sailboaters close pass question

[ziggy]

so i'm out at the lake last weekend. not a big lake. 2k sq acre. there were at least 5 boats on the lake, maybe 6. ya get the idea. not many and plenty of room to go where ever ya want.

so i'm just floating about and this fella in a sailboat passes me within 20 feet. maybe 15. close enough for me to talk to them and say hi (grumbleing under my cheery hello). why is it that sailboaters just feel they need to pass you by so close? it just seems rude to me.. if i'd pass them in my speedboat that close they'd probably get all warped over it.. i just don't understand their need to pass so close when there's open water to be had.. i've had this happen before too...

maybe they're just showing off their sailing skills is my best guess for a reason they do this...

 

[tommays]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

Zig

How many feet would you like at 4 MPH

 

[lowkee]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

For me, whenever I would get too close to another boat, it was because I miscalculated my last turn and was making a choice between losing the wind and colliding with another boat. Usually that meant getting pretty close, but going slowly, as I had to aim the boat a bit off-breeze to make the angle.

So, in summary, when I would pass a boat that close I was wishing that boat wasn't in that exact spot and that boat may have been unhappy I was so close. An awkward spot to be in, but it happens once in a while and is the nature of wind-powered boating. Just wave, say hello and continue what you were doing. No need to lose your temper.

Added note: Keep in mind, sailing is a social sport, since we can chit chat between boats even under way as we don't have a gas-popper sputtering away. It could be those people are just saying hi to other boaters, something we can do while under way. There are those who think open water should mean "leave me alone". I find coves are better for hanging that sign.

 

[ziggy]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

good to see ya posting up tommays. hi.

How many feet would you like at 4 MPH

good thing ya didn't say 5mph. cause then i'd say. quoteing from the unlawful practices from the state of nebr. boating guide. "travel at speeds exceeding 5 mph/no excessive wake limit in or within 30 yards of any vessel,"..... . i know, sailboats don't put out much wake. so the rule may not apply. but 30 yards in general is a good number for keeping my distance from others weather i'm putting out a wake or not. imho..

lowkee, i understand how a sailboat may be on a specific course and not be able to adj. it's course much. but you can tell from a long ways away what your course is and how close it's gonna take you to something...

No need to lose your temper.

it's not that bad for me man. boating and loosing my temper just don't go together.. i'm just wondering why they feel the need to do that. i afford them a wide berth assuming i can give it to them for traffic. but traffic is not the issue here when it's wide open waters.

here are those who think open water should mean "leave me alone". I find coves are better for hanging that sign.

no perticular coves on my lake i frequent and if there are, their back in the sticks where i'm not so inclined to take my i/o w/o a depth finder. so i choose open water + i can float for a long time prior needing to move.

i'm not meaning to rile up any sailboaters. sailboaters are my friends too... just trying to understand why they need to do this behavior.

 

[j_martin]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

lowkee, i understand how a sailboat may be on a specific course and not be able to adj. it's course much. but you can tell from a long ways away what your course is and how close it's gonna take you to something..

.

Which is it, a small lake or a lot of maneuvering room?

And yes, there's a lot more to sailing than just pointing and stabbing the throttle like you do with a motor boat. It's pretty easy to mis-guess the side slip, especially at slow speed, or when the wind's gusty, and wind up having to pass closer to something than you'd like.

Just pull crappie bobber thingie out of his way and wave to him. Chill out and enjoy the chat.

One time I was on a chartered sail boat (Apostle islands, neat experience) and the skipper dealt with a loudmouth know it all by setting up a nice tight tack and giving him the helm. Took him about 20 seconds to dump the wind and get stalled sideways. I about fell overboard laughing.

 

[lowkee]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

My post wasn't meant as any kind of attack. Just trying to share the reasons I've been a few feet from a boat while sailing. Heck, there has been more than one time I've met a boat floating nearly sideways from a complete loss of wind. I find sailing similar to sledding, you can aim the boat but the end point isn't entirely up to you.

That ribbon you see tied to boat masts is king and determines where a boat goes, and it's a fickle string.

 

[roscoe]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

Having been aboard sailing vessels many times on Lake Michigan and Winnebago, I have come to 2 conclusions.
1- Sailors do think they are special and the laws don't apply to them.
2- Some Sailors are like some jetskiers.

My response, if they are within casting distance, I will likely bounce a lure off his hull.

Don't know what I would do if he was within 20'. But I do know I can throw my small anchor over 20'.

It is against the law here to pass by at that distance.
It is also against the law to harass a fisherman.

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

Yelling out and pointing:

"Theres a huge rock right off your bow...LOOKOUT!"

Might have had the desired effect.

 

[JustJason]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

1. Mount a shotgun rack to the winshield.... with a shotgun.
2. Fly a pirate flag

Who know's why people do what they do. Nobody can read minds. If it's folks being friendly that bug ya while your enjoying your thing, then be real unfriendly. Naming your boat the SS PoliticalReligionBasher will probably keep people at bay

 

[bruceb58]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

Maybe he thought you were cute and was checking you out?

Personally, I would let it slide.

 

[sprintst]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

Maybe he thought you were cute and was checking you out?

Personally, I would let it slide.

Next time say "Hi sailor" in a real femmy voice. He might even sell the boat

 

[scoutabout]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

I can see how that would be annoying. I've done a fair bit of sailing, some of it competitive on larger boats and have many times been boiling along close enough to step from one deck to another. It's pretty exciting - but that said - both parties need to want to do this.

I'd say he was either being social and or failing to consider that you may not enjoy his particular brand of close pass.

I don't buy the course issue, though. If you can't keep a course safely - you tack.

 

[PW2]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

He was no doubt on a tack.

Changing tacks simply to avoid coming into close proximity on a small lake would appear anti social, and he wouldn't do it.

 

[angus63]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

Sailboaters (and most humans) are gregarious by nature. Just want to check out your ride or see if your catching anything. Sailing on a lake can be kinda dull without taking in some new scenery now and again. As long as a "safe" distance is kept, not much you can do except hide out in the shallows or pray for a still day!

 

[tommays]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

So while we should all be courteous to each other in life

If we each keep a 50' circle thats allmost 8000 sqft per boat and if we get crazy and go for 100' were up to 31000 sqft or almost of and acre pre boat


I am intrested in how many feet are legal in other places

BUT then i am used to this as normal with overr 1000 boats next to each other

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

Most motor boats do not have the right of way over a boat powered by sail.

Sailboats do not have right of way over commercial boats, vessels restricted by draft, size or inability to maneuver.

When over taking another boat the boat being overtaken has the right of way.

A boat that is recreational fishing does not have the right of way over a sail boat

Sailboats being powered by motor go by the same rules of the road as any other power vessel.

 

[ziggy]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

interesting reply's. thanks for all considerations.

guess i'm under the impression that a boat not under command (for whatever reason) is of the highest pecking order over all others, including sailboats.

perhaps i'm of the wrong assumption, but when i'm floating about, and no one is the helm, my boat is not under command.

i guess my biggest concern from these sailboats passing me so close is that any boat, at anytime, can do strange things. course wise. waves, currents, gusts of wind, debris, other boats that may enter into the equation. i don't know if the skippers of these boats are skilled and passing me by for fun, or weather the skipper is having troubles holding the course he sets and is heading towards me.

i have, and will continue to be friendly when i get the close pass. i'll say hello and watch them pass me by. i will take into consideration the course set by the sailboat for open water too. consider they are likely wanting the longest run they can get w/o changing course since it is a smaller lake. during high traffic, all bets are off for any kind of boat for a close pass. i just still think the close pass isn't all that great of an idea when the lake is wide open and a course change isn't all that hard to accomplish.

thanks again for the insight guys...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: sailboaters close pass question

Sailboats are so used to passing close next to eachother so that they don't have to alter course that it is probably was his mindset. Whenever you change course you need to adjust your sails to the new wind direction so its more a matter of not having to trim 2 more times if you need to change course twice to get around someone. That is probably more of the reason.