Don't Text (or play with other electronics) and Drive

[joempo]

Reading Boatagain's "true confession" prompted me to tell one on myself.
We are told repeatedly to not text and drive while behind the wheel of our automobile. I suggest the same message is good for boaters, also.
Last June, Robyn and I were cruising in the South Sound, where crab season was open early. Long story short, we were headed from Longbranch to Olympia, just off Devil's Head at the tip of Key Peninsula, when I decided I needed to send a text message. I'm looking down, instead of where we are going, when Robyn says, "do you see those buoys?" I look up in time to see two buoys disappear below the bow. By the time I shut down the throttle, I hear a loud noise aft.
I go to the cockpit and see a very taught line extending from under the swim step aft to a buoy and continuing under the water's surface. I pulled on the line, hoping to gain some slack, but the current was strong. We were anchored in place by the crab pot, which we later determined was a commercial pot. After dropping our anchor and cutting the line between our boat and the buoy, I could see the other buoy pinned tightly against the transom. After bending one aluminum boat hook pole and cracking the wooden deck brush handle attempting to dislodge the buoy and line, I phoned Boat US for a Vessel Assist. (Robyn refused to allow me to attempt clearing it myself by going overboard with a snorkle and mask.) They came, towed us to a nearby marina and suggested a local diver. The diver came and took longer suiting up than to clear the line from the prop. I left the buoy on the dock for the owner to retrieve. I kept the knotted line as a reminder and a conversation piece.
My take-aways:
Always pay attention to what's up front when we are under way. If something else needs my attention, have Robyn or another passenger keep a constant eye out or take over the helm. That includes making adjustments to the chart plotter.
When the bill for Boat US comes in the mail, pay it cheerfully. It is very inexpensive insurance.

I hope others can learn from my experience.
Joe

 

[baz]

Joe: Only too true for sure.

It's just too easy to get distracted in an emergency even when you know you should not be. We are humans and make mistakes.

I also had a near collision being distracted last year cruising on auto pilot toward Edmonds. My wife was sick and laying in the V-berth and needed some help quickly. We were the only two onboard so, as you can imagine, my distraction left the boat's course unattended. When I surfaced our Tug was racing past an oncoming sailboat with a mere 100 feet between us. I'm sure the sailboat (under power) had to make a course correction for us, and the look on the sailboat captain's face was very embarrassing for me. In retrospect, I should have throttled down to a stop before attending to 1st mate... and this actually raises a question in my mind... If at a standstill in the water and another boat hits you, who's at fault ?

 

[Auklet]

Barry --- Go to "navigation rules online". Read rule 18.

 

[Boatagain]

Perhaps this should be merged with the "I Should Have Known Better" thread and re-titled "True Confessions" or "Cautionary Tales for Tugnutters". It makes for interesting reading, but more importantly, allows everyone to learn from everyone else's mistakes. As for me, I'm lovin' being a part of a very human and comforting community. Thanks.

 

[walldog]

Barry --- Go to "navigation rules online". Read rule 18.

Good Response Pat, glad to see you are still awake. Stay warm.

 

[JamesTXSD]

We've all seen the videos of people texting and walking... and walking into a door or a water fountain. Don't text and do ANYTHING else! Especially when operating a moving vehicle/vessel.

That applies to messing with a chartplotter, too. (Who amongst us... well, you know. 😉 ) One of the boat captains in the San Juans hit a log this past summer while "programming his chartplotter." (No, it wasn't me.)

Jim B.

 

[bbrh842]

Regarding "Navigation Rules Online", Rule 3, paragraph i is also applicable. This is where the term "underway" is defined. It may be a surprise to some, even if you are drifting with the engine off, you are still considered legally to be "Underway".

 

[baz]

Barry --- Go to "navigation rules online". Read rule 18.

Thanks.... so I did look up Rule 18 purely out of curiosity. This was my understanding, which of course others may find fault with.

(a) A power-driven vessel underway shall keep out of the way of:

(i) a vessel not under command;
(ii) a vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver;
(iii) a vessel engaged in fishing;
(iv) a sailing vessel.

...and not under command was defined as... http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=def3f_NOC

The term "vessel not under command" means a vessel which through some exceptional circumstance is unable to maneuver as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.

As I considered my help to 1st Mate was paramount and had I placed the boat adrift then "not under command" might be applicable... but dunno.

Some rules can surely be difficult to unravel to obtain the correct interpretation.

 

[bbrh842]

The problem is, if an allision occurs, the rules will be unraveled in court. Mighty inconvenient, and expensive. Being adrift in neutral at the time the allision occurred, might be a defense to prosecution, or might be deemed contributory negligence on the part of the other mariner. I have been known to leave the helm briefly, when singlehanded, but always while adrift, never when under way. I have also been known to reel out a few feet of anchor while drifting, to appear anchored to other boats.

 

[JamesTXSD]

If you are involved in a collision, the Coast Guard will assign some percentage of blame to each party... because the most important rule is: do whatever is necessary to avoid a collision.

 

[swordmanjosh]

And just incase it makes anybody feel better everyone makes these mistakes. My boat was on a buoy in a buoy field at the marina and I had a DNR officer call me and tell me he ran into my boat. I asked how and he was upfront that he was texting while driving to go onto patrol for the day. I mean geesh, at the minimum never do this in a crowded marina. If you are the only one for miles around then the story could be slightly skewed but still just don't.