Re: [Cal_Boats] fish n boats

In a message dated 12/9/2010 2:40:13 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, he… [at] sbcglobal.net writes: I took a sixpack licensing course (for coast guard test)one of the instructors was a highspeed ferry captain, about 3 years ago. I too thought working boats meant trollers, but lines do not count, only trawlers (dragging nets). working boats include dredges, fuel transfers, boats towing (not pushing as in one unit). I was amazed however, to see several idiots in various boats after a blue angel exhibition about 3 years ago take off across from near alcatraz towards Sausalito and run right over the tow line between a tug and an outbound container ship. I saw the utube video. HH The six pack course is invaluable even if you don't plan on doing any charter business. I was shocked to learn how far down the list sailboats actually are when it comes to right of way. There is a guy "Capt Bob" who has a program here on the east coast that allows you to get your license in . . . I think it was 3 weekends consisting of 3 hours on a Friday night and 8 hours on Sat and Sun. in consecutive weekends. The best class I ever took and IMHO some abbreviated version ought to be made mandatory for all boat owners. Its amazing to me that if you have the $$$ you can go out and buy a 40' cigarette boat with 2400hp and go terrorize the waters that day. Paul

In a message dated 12/9/2010 3:55:53 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, al… [at] PaloAltoPhoto.com writes: My dad was sailing in the Caribbean once and had a VHF radio, unusual for the time. At night talking to a tug the captain told my dad words I will never forget: This is the Tug xxx and I am towing an unlit barge a mile back with a steel cable. If you continue on your present course, you will go between us. He altered course but I guess you knew that because he lived to tell the story. Sailing Gods were with him that night! I am amazed a boat could go between a tug and its tow and not sink or have something very serious happen. I have a couple of rules: 1) Don't go between a tug and whatever it is escorting. 2) How can you tell if you can make it in front of an incoming freighter? If you can see it, you can't make it. Freighters are amazingly fast but don't ever look like they are moving that fast until they go by you and you see that bow wave. Paul

In a message dated 12/9/2010 6:38:15 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, ve… [at] yahoo.com writes: < Some years ago on a windjammer race, Mistress III a Tartan 41 while sailing in fog off the San Mateo coast hit something on an inshore gybe. Believing that they were too close inshore, they gybed back. A short while later the same grinding rumble happened once more, On reaching Monterey the boat was hauled and it was discovered that there were marks in 2 directions where Mistress had passed between a tug and it's tow in the fog and had ground the tow wire against the keel. Some of us are just plain lucky. My Best, Mike > Better to be lucky than good, fast or smart sometimes. Bet a chill went up their backs when they saw that! Paul