Sailboat gets in the way of Great Lakes freighter

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Marie13

Great Lakes Mermaid
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The Cuyahoga was on the St Clair River, not far from the southern end of Lake Huron. Sailboat was in the shipping channel when the Cuyahoga had to make a turn to line up for the Blue Water Bridge (links Port Huron, MI and Sarnia, ON). Scrapes on the sides of the freighter are from going through the Soo and ice.

@Wookie

Your CG regs knowledge will be useful to refute the inevitable folks who think a sailboat always has right of way over a powered vessel.

 
Physics don't care about right away or even CG wishes.

When you have a HUGE vessel in motion it has a tendency to continue its motion, even if the baby sailboat operator thinks he has the right away.
 
The St. Clair River has a ripping current and he appears to be trying to fight it. The Cuyahoga gave them 5 blasts at least twice, before the sailboat gybing in front of her. Colreg Inland Rules 7 and 8 (among others) apply:

Rule 7 - Risk of Collision


(a) 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.

Rule 8 - Action to Avoid Collision

(a) Any action taken to avoid collision shall be taken in accordance with Rules 4-19 and shall if the circumstances of the case admit, be positive, made in ample time and with due regard to the observance of good seamanship.

I live downstream from the St. Clair River on Lake St. Clair and hear 5 blasts all too often.

Edited: Gybing rather than tacking - and I knew that!
 
Guy in the sailboat should be arrested. He had plenty of time to tack and waited until the last minute - seemingly on purpose.

Chart 14852 - the bridge is located at the mouth of the river and is most visible on the upper left inset in the chart.

1) That was a gybe, not a tack. A tack is a turn into the wind. The gybe is a turn off the wind and the way he did it was an emergency maneuver of last resort.
2) The sailboat may have been obligated to hold course at least at first or at least may have thought so. Interpretation of the colregs in rivers is complex.
3) The intentions of the freighter were not at all clear to me and probably not to the sailboat either.
4) The freighter appears to have been operated with reckless disregard for the possibility of collision. They never should have been that close.
5) Use of VHF radio in these situations enhances safety and it would be interesting to know if either vessel tried to hail the other.

I sail on the Mississippi and deal with commercial traffic all the time.

I will ask around on some other forums and post a more thorough analysis after it's been discussed by people who know more than I do.
 
I used to race small sailboats on Puget Sound, and often the racecourse would go through the shipping channel. The people who ran the series actually had to put a rule in place that it was an automatic DSQ if you passed between a tug and its tow.
 
....the inevitable folks who think a sailboat always has right of way over a powered vessel.

even if the baby sailboat operator thinks he has the right away.

Guy in the sailboat should be arrested. He had plenty of time to tack and waited until the last minute - seemingly on purpose.

I gather that none of you have operated a sailboat that size and have not studied the navigation rules governing how sailboats and large vessels are to steer when a risk of collision exists. While the term "right of way" is no longer used, sailboats do have a broad obligation to hold their course when encountering other vessels and other vessels have an obligation to stay out of their way. These rules are not absolute and there are many other obligations that the navigation rules place on both vessels, and they vary somewhat by location. A key fact to consider is that sailboats are (in most circumstances) obligated to hold their course and allow other vessels to move around them up until a point where it appears that the other vessel isn't going to follow the rules. Exactly where this point is, is the subject of great debate and discussion and has been over centuries. Most skippers, especially those who frequent waters that have commercial traffic, know the rules well and make a genuine effort to follow them.

A key point many non-sailors do not understand is that sailboats have limited speed and maneuverability. It is not possible to outrun a freighter with 20,000 horsepower running at 15 knots. As such sailors in these situations must determine the intentions of the other vessel well in advance in order to move out of the way. A poorly chosen turn can move a sailboat from a place of safety to a place of danger.
 
A key point many non-sailors do not understand is that sailboats have limited speed and maneuverability. .
. This can also be said about large commercial vessels. Although, commercial vessels have very large and powerful engines, they do not maneuver very well, and do not stop quickly. Even if outfitted with multiple engines, stern thrusters, and bow thrusters.
 
In my opinion, the freighter was confined to a narrow channel, which makes him the stand on vessel. Both vessels are required to take action to avoid a collision.

However: the stand on vessel (the freighter) appeared to turn to starboard to avoid a collision and then turn back to port when the danger had passed. The stand on vessel should have maintained course and speed until it became obvious there was risk of collision. I’m not sure there would have been. Also: the upbound vessel should give way to the downbound vessel. It’s obvious that the sailboat has no steerage and no control. The freighter is maneuverable, but is insisting on his right of way, if indeed he has it.

Everyone knows that sailors are not as bright as powerboaters. A good captain will anticipate the situation around him and realize he has a dumb weekend sailor who insists on his right of way and doesn’t have a clue about the Rules.
 
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