Subject: Vessel detectors - radar visibility of your own vessel
From: "Armond Perretta"
Date: 08/24/2003 11:36 Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Shen44 wrote:

SG If these ships are so big and easily seen and well lit and a
small boat is maintaining a good helmwatch and obeying the rules
..... how does one get themselves soo close to one that they get
"run down" by the ship ...... kinda like "I was driving down the
road and this 80 story skyscraper reared up and hit me!!"

With respect, your question makes me wonder exactly how many nights you have
spent well offshore in a small cruising sailboat. Things sometimes just
happen.

G Those nights existed in my past around N.E., but what has happened more, in
many areas was seeing a close aboard, dimly lit cruising sailboats, sometimes
at a point where my options are limited, and wondering how HE could let himself
get so close.
You're right, in that sometimes "chit" happens, and it happens on both sides of
this coin ..... just DON'T expect a ship to see you and/or react to you as you
might expect or want him to, or G you may hit that ship, and he won't have a
clue that you did.
Again .... never approach closer than two miles at sea, and if you miss the
ship and it's close aboard or within that distance, figure it's up to you to
avoid .... worry about some rule later.

If you are maintaining a good watch, you should see him LONG before
he sees you. At sea, never approach a ship closer than 2 mi. if you have
the room.

Splendid advice. See above.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com