't been for the pilot boat beside the ship it may have been fatal.I'm sure if you got to close to the ship the turbulance from the huge prop would tip you over and may be even suck you under the ship.


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## bugalugs (Mar 18, 2008)

Yes you have to wonder what he was thinking, it's a hell of a lot to risk for no gain :? literally only a few minutes of time


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## joejoe (Sep 28, 2008)

Someone may have told him there were snapper on the other side of the chanel.Thats worth risking your life for .joe :? :?


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## dunebuggy (Dec 21, 2008)

What can I say..........there is a moron born every minute. small craft - large ships ............ only work well together if the big one is docked, and even then it's dangerous.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

AAHHHHRRRGGGHHHHHHHH STUPIDITY , unfortunately that stuff reflects on all of us :x :x :x


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## blahger (Feb 6, 2009)

He was in a Hobie, so he'd obviously raised an arm to indicate he was turning left and the ship should have given way.... ;-)

Even at a reasonable distance those things throw some hefty bumps


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## rabbitz (Jan 7, 2009)

A couple of years ago I was on a "ride along" on a tug in Sydney Harbour. (If you ever get a chance to do this, take it, it is an amazing experience).

We had to turn a ship around off Darling Harbour 5, where the Pope did his poping. This closed the harbour at this point for a few minutes, we then pushed the ship alongside the wharf.

As we were pushing the ship to the wharf a yacht tried to run between the ship and the wharf. Naturally, he lost all wind once beside the ship. Only a sharp eyed controller at Harbour Control saw it, and called us, we were within a couple of metres of crushing this guy and we would not have known.

Apparently he had the sh*ts that we blocked the harbour, and as he was under sail he believed he had a "right of way" so decided to go past us on the obstructed side...

We had to leave but I would have loved to have been within earshot when Waterways turned up!


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## RangiRocks (Mar 19, 2009)

Nothing has right of way to a large ship in a shipping channel

Most pilots wouldn't deviate at all - you're problem

If you were close to the bow of a large ship at speed the bow wave would push you to one side or another but being sucked in to the stern could result in human berley


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## nemollie (Sep 3, 2008)

hey all depending on the circumstances also depends yes the big ships take some time to deviate but depending on which side the kayak was on compaired to the ship and if the ships has a restricted to move day shapes or constrained by the draft day shape actually depends on who has right of way (if the kayak was on the starboard side (right side) of the ship and the ship has none of the things mentioned above then the kayak has right of way) if you say thats not true well go do a coxswains course (im doing one now) and thats what we have been taught - so was the ship or the kayaks right side or left side? and ill answer who has right of way as soon as i see - andrew


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## rabbitz (Jan 7, 2009)

Andrew,

Keep in mind that "right of way" does not override the requirement that all Masters must take reasonable steps to avoid collision. Thus if a vessel of limited ability to manoeuvre takes whatever steps he is able to take (without endangering his crew or vessel), and the vessel which on paper has right of way does not then the Master of the second vessel can be held to be at fault.

In areas of limited seaway, such as those that require a pilot, the old adage "the bigger you are the more rights you get" tends to hold sway.


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## blahger (Feb 6, 2009)

Let me know when you plan on trying that out, I'll make sure my camera is charged up


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## redman (Jun 5, 2008)

blahger said:


> Let me know when you plan on trying that out, I'll make sure my camera is charged up


Can't wait to see that trip report


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## Shufoy (May 28, 2008)

Not sure those rules are applicable in a marked shipping channel tho?


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## rix181 (Apr 4, 2008)

The kayaka was on the ships right side as the ship was heading out to sea(the channel is only 200-300 metres wide).I have not done a coxins course but when I did my PWC licence it was a requirement that you had to attend a licenceing seminar the person doing it said he was licenced to drive any comercial vessel and said a comercial vessel always has the right of way and everyone I know thinks the same.And judging by some of the coments on the forum members here believe the same
I find it hard to believe a ship would under any circumstances have to giveway to a kayak I'm not saying you are wrong it's just hard to believe

Rick.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

rix181 said:


> The kayaka was on the ships right side as the ship was heading out to sea(the channel is only 200-300 metres wide).I have not done a coxins course but when I did my PWC licence it was a requirement that you had to attend a licenceing seminar the person doing it said he was licenced to drive any comercial vessel and said a comercial vessel always has the right of way and everyone I know thinks the same.And judging by some of the coments on the forum members here believe the same
> I find it hard to believe a ship would under any circumstances have to giveway to a kayak I'm not saying you are wrong it's just hard to believe
> 
> Rick.


......and somewhere in there you'd think a bit of commonsense and logic would come into play!


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## yakattack (Jan 12, 2008)

Not only does it reflect badly on us yakkers but extremely badly on us yakkers with blue hobies lol


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## DGax65 (Jun 7, 2006)

Asserting your 'right of way' might just get you killed. I think the rules on avoiding collision and navigation in restricted waters override the right of way rules for passing and crossing situations. It is spelled out clearly in the US Navigation Rules. I think rules are very similar in most countries.











> The term "vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver" means a vessel which from the nature of her work is restricted in her ability to maneuver as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.


Having spent countless hours paddling around San Diego Harbor I have had many a close encounter with deep draft vessels. The shipping channel is only 200m wide and it bends around North Island. There are points where it is less than 800m from shore to shore. To make matters worse, there is no speed limit in the harbor. After the final turn, some of the cruise ships will hit 10+kts on their way out of the harbor. I couldn't even count the number of times that I have seen small craft, PWC and kayaks cross the channel in front of large vessels. Some do this because they don't maintain a proper watch and have no idea that a large vessel is bearing down on them. Sometimes it is because they underestimate the speed of the approaching vessel. All too often it is the partially trained mariner who has only a superficial knowledge of the rules of the road. Most people have no idea of the time and energy it takes to stop, or even slow, a 50K ton vessel. If you cross ahead of a large vessel and expect it to give way you are fooling yourself. They can't stop and probably won't even feel it as they run over you.

Once I got caught on the wrong side of the channel when a heavy fog rolled in. I sat there watching and listening for approaching traffic; waiting until the channel was clear. I heard a fog horn out near the mouth of the channel, but mistakenly thought that it was the Pt. Loma lighthouse. Thinking that all was clear I started across the channel. About half way across I started to hear the sound of high-powered small craft and a helicopter. That set off a few alarms. They use helos as part of the security escort when aircraft carriers enter and leave port. Sure enough; I looked down the channel and see the bow of the USS Nimitz looming out of the fog. :shock: :shock: :shock: I set a new speed record for my stubby little OK Drifter as I cleared the channel. I practically had that pig up on plane as I tried to get out of harm's way.


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## mak (Dec 4, 2008)

Barrabundy said:


> rix181 said:
> 
> 
> > The kayaka was on the ships right side as the ship was heading out to sea(the channel is only 200-300 metres wide).I have not done a coxins course but when I did my PWC licence it was a requirement that you had to attend a licenceing seminar the person doing it said he was licenced to drive any comercial vessel and said a comercial vessel always has the right of way and everyone I know thinks the same.And judging by some of the coments on the forum members here believe the same
> ...


aaaaah thats the trouble with commonsense ...it isnt common


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## tomca (Dec 1, 2007)

Must have left his ski boat at home and borrowed a kayak :lol:


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## charleymonkey (Dec 8, 2008)

no matter whose right of way, i sure wouldn't argue with a 30k tonne ship when i'm in a 25kg (plastic) kayak.


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## wrasseman (Jul 28, 2006)

nemollie said:


> hey all depending on the circumstances also depends yes the big ships take some time to deviate but depending on which side the kayak was on compaired to the ship and if the ships has a restricted to move day shapes or constrained by the draft day shape actually depends on who has right of way (if the kayak was on the starboard side (right side) of the ship and the ship has none of the things mentioned above then the kayak has right of way) if you say thats not true well go do a coxswains course (im doing one now) and thats what we have been taught - so was the ship or the kayaks right side or left side? and ill answer who has right of way as soon as i see - andrew


You might want to take another look at your books
"if necessary to cross a shipping lane, a small craft must cross at right angles to the lane and keep clear of vessels using the lane" (rule 10).
Incidentally, right of way rules are in general just a clarification of common sense ie more maneuverable vesel gives way.
Good luck with the course.
Col.


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## CHIMO (Oct 22, 2008)

My rather vivid and twisted (if somewhat tired) imagination is running wild here. I can see this guy fiercely paddling along and having to break stoke to locate his life vest (which he OBVIOUSLY isn't wearing at the time) to get access to the whistle to warn this mother of a ship that he's in it's path! Obviously the sound of the whistle would carry more than a few metres and would have NO effect...but he'd be blowing away regardless! :lol:


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