Maltese Falcon in a bit of a prang

Codger · 10-05-2008, 04:04 PM

Whole series of photos of what looks like about a 45 footer turning in to Maltese Falcon. Another graduate of the Helen Keller school of helmsmanship?

http://lyonsimaging.smugmug.com/gall...86640898_QnAqE

Kevin · 10-05-2008, 04:30 PM

"Sorry about that... I totally didn't see that two hundred and eighty nine foot vessel RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!"

brunick · 10-05-2008, 04:53 PM

in the end of the picture series you see the damage done by the small sail boat - i guess that damage might cost more than his boat

Yacht News · 10-05-2008, 05:36 PM

Wow, it seems as though as one of the female crew members was a bit in shock at the damage to the caprail and the scuff on the hull. "What will the boss say about this?"

vivariva · 10-05-2008, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

"Sorry about that... I totally didn't see that two hundred and eighty nine foot vessel RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!"

Probably waiting for the Falcon to tack to port since he was approaching on starboard tack

.

Blair · 10-05-2008, 06:49 PM

You may be right about assumptions of the starboard advantage applying and the smaller yacht expecting Maltese Falcon to bail out and tack clear but no excuse for the collison notwithstanding - for either vessel really. Also, is there not a normal 500GRT exception as to an ability to rely on starboard-hand course rights? The skipper seemed to be total shock as he/she carried on with the genoa back-winded after the prang. He was probably checking his policy as a first priority! No doubt the US Coast Guard's report will be of some interest to the insurers.

Codger · 10-05-2008, 07:07 PM

Whatever the rules, although I think that Maltese Falcon is a commercial vessel, expecting a vessel that size to take evasive action is foolhardy at best.
I'm sure that if Mr Bassani took Alcatraz and mounted it on a hull there would still be someone out on the bay expecting it to give way.

Blair · 10-05-2008, 07:41 PM

Fully agree - if this particular guy was assuming (doubtful?) course rights or just playing a game of chicken in a silly match the odds were always going to be a hiding to nothing. Mind you, he got closer being aboard Maltese Falcon than most of us will ever do!

Pascal · 10-05-2008, 08:33 PM

while both boats are at fault for not avoiding the collision, which Rule states that a sailing vessel on STBD tack needs to give way to a larger sailing vessel on PORT tack?

sure, the guy should have tacked away and not forced the issue but... and again, in a collision both sides are responsible to some degree, but in this case, being on port tack Maltese Falcon was the give way vessel, wasn't she?

unless the other vessel failed to maintain course and speed, obviously...

Castlerock · 10-05-2008, 09:11 PM

Pascal you are forgetting the rules that apply to a vessel with limited maneuverability. Thinking that MF could tack away with all her sails full and many other spectator boats around is just foolish, arrogant and his fault.

Loren Schweizer · 10-06-2008, 01:22 PM

Let's put an end to the conjecturing on "rules" here.
The ONLY rule which applies in this unfortunate instance is 'The Tonnage Rule' (a/k/a 'Might Is Right').

Castlerock · 10-06-2008, 01:44 PM

This is a common misconception, there is no "Rule of Gross Tonnage" it is an accepted standard as quoted from the Annapolis Book of Seamanship:

"The so-called "gross tonnage rule," an informal advisory, says that small boats should always stay out of the way of big boats, no matter what the Navigation Rules say."

and the US Coast Guard:

"The law, which is more common sense then explicitly written in the code, goes like this: “The heavier vessel always has the right-of-way.”"

Pascal · 10-06-2008, 04:13 PM

it is common sense not to get in the way of a significantly larger vessel which may be less maneuvrable, but the ONLY rules that apply are the Nav Rules and the words "rule of tonnage" are not in there...

If they were both racing, then it seems to me that the give way vessel has to give way regardless of size. If a big boy doens't want to give way to the small guy, he has no business racing...

The danger with interpretation is that it's no longer clear cut as it is with the ROR. "the heavier vessel has the right-of-way" is a highly misleading statement. how much much heavier? does it mean a 20' center console should stay out of the way of an 50' Sportfish? Were do you draw the line?

NYCAP123 · 10-06-2008, 05:31 PM

Looks like someone out on the bay forgot about Constrained By Draft & Restricted in Ability to Maneuver. I remember being out on the Sound a few years ago and hearing a regatta official hailing a tug with tow to adjust his course to stear clear of some of their wayward sailboats as if he could do anything.

Blair · 10-06-2008, 07:27 PM

Rather like the yacht that sought to sail through the gap between the tug and its barge off the North Island coast of New Zealand a few years ago? Another tragic result of lost lives when the keel hit the tow line. Locally in NZ, we do have a specific tonnage rule exclusion to STB hand rights and colliding course avoidance rules in addition to the more general restricted draft and/or maneuverability exception.

One would expect that MF had an adequate watch and was blasting its horn and waving arms with some vigour, if not luffing up to port, nonetheless. Given also that he hit about midships (so it was a fait accompli as an outcome - if he held his course - for perhaps a good 30secs or so) it's amazing that the smaller yacht skipper did not dump his main, throw the wheel and bear off downwind - which would only take 5 seconds at most. Maybe though, just maybe, he was intent on a dramatic method of suicide or perhaps wanted a bit of MF's paint and cap rail extracted from his bow to sell on Ebay?

We have all done fairly stupid things in gaining our experience in life but sometimes you do wonder.