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Right of way question
Liberty44140
Member Posts: 4,333 ✭✭✭✭✭
Question for captains and auxiliary out there. Can fisherman just stop in the middle of a public channel to fish, stopping traffic? Came in to our channel today, it’s not huge maybe 100’ wide. There is a fishing boat using his trolling motors to stop perpendicular taking up half the channel. A center console had to go around him since he stopped traffic and that center console ended up right in front of me. I let off my horn and the fishing vessel then became a part of traffic (i have a nice deep air horn). As they passed I told the center console I was not honking at him and told the fisherman that this is a public channel and not fishing grounds and he can not stop and tie up a channel. He looked at me blankly. I am 99.999% sure I am right. Confirmation?
07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)
Comments
2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=rightOfWay
Coming home a couple weeks back a guy is literally tied to the pier of the bridge, and has completely blocked it.. another boat approached from the other side and hailed him forcing the guy to pull the stern line and pull the bow line... opening enough to let the center console pass.... the CC passes me and shakes his head... im on the approach and this clown amd his family (maybe it was his extended family there were so many on that boat) are trying to rehook the stern when they see me...
The guy literally motioned in an aggrevated manner for me to go around and use another set of piers to pass between.... the he started to yell the same.... i kinda shut him down quick... of all those kids weren't present it would have been far worse.
I told him its illegal to not only block a channel but also to tie off on a marker, which piers on both sides of him were (red/green official markers).... i told him the fine is substantial and if he preferred I could go get the coast guard I'd passed just a little distance away and let them interpret..
Here is the thing- I really don't think he knew. Firmly informing likely wasn't needed, but i was kinda tweaked...
The guy behind me was a straight jerk, though.... he came through while the guy was trying to untie and on plane.... dangerous and unnecessary... then, he turned and did it again.... i guess trying to make a point of some sort while endangering a guy who lacks experience, and more importantly the guys family.
After seeing that I felt bad for the guy more than any aggrevation. He didn't deserve that. He just needed to be told.
If you see one that illegally placed, and you want it gone, I'd say move it. You're doing the owner a favor.
But here's another scenario, our marina is located in a shallow bay that is a favourite for both fishermen and boaters that literally leave the marina, motor out 500 yards and anchor all day. On a busy weekend there can be a couple hundred boats anchored all over starting about a mile and a half up the bay. I usually weave my way through on full plane for two reasons, the first being that at no-wake speed I'd be an hour getting through, the second is that at half speed I'm throwing an even larger wake. Again, only if I can safely keep distance. Am I a di(k?
2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
a popular shoal (they call it a sandbar, but it's a dang shoal... ) here is less than 50 yards off the main channel to the inlet, which is less than a half mile away. big boats come through at speed- and chunks some major wake.
another popular shoal is tucked to one side of the inlet, and has a deep water channel along it, but IS NOT a 'marked' channel.
if you speed along the first one (marked), no one has a right to complain... legal? don't know... but it's understood anchoring to the side of that channel is accepting the risk.
if you speed along (on plane OR 'plowing') past the second one? you're going to get chased down and get an earful.
i THINK the maritime law is "100 feet from an anchored vessel" but that isn't possible all the time.. so.. folks idle past or at least stay well below planing speeds... in your case? I'm thinking those folks anchored in, on, or near the main passage channel are taking their own responsibility for doing so... the only ones who get by with anchoring in the middle of the main channel here are the coast guard- and they do it often... and whistle you over to them as you pass (and it better be no wake when you are passing)...
about my first post: I was highly tweaked at the guy behind me purposely casting wake at the anchored guy and his family... first off, it's illegal and should be enforced (nobody around to do that)... second- it's the equiv of riding some poor old ladies backside on the road because she's going too slow- if she is so barely in charge of that vehicle she is going so slow, what makes a person believe she can handle the additional stress of a tailgater? and third: it's demonstrative of what our society had devolved into- someone being 'wronged' either real or just perceived, and thinking that justifies their unjust actions toward that person.
2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.barton.56/videos/4062237523848886/
Then my favorite part: She said "I've been boating here for 25 years" and he said "well, I'm Coast Guard!"
To his credit, he did stay off plane, and eventually figured out where the no-wake zone ended.