Ahoy Mateys!

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Click here to open a new page for the audio

Not long after midnight Aug. 12, the destroyer Porter cleared the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf. Five months into their deployment, it was the ship’s 13th straits transit and the commanding officer, Cmdr. Martin Arriola, left the pilothouse to attend to other matters.

Meanwhile, the destroyer was on a course to dart through tankers headed in the opposite direction.

Arriola returned to the bridge. He and his watchstanders saw a ship ahead that seemed to show the international signal warning other ships to stay clear. Porter turned to port, an unusual move, and crossed ahead of it. Then they spotted something a mariner never wants to see: the bow of another ship, which had been hidden behind the other vessel.

The officer of the deck recommended turning right immediately, the standard maneuver. Arriola disagreed. The ship slowed instead, the crew weighing their options. But the supertanker continued bearing down. The OOD recognized that the merchant was crossing ahead of them but didn’t press the issue. In the confusion, Arriola made a fateful choice — turn left and streak across a vessel’s bow for the second time.

“Hard left rudder!” Arriola bellowed, according to a pilothouse recording. Arriola ordered five whistle blasts, the danger signal, and full speed to try to make it across the tanker’s path.

“All engines ahead flank,” Arriola ordered. “Let’s go. Get me up there, flank!”

Porter did not make it clear in time. The most complete and vivid picture of these missteps and what happened next has emerged from newly released ship logs and recordings, including a four-minute audio tape of the collision, all obtained by Navy Times via a Freedom of Information Act request.

Within 30 seconds, the supertanker’s bow smashed the destroyer’s side with a “boom,” the harrowing sound of a ship as long as an aircraft carrier and moving at roughly 14 knots ramming the warship, tearing a gaping hole in the Porter’s hull forward of the pilothouse. Sleeping sailors were flung awake. Minor flooding and fires broke out. Circuits flickered. Sailors picked themselves up and registered what had happened.

Miraculously, no one was injured on either ship in the collision, which took the destroyer out of service for a month and will cost the service upward of $50 million to fix.

Three weeks later, Arriola was fired after Navy investigators found a series of mistakes leading up to the collision: The ship was going too fast, Arriola was distracted by releasing routine reports, the ship did not call the merchants to arrange passage and made a highly unusual turn to port. Correcting any of these errors could have prevented the collision, a safety investigation concluded, noting that no one questioned the CO’s call to turn left.

Many aspects of the collision, one in a series of 2012 mishaps, remain cloudy. The Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy and the Naval Safety Center have denied open records requests for investigative reports.

The released files were not produced for these investigations but a Naval Surface Force Atlantic spokesman declined to discuss them, citing the possibility of litigation by the owner of the supertanker Otowasan. The Navy had not been sued as of May 9, said Jen Zeldis, an OJAG spokeswoman, in an email.

Porter returned to Norfolk, Va., in early November under a new CO and is now slated to start repairs at a shipyard there.

Arriola, 43, who was reassigned to SURFLANT, did not respond to emails and phone messages seeking comment.

The aftermath

After the collision at 12:53 a.m., the ship set general quarters to contain fires and flooding. Meanwhile, the other warship in the column, dock landing ship Gunston Hall, came near to assist and took photos of the damage.

Repair lockers manned up to fight small fires that had broken out. Others set to pumping out water and securing ruptured pipes. The impact downed countless communications networks, computers and weapon systems, some temporarily and others permanently. It affected everything from the rudders to the digital charting system, the logs show.

Scribbled notes on over a dozen pages detail the crew’s damage control efforts over the ensuing hours that night. They made notes on scratch paper in pen and grease pencil detailing the damage and progress containing it. “Aux 1 pway airlock flooding. Radio chill water inside radio,” one of these sheets said, for example.

Many questions remain. What was the relative position of the three ships in the minutes before the collision? Did the combat information center make maneuvering recommendations or even speak up? Why was the bridge surprised by the supertanker, which radar should have picked up?

Still, the new records detail many of the ship’s mistakes and, here and there, contain cautionary notes that went unheeded. The operations officer penned one in the night orders reviewed by each watch team.

“We are heading towards the SOH this evening for an overnight transit,” this officer wrote. “Make sure your head is in the game.”

Arriola signed the night orders without a note.

But in italicized type above his signature block was the solemn warning, “Eternal vigilance is the price of safety.”

I’m not sure who the author is on this, so please excuse the credit assigned to my box, as I’m not the author.

The post Hear the audio: Chaos on bridge before brutal ship collision appeared first on Boaters Resource Center.

In late July, more than 50 Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats (both built in the State of Washington by Fluid Motion, LLC) gathered in Ganges on Saltspring Island, BC, to launch the 2012 Desolation Sound Cruise. From there the fleet crossed the Strait of Georgia to Pender Harbour’s Garden Bay, then on to Gorge Harbour. After two days of celebration and planning we scattered, single boats or small groups, throughout the Discovery Islands, Desolation Sound, and beyond. Some boats stayed for ten days, others for three weeks, or more before cruising back to our home waters. Planning is currently underway for the 2013 cruise.

More information is available on Tugnuts.com

All music ©Apple and is available in their iLife suite of applications.

The post Ranger Tugs 2012 Desolation Sound Cruise appeared first on Boaters Resource Center.

It was my time-out. A weekend to cuddle up with a good book next to the radiant potbelly stove and sample a few different teas. A time to let the peaceful pitter-patter of falling rain on the boat’s cabin top chase away the tension. The baking salmon dinner fogs the windows and floods my senses with a wonderful childhood memory. Dog-earing a page in the book, I close my eyes, and enjoy a flashback to a stormy day in Ketchikan, Alaska…

We were once again waving a tearful good-by, feeling stranded on the pier, as Dad’s boat departed the harbor. Bill had always found time to go fishing with his buddies, but never took his two young sons.

“Hey, Mom,” said my older brother Tom as he looked deep into a galvanized bucket, “Dad forgot the bait!”

She stood between us, leaned over and said, “We’ll show them. Tommy, Jimmy, let’s get home and fetch my pole.”

Smiles spread across our faces from ear to ear. She said “her” pole, not just any pole, but the one and only magic fishing pole. The one she used in 1955 to become the first woman ever to win the Ketchikan King Salmon Derby.

It was a mad dash to the car. People jumped back, yelling at us to slow down, but that made us only run faster. The well-worn wooden pier offered good footing until you came to the gangway, that, because of the Southeastern Alaska 40 foot tide difference turned the gangway into a ladder at low tide. We scampered up like possessed monkeys. The race to the car was important, for first prize was getting to sit by the window. I never won, but found the middle was just as good. I was in command of the heater and radio, both of which were used frequently, and the large knobs offered great handholds.

Mom fired up the old Buick and we tore off in a cloud of dust, bouncing over the chuck- holed gravel roads. At times I was able see over my taller brother’s head as we took air on a few of the “big ones”. No such thing as seatbelts back then, only a mother’s forearm. She was a competitor and nothing was going to stand in her way.

As our car screeched into the driveway, she turned to us and said “Ok boys, the weatherman said we’ve got a storm coming so you know what we need: life vests, net, slickers, and warm clothes. I’ll call Gertie (the next-door neighbor) to watch Elaine (my baby sister). You’ve got five minutes ok?”

The word “ok”, was drowned out by the slamming of car doors. It didn’t take long to be on our way again. I checked behind me to see the battle worn magic pole lying across the back seat. My heart pumping faster when the sunlight reflected rainbow colors from shining scales that still clung to the pole like metal to lodestone. A strong forearm in the lower part of my back reminded me to turn around, sit down, and assume command of the radio buttons as we raced downhill off the mountain. The trip to Dad’s waterfront office, The Alaska Steamship Company, seemed to take forever.  Once there it wasn’t long before the baited hook disappeared beneath the waves 20 feet below. The three of us each held a part of the magic pole; its tip bouncing as Mom played out more line into the current.

Lou Verman, one of Dad’s co-workers walked up to us. “Hi Kit! Gonna try to break your record?”

“No,” gleamed Mom, “the boys and I are just trying to catch dinner, Bill forgot the bait!”

About then the rod dipped, and the reel started singing as monofilimate line peeled off faster and faster. She set the hook and Tom tightened the drag. Lou shouted to Fred on a nearby bumper boat, to lend a hand. They got Mom down the ladder and into the boat, the fishing rod slung over her shoulder like a baby needing to be burped. All the while she kept the rod tip up. Office people ran out to the pier, yelling words of encouragement.  Fred pulled away from the pilings just as the approaching storm’s fury finally hit with heavy rain and cold wind. At times, I lost sight of them, hidden behind building waves as they moved farther into the channel. I caught an occasional glimpse of the magic pole held high, as the battle for our dinner raged on. We took refuge in the warehouse. Finally, we could hear Fred docking the boat under the warehouse pier. A trap door opened and our rain-soaked Mom emerged wearing a huge smile. To grand applause, he handed up the magic fishing pole and our salmon dinner.

One look at our cold white faces, matted rain-slicked hair, and chattering teeth, was all that it took for her to turn to Lou and say  “Clean it, bring it, check on Bill, oh, call Gertie, and have her put the blankets on hot, ok?”

Living in such a small town, everyone knew everyone. The ride home up the mountain took but a few minutes. She slammed the heater controls to high.  Tom and I held on, as the Buick roared uphill like a jet fighter being launched off an aircraft carrier. Houses, trees, and people were flying past in a vague blur. I swear, there were moments when all four wheels weren’t touching the ground at the same time.

The wind and rain had chilled us to the bone. We sat shivering, now bundled in dry clothes and slippers at the kitchen table. Mom wrapped us in Gertie’s blankets hot out of the dryer. I can’t remember which was warmer, the blanket or mom’s gentle hug. Mom placed a couple of cookies next to our mugs of hot cocoa. What bliss!

Lou stopped by with the cleaned salmon and said that there was no word from Bill. Lou would check in with the Coast Guard on the way home.

Mom used her apron to place the pan holding the salmon into the oven, then turned and wiped a hole in the fogged window over the sink until it squeaked. For the longest time she stared through the water dripping from rain swollen gutters, searching the harbor for Dad’s return. I could tell she was worried. Fishing south of Gravina Island would place them in the teeth of the storm moving in from the Gulf of Alaska. She held her breath each time the radio weather report was updated, then turned and smiled to let us know that all would be ok.

The steaming cocoa made my forehead sweat. I could finally feel warmth returning to my frozen hands and feet. My nose finally became warm enough to smell our treasured salmon baking. We jumped when a phone call broke the silence. It was the Coast Guard. Dad’s boat has just arrived, without fish, and he was wondering what to bring home for dinner.

Holding the receiver tight, mom turned and looked through the foggy window, then toward her two shivering boys. A huge smile crossed her face as she replied, “Crow!”

The post Foggy Windows appeared first on Boaters Resource Center.

On March 20, 2013 it happened again, this time on Gabriola Island, BC.  32 year old Krystal Anderson’s car crashed through the safety gates at the terminal and drove across the deck of the MV Quinsam and into the waters of Descanso Bay. (A list of articles related to this incident is here.)

While the coroner’s report is not yet final, that incident got BE reader and retired prosecutor John Chessell to thinking. What are the similarities and causes of such incidents?  John happens to live in the San Juan Islands, and is thus, ferry dependent

Here’s his report:

These (approximately) 80 events occurred between (approximately) 1920 to the present — the three most recent were in March and April, 2013. In the majority of these events, the occupants of the vehicles died. In the most recent occurrence, 33 people died in Bangladesh when a bus fell into a river while trying to board a ferry, notwithstanding that the event occurred in daylight and there were scores of bystanders at hand who tried to help. Rescue, even when help is close at hand, is apparently difficult and frequently unsuccessful, at least according to the articles. The reasons appear to be:

1. It is seemingly very difficult to open a vehicle door against the outside water pressure until the inside of the vehicle has filled with water (at least one article commented on this specifically);
2. More modern vehicles usually have electric windows that cease to operate when the vehicle’s electrical system shorts-out in the water. In one incident (Australia, 1936) a vehicle with four occupants drove off the end of the ferry and went in the river, in water 20′ deep with a flowing current. The article mentioned that the vehicle was a touring car, with side curtains instead of windows. All the curtains were down except the driver’s. All four occupants escaped through that single opening over the driver’s door, after the vehicle had submerged and they were all under water; it was clear that they went through the opening one-at-a-time, as they were separated considerable distances by the current as they each came separately to the surface. All survived. However, there did not seem to be a great difference in the end-result of these incidents whether they happened in the 1930s, the 50s or the 60s, (when vehicles commonly had manually-operated windows) or whether they occurred in the 1990s and 2000s; in the majority of cases in any era, the occupants of the vehicle died once the vehicle entered the water; with today’s smaller vehicles, some died in water as shallow as four feet.
3. Confusion, injury and panic all play a part as the vehicle sinks; the occupants may not be in condition to open the doors once the vehicle has filled with water and goes under the surface. By this time the occupants are struggling either to breathe at all or to hold their breath.
4. Ferry landings for larger vessels are deep; depths less than 30 feet were a minority, and many ferry landings in these incidents were more than 75-to-100 feet deep. Incidents on rivers are compounded by the river current. Interestingly, most (but not all) of what I was able to find occurred in colder climates with cold to very-cold water, another compounding factor working against the victims. The search results were probably influenced by the fact that I relied on media reports in English; I tried looking at reports from Latin America, but had trouble working out the correct search terms. I did view reports from Italy, Greece, France, Scandinavia, Germany, Bangladesh and China, all of which had either been translated to English or videos had been posted on the web. In that regard, take a look HERE which occurred in 2010 — in that video, a vehicle backs off a ferry dock in China and goes into the water; it floats next to the dock and there are a great number of people running to help; there were three occupants; one died notwithstanding the great efforts to assist.
5. Once the vehicle descends to the bottom, there is no guarantee that it will come to rest right-side-up, even assuming the occupants are still able to move about and act rationally and with purpose. Take a look at this video clip shot by a news crew in Nokomis (date unk) — HERE – an unattended and unoccupied car rolls down a boat-launch ramp and into the water.  Despite having all doors and windows closed, it sank straight-down nose-first in 1 minute and 23 secs, although the “window of opportunity” to escape from the vehicle was more likely around 45 to 60 seconds.

The 80 incidents seemed to fall into one or more of the following categories of cause — WHY did this event occur ? In no particular order, the causes appeared to be the following (I’ve labeled them only to more easily keep them separate):

A. Confusion and/or inattention; reversing off the end of the ferry instead of going forward, or driving down the ramp and into the water in the absence of the ferry were common here, as was failing to properly set the brake on parked vehicles;
B. Misunderstanding the communications and/or the directions of crew members;
C. Negligence by drivers (sometimes criminal negligence; drivers were sometimes prosecuted; it is a crime in most jurisdictions to kill someone in a vehicle accident if the surviving driver is at fault, even in the absence of intoxication);
D. Negligence by the ferry operators or crew (ditto as to occasional criminal negligence);
E. Ferry moving away from the dock while a vehicle was crossing the ramp either to load or unload (more common than you might think); in one case the victims were driving on a floating ramp to load onto their ferry when the ramp was hit by a second ferry approaching the landing; their vehicle was knocked into the water; one survived and one died [France, 2003]);
F. Intoxication (not commonly cited as a “cause,” but in some cases intoxication clearly led to “clumsy vehicle operation”);
G. Poor medical condition of the driver (not common);
H. Overly aggressive driving; usually involving trying to be “first” to get on the ferry when loading, or off the ferry when landing, not realizing the ferry was still approaching the landing and had not reached it;
I. Miscellaneous: Driver follows GPS into the water; children playing with gear-shift lever; car hit by another vehicle and “bumped” into the water; driver pretending to “steer” ferry dislodges chock under front wheel, then as ferry slows to approach landing car rolls forward and off ferry into water (intoxication involved here, also);
J. Suicide (again, not common but clearly the cause in six or seven of these 80 incidents).

The suicides were of two types and each type had its own common elements:

The first type was usually calm and deliberate; there was little doubt in the facts or the comments of witnesses that the driver intended to drown him or herself. These typically involved driving into the water from a ramp or dock rather than from the ferry itself; driving not particularly fast but at a speed great enough to ensure that the vehicle would land in deep water (as opposed to rolling down the ramp or off the ferry due to brake failure, for example, although many people have died in that manner also); appearing to be alert and aware but ignoring completely the efforts of nearby would-be rescuers while waiting for the car to sink; frequently smoking a “last cigarette” while all of this occurred. In one such case in England, the 30-year old mother of 2 small children lit a cigarette, then sent a text message to her boyfriend (with whom she had argued, which led to her decision to drown herself) asking for forgiveness, as the vehicle sank. In another case in the greater Seattle area, the driver had been sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing his wife in a fire; he was out-of-custody being treated for burns he suffered in the fire. He calmly sat in his vehicle smoking a cigarette while the vehicle sank, making no attempt to lower a window and not acknowledging any of the rescue attempts being mounted on shore. In a Texas incident the driver was seen to lock his doors as potential rescuers began to gather, then sit quietly until the vehicle went under. In all such cases the authorities very quickly ruled the deaths to be suicides and the media also very quickly reported them as suicides.

The second type of suicides is considerably different and again there are common elements among the reported incidents. The driver was alone in the vehicle; driving involved high speed; driving usually involved crashing through, driving around, or defeating some barrier meant to keep vehicles from going into the water at the wrong place or in the absence of the ferry; the vehicle went at a speed great enough to launch itself a considerable distance into the water; there was ambiguity or confusion in the minds of witnesses as to what was actually going on. In these cases, authorities did not come to a quick conclusion concerning the cause of the event, but upon the recovery of the body awaited the medical examiner’s report and background investigation before determining why the event had occurred. In these cases the media was also restrained, not offering any supposition about the cause until the coroner or other authorities had issued their final report.

In some incidents at first appearing to be suicides and containing some of the elements described above, suicide was either tentatively or permanently determined not to be the case, and the deaths were thought to be accidental.

There were two incidents involving high speed driving in which the drivers went the length of the ferry deck and launched the vehicle a considerable distance into the water, which were not considered to be suicides. One occurred in March, 2013 in Nova Scotia and there is speculation in the media that the cause may have been the 81-year old driver’s medical condition; he had gone “missing” from his family one or two days earlier; authorities have made no determination and are awaiting the medical examiner’s findings.

The other involved Medal-of-Honor recipient and genuine WWII Naval hero Vice-Admiral Theodore Wilkinson and his wife, occurring in February 1946. The couple was boarding the Elizabeth River Ferry in Norfolk, Virginia when the car suddenly began speeding down the deck towards the bow of the vessel. The wife later told authorities that as they approached the end of the vessel her husband opened the door, yelled “Jump!” and pushed her out of the car. When the vehicle was recovered, the Admiral’s body was found wedged under the steering wheel. Witnesses said that earlier they had observed the couple’s car parked, waiting for the ferry, when suddenly the engine began to race. They saw Admiral Wilkinson get out of the vehicle, bend down and reach onto the floor; the engine returned to normal; all believed that the accelerator was not working properly; it appeared he had been trying to do the same thing again as the vehicle sped off the end of the ferry.

Lastly, note here that bodies are frequently not recovered, particularly in rivers. In the recent Bangladesh bus incident of April 2013, divers reported that when they reached the sunken bus (the next day) there were no bodies on the bus — none. In an incident in Ireland in 2009, the body of the passenger was never found, although the driver was still prosecuted and convicted (he had raced to be first to leave the ferry, before it reached the landing) of felony manslaughter.

(John Chessell regularly provides information to BitterEnd. Thanks for this insightful look. Our next lunch is on me.)

The post Vehicles exiting ferries into the water: a summary of 80 incidents. appeared first on Boaters Resource Center.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Savannah, Ga., medically evacuated a boater after he began experiencing life-threatening medical complications aboard his vessel 80 miles off the coast of Georgia Friday.

Medically evacuated was Jeff Landis, 36.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center were notified at 9:32 a.m., that Landis was experiencing medical complications aboard his 48-foot sport-fishing vessel, Poseidan, 80 miles off Doboy Sound in Georgia and was in need of immediate medical care.

An aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter immediately launched from Air Station Savannah and arrived on scene at 11:34 a.m. A rescue swimmer was lowered down to the Poseidan to assist in hoisting Landis. The aircrew hoisted Landis into the helicopter and took him to Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah where emergency medical technicians were waiting. The EMTs then took Landis to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah for further medical treatment. He remained in stable condition during the transports.

Landis was reportedly traveling from Palm Beach, Fla., to Ocean City, Md. His hometown and current condition are unknown.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Savannah, Ga., medically evacuated a boater after he began experiencing life-threatening medical complications aboard his vessel 80 miles off the coast of Georgia, May 10, 2013. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

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It’s uncommon to have such an event personalized by someone with such an incredible attention to detail, punctuated with addictive laughter.

Please enjoy this following video.

(bet you will play it over again).

The post One of the most funniest voice mails ever recorded appeared first on Boaters Resource Center.

• Rule 5, Look Out  

                International and Inland – Every vessel shall at all times maintain a

proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means

appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to

make a full appraisal of the situation and risk of collision.

Comment:

• During day or night, and in conditions of restricted visibility, whether the radar is being used or not, a lookout must be present.
• In order to keep a proper look-out a mariner must use his sight and hearing and, if necessary, any optical or electronic aids which are available so as to detect other vessels as early as possible and to determine whether there is risk of collision. In addition, he must pay attention to what is happening on his own vessel, keeping a check on the steering and be certain that equipment being used in the navigation of the vessel is functioning correctly.
• The use of radar does not dispense with the need for a visual look-out.
• It is not sufficient to have the radar switched on. In order to keep a proper look-out required by the Rules, the radar must be properly used.
• The look-out should report any lights, vessels, or large floating objects which he sees, and in low visibility, any fog signals which he hears. However, when in traffic, he cannot be expected to see everything. The look-out must use discretion and report the lights or objects which are likely to bring risk of collision, especially small craft which may not have been observed from the bridge.
• The duty of a proper look-out applies also when a vessel is at anchor, especially if there is a strong current is running, or if other vessels are navigating near by.

• Rule 6, Safe Speed

                International and Inland – Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a

speed so that she can take proper and effective actions to avoid

collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing

circumstances and conditions.

In determining safe speed the following factors shall be among those

taken in account.

(a)   By all vessels: (i) The state of visibility. (ii) The traffic density including the concentration of fishing vessels or any other vessels. (iii) The maneuverability of the vessel with special reference to stopping distance and turning ability in the prevailing conditions. (iv) At night, the presence of background light such as from shore lights or from back scatter from her own lights. (v) The state of wind, sea, current, and the proximity of navigational hazards.  (vi) The draft in relation to the available depth of the water.

(b)   Additionally, by vessels with operational radar:  (i) The characteristics, efficiency and limitations of the radar equipment.  (ii) Any constraints imposed by the radar scale in use. (iii) The effect on radar detection of the sea state, weather, and other sources of interference.  (iv) The possibility that small vessels, ice, and other floating objects may not be detected by radar at an adequate range. (v) The number, location, and movements detected by radar, and.  (vi) The more exact assessment of the visibility that may be possible when radar is used to determine the range of vessels or other objects in the vicinity.

Comment:

• The use of radar does not dispense with the need to maintain a safe speed even if moderate or slow in nature.
• It is not sufficient to have the radar switched on. In order to keep a safe speed as directed by the Rules, the radar must be properly used.

• Rule 7, Risk of Collision

(a)   International and Inland – Every vessel shall use all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to determine if risk of collision exists. If there is any doubt such risk shall be deemed to exist.

(b)   International and Inland – Proper use shall be made of radar equipment if fitted and operational, including long range scanning to obtain early warning of risk of collision and radar plotting of equivalent systematic observation of detected objects.

(c)   International and Inland – Assumptions shall not be made on the basis of scanty information especially scanty radar information.

(d)   International and Inland – In determining if risk of collision exists the following considerations shall be among those taken into account: (i) Such risk shall be deemed to exist if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change; and. (ii) (Such risk may sometimes exist even when an appreciable bearing change is evident, particularly when approaching a very large vessel or a tow or when approaching vessel at close range.

Comment:

• Risk of collision is a difficult term to define, but risk may be considered to begin when two vessels have approached so close to one another that a departure from the Rules by either vessel would bring the danger of collision.
• It is the compass bearing of an approaching vessel which is referred to, not the relative bearing. Sighting an approaching vessel against the components of the vessel’s structure is a poor substitute for taking compass bearings, and can be very misleading if the direction of the ship’s bow is not taken into account on each occasion. Risk of collision should be deemed to exist if the bearing does not appreciably change. A constant bearing would indicate probability of collision if neither vessel took action, but a slowing changing bearing may also indicate risk of collision.
• Plotting is generally considered to be the best means of determining whether if there is risk of collision with another vessel or other vessels.  The principles of relative plotting should well understood by all observers as this method is best when determining the closest position of approach with another vessel.
• When using radar the importance of shadow sectors or blind areas should be kept in mind. To determine if present, the vessel’s course should altered at regular intervals so a “new” radar scan can be observed. The radar screen should be kept under continuous observation by a crew member that has been trained to interpret the radar display and properly evaluate the operating condition of the equipment.
• There is no obligation to use radar if the equipment is not functioning properly, provided it can be shown that there is a genuine fault. Every effort should be made to have it repaired and returned to service as soon as possible

• Rule 8, Action to Avoid Collision

(a)   International and Inland – Any action taken to avoid collision shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be positive, made in ample time and with due regard to the observance of good seamanship.

(b)   International and Inland – Any alteration of course or speed to avoid collision shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be large enough to be readily apparent to another vessel observing or by radar; a succession of small alterations of course or speed should be avoided.

(c)   International and Inland – If there is sufficient sea room, alteration of course alone may be the most effective action to avoid a close-quarter situation provided that it is made in good time, is substantial and does not result in another close quarter situation.

(d)   International and Inland – Action taken to avoid collision with another vessel shall be such as to result in passing at a safe distance. The effectiveness of the actions shall be carefully checked until the other vessel is finally past and clear.

(e)   International and Inland – If necessary to avoid collision or allow more time to assess the situation, a vessel shall slacken her speed or take all way off by stopping or reversing her means of propulsion.

(f)    (i) A vessel which, by any of these rules, is required not to impede the passage or safe passage of another vessel shall, when required by the circumstances of the case, take early action to allow sufficient sea room for the safe passage of the other vessel. (ii) A vessel required not to impede the passage or safe passage of another vessel is not relieved of this obligation if approaching the other vessel so as to involve risk of collision and shall, when taking action, have full regard to the action which maybe required by the rules of this part. (iii) A vessel, the passage of which is not to be impeded remains fully obligated to comply with the rules of this part when the two vessels are approaching one another so as to involve the risk of collision.

Comment:

• Changes of course-speed should be large enough to be apparent.
• In ample time, execute a large change in course. Show a side.
• Change in course (> 5 degrees) is more obvious than a change in speed.
• Any and all action(s) must result in a safe distance.
• If all else fails, slacken speed or take all way off (stop).
• Within the rules, the phrase “so far as the circumstances of the case admit” refers to what’s going on.

• Rule 9, Narrow Channels

(a)   International – A vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or fairway shall keep as near to the outer limit of the channel or fairway which lies on her starboard side as is safe and practicable. Inland –

(a)(i) A vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or fairway shall keep as near to the outer limit of the channel or fairway which lies on her starboard side as is safe and practicable. (ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(i) and Rule 14(a), a power-driven vessel operating in narrow channels or fairways on the Great Lakes, Western Rivers, or waters specified by the Secretary, and proceeding downbound with a following-current shall have the right of way over an upbound vessel, shall propose the manner and place of passage, and shall initiate the maneuvering signals prescribed by Rule 34(a)(i), as appropriate. The vessel proceeding upbound against the current shall hold as necessary to permit safe passage.

(b)   International and Inland – A vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel.

(c)   International and Inland – A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any other vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway.

(d)   International and Inland – A vessel shall not cross a narrow channel or fairway if such crossing impedes the passage of a vessel which can only safely navigate only within that channel or fairway. The latter vessel MAY (International only) or SHALL (Inland only) use the sound signal prescribed in Rule 34(c)(i) if in doubt as to the intention of the crossing vessel.

(e)   International – (i) In a narrow channel or fairway when overtaking can take place only if the VESSEL to be overtaken has to take action to permit safe passing, the vessel intending to overtake SHALL indicate her intention by sounding the appropriate signal in Rule 34(c)(i). The VESSEL to be overtaken SHALL, if in agreement, sound the appropriate signal prescribed in Rule 34(c)(ii) and take steps to permit safe passing. If in doubt she MAY sound the signals prescribed in 34(d). (ii) This Rule does not relieve the overtaking vessel of her obligation under Rule 13 (Overtaking).

Inland – (i)  In a narrow channel or fairway when overtaking, the POWER DRIVEN vessel intending to overtake another POWER-DRIVEN vessel SHALL indicate her intention by sounding the appropriate signal prescribed in Rule 34(c) and take steps to permit safe passing. The POWER-DRIVEN vessel being overtaken, if in agreement, SHALL sound the same signal prescribed in Rule 34(c) and MAY, if specifically agreed to take steps to permit safe passing. If in doubt she shall sound the danger signal prescribed in Rule 34(d). (ii) This Rule does not relieve the overtaking vessel of her obligation under Rule 13 (Overtaking).

(f)    International and Inland – A vessel nearing a bend or area of a narrow channel or fairway where other vessels may be obscured by an intervening obstruction shall navigate with particular alertness and caution and shall sound the appropriate signal prescribed in Rule 34(e).

(g)   International only ANY vessel SHALL or Inland only EVERY vessel SHALL, avoid anchoring in a narrow channel.

Comment:

• The term “narrow channel” is not easily defined. A narrow channel need not be of any particular length and does not necessarily terminate at the last of the buoys or other marks indicating the channel. It has been held by the courts that it does not apply to a recommended route between two buoys where vessels could have gone outside them in safety.
• Stay on the starboard side of the channel.
• Sailing, fishing, and vessels less than 20 meters must not impede.
• Only instance in the International Rules requiring advise and consent.
• Blind bends must be navigated with particular alertness and caution regardless of whether an approaching vessel is heard. A power-driven vessel must not “cut the corner” and get on the wrong side of the fairway.
• In the case of a long blind bend it would be prudent when approaching within a half a mile of the start of the bend to give the prescribed sound signal, that is, one prolonged blast on the whistle.

• Rule 10, Traffic Separation Schemes

(a)   International and Inland – This Rule applies to traffic separation schemes and does not relieve any vessel of her obligation under any other Rule.

(b)   International and Inland – A vessel using a traffic separation scheme shall: (i) Proceed in the appropriate traffic lane in the general direction of traffic flow for that lane. (ii) So far as practicable keep clear of a traffic separation line or separation zone. (iii) Normally join or leave a traffic lane at the termination of the lane, but when joining or leaving from either side shall do so at as small an angle to the general direction of traffic flow as practicable.

(c)   International and Inland – A vessel shall, so far as practicable, avoid crossing traffic lanes but if obliged to do so shall crossing on a heading as nearly as practicable at right angles to the general direction of traffic flow.

(d)   International and Inland – (i) A vessel shall not use an inshore traffic zone when she can safely use the appropriate traffic lane within the adjacent traffic separation scheme. However, vessels of less than 20 meters in length, sailing vessels, and vessels engaged in fishing may use the inshore traffic zone. (ii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (d)(i), a vessel may use an inshore traffic zone when en route to or from a port, offshore installation or structure, pilot station, or any other place situated within the inshore traffic zone.

(e)   International and Inland – A vessel other than a crossing vessel or a vessel joining or leaving a lane shall not normally enter a separation zone or cross a separation line except: (i) In cases of emergency to avoid immediate danger; or. (ii) To engage in fishing within the separation zone.

(f)    International and Inland – A vessel navigating in areas near the termination of traffic separation schemes shall do so with particular caution.

(g)   International and Inland – A vessel shall so far as practicable avoid anchoring in a traffic separation scheme or in areas near its termination.

(h)   International and Inland – A vessel not using a traffic separation scheme shall avoid it by as wide a margin as is practicable.

(i)     International and Inland – A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any vessel following a traffic lane.

(j)     International and Inland – A vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the safe passage of a power-driven vessel following a traffic lane.

(k)   International and Inland - A vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver when engaged in an operation for the maintenance of safety of navigation in a traffic separation scheme is exempt from complying with this Rule to the extent necessary to carry out the operations.

(l)     International and Inland – A vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver when engaged in an operation for the laying, servicing, or picking up a submarine cable, within a traffic separation scheme, is exempted from complying with this Rule to the extent necessary to carry out the operation.

Comment:

• When using a TSS, use the correct traffic lane, keep clear of the separation zone, enter and leave at termination points, anywhere else do so at a small angle as possible.
• Try not to cross a TSS, but if you have to, cross at 90 degrees to it.
• In general use the TSS. Vessels less than 20 meters and sailing vessels should use inshore traffic zones when available.

The post OUPV 14 appeared first on Boaters Resource Center.

When: May 22, 2013       Wednesday, 12 noon till 1:30

What: Wooden Boat Wednesday educational event – FREE to all

Where: Northwest Maritime Center

HOW:  Make reservations: chandlery@nwmaritime.org or call 360.385.3628 x101

Easy skills for repairing inflatable boats – how to avoid terminal mistakes.

Stewart Pugh will teaching a class on the basics of inflatable boat repair and maintenance. The students should come away with a basic understanding of the different types of boat fabric and how to perform simple patches and repairs. He will discuss the different configurations of inflatable boats and how they are best used. Included are a few “rubber boat tricks” learned from world cruisers.

Inflatable boats are a relatively new invention in the world of boating. They have advanced from the once simple canvas tubes covered with vulcanized rubber  to modern synthetic rubber and plastic coated over modern fabrics.

Inflatable boats are the mainstay of rescue vessels and almost mandatory for safe river rafting. Almost all commercial vessels now carry inflatable boats in the form of emergency life-rafts and emergency rescue boats.

Repair of an inflatable boat is easy, but a solid starting point of technique and material is required. A simple mistake can make the boat unrepairable. It is also important to know when a repair should not be done or when the boat is at the end of its life.

About the instructor: Stewart Pugh has worked on all types of marine motors for

45 years and the last 12 years has maintained the fleet of small outboards used by the Northwest Maritime Center and Schooner Adventuress. He has a Port Townsend boat shop that repairs small outboards, inflatable boats and builds underwater robots. He can be reached at: spugh@idahovandals.com    or call 360-821-3762.

Free Event. Advance Sign up required.

Location: Classroom upstairs above the Boat Shop (red building)

Class size limited to 24 persons.  RSVP for a seat.

Sign up early to reserve a spot!  chandlery@nwmaritime.org or call 360.385.3628  ext 101

*                             *                             *

What’s the overall mission for these events?

In keeping with Northwest Maritime Center’ mission to engage and educate people in traditional and contemporary maritime life, the Wooden Boat Chandlery serves as a conduit for educating the public about traditional and contemporary maritime topics. We supply a broad line of maritime books, traditional chandlery tools and boating supplies, and sell nautical instruments and gifts. Along with providing a source for maritime products, we also strive to be a knowledgeable resource base.  By hosting the Wooden Boat Wednesday events, free of charge, anyone can come and learn new skills and knowledge in specific maritime fields.

The post Inflatable boat repair May 22 appeared first on Boaters Resource Center.

One of the more useful electronic devices in our overhead display is the log meter. Not only does this unit display water temperature (which I never really cared about, because Puget Sound is dang cold even in summer), but more usefully it displays miles logged since last reset, and speed through the water. I use the latter over all the other functions because I can calculate how much current assist we are getting by subtracting the log meter reading from the GPS speed. If my navigation homework is correct then we are usually being pushed along with a modest to strong tide. On the other hand, a negative result will result in bronco-busting waves, whirly whirlpools, and the occasional validation of my stupidity from the first mate for having navigated from the wrong tide datum. (There can, however, be a silver lining to this mistake, because it can mean getting three shiny new windshield wipers to replace the ones bent beyond recognition when the bow buries deep into Deception Pass’s famous tidal overfall.)

A Simple Matter

 Most boaters are passingly familiar with the concept of log meters, and know that the log meter display is driven by a small paddle wheel transducer, which resides inside a housing lowered down a thru-hull fitting near the boat’s keel. Those of us whose boats are equipped with a log meter know that the paddle wheel housing is secured in place by a large retaining nut, and that maintenance is normally done when the vessel is lifted out of the water for bottom painting. A quick scrubbing to remove barnacles usually restores rotation function. However, in cases where the skipper does a soft grounding or a piece of flotsam strikes the wheel, the shaft can be bent thereby binding its rotation. This happened to me, and after discussions with many knowledgeable people — including one fellow who swears by the two broken teeth used to pry open beer bottle caps — I was persuaded that pulling the housing while afloat is “No big deal.” Right! What they fail to inform you about is some of the physics involved, such as displacement. Take a 15,000-pound vessel and place it into the water. It floats. But what makes it float? It’s 15,000 pounds of force pushing back. Hence, when you pull the transducer, you’re allowing 15,000 pounds of water free access to the inside of your boat.

Typically, the aforementioned knowledgeable people tell you to proceed as follows:

1. Unscrew the retaining ring.

2. Pull the unit out and replace with a soft wooden plug.

3. Repair and test the paddle wheel transducer.

4. Replace unit.

Sounds simple, right? No so! Here are some notes from my endeavor:

1. First let me begin by saying that anything of this magnitude should be attempted only after 30 minutes of strenuous stretching while reciting “Lefty loosey … righty tighty.”

2. Access is gained by lowering oneself into a position not usually attainable for anyone but a professional contortionist. Hence, the stretching program. In my case, with my forehead lodged tightly against the raw water strainer, I loosened the retaining ring (lefty loosey), grasped the housing lift ring, and started to pull. The first few gallons began spewing past my wrists. Then the operation came to a halt after discovering the transmitter cable was wire tied too close to the thru-hull, impeding any further lift. Unable to lift or turn my head from under the pressure of the raw water hose, I fumbled through the toolbox behind me to finger a pair of cutters (after dismissing two sets of pliers and an open box cutter whose sharpness nearly required stitches). The water continued flowing briskly but I felt confident the plug held between my teeth muffled any of the colorful commentary gurgling from the back of my throat. I did however make a wonderful discovery that my right foot fit perfectly into the stringer’s scupper cutout and kept the water contained from flowing down into the bilge (reminiscent of a stopper on a party cooler). The log meter unit popped up from the thru-hull, ricocheting off my frowning forehead, and I was offered a brief glance of the bay’s bottom where I’m happy to report the two screwdrivers, anchor roller nut, and lid to the expensive carnauba wax can remain peacefully at rest below the hull. I would suggest that this procedure be done in a bathing suit or “au naturel,” as the inbound water will quickly take advantage of any cotton clothing’s absorbency.

3. With the unit removed, place the plug (in my case, the chewed plug) into the hole with just enough force to keep it snug. Under no circumstances should you take a hammer and pound the sucker home. Remember, it must be eventually removed, and come-along usage in the engine room is another chapter requiring a few more pages of wisdom, so not to bore you, I will try to remain focused on this task at hand. 

4. Anyway, do what must be done to repair the paddle wheel transducer and ready it for reinsertion. About here you might visualize what a doctor may experience performing a sigmoidoscopy. Great care must be used, including ample lube to insure the “O” ring is not compromised. It takes a steady hand, deep breath, and conviction that insertion will go smoothly. It’s a straight shot so you can reserve lefty loosey and righty tighty at this juncture. Jam your right foot home into the stringer’s scupper and then wiggle the wooden plug until the host begins weeping. When the plug pops out like a vintage champagne cork, plunge the wheel housing home. (Note: make sure the transmitter cable is not shortened by being wrapped around the alternator, across the dipstick, or under your left kneecap. Or, in my case, all three). Remember, practice make perfect and should the first attempt fail, remove the unit, and replace it with the plug (if it hasn’t already rolled out of reach under the engine by now). Also, check to make sure the “O” ring hasn’t slipped off the paddle wheel housing and joined ranks with the other inventory beneath the keel.

5. Once satisfied that the unit is seated correctly and locked into position (righty tighty), take a spin out and around the breakwater to test its accuracy. Finally, I would like to offer this tidbit of professional experience: Under no circumstances should you snap a salute to a United States Coast Guard patrol boat through the open pilothouse door while clad “au naturel.”

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