midcoast1 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I am amazed when it comes to holiday season how many don't know this simple rule when approaching a vessel head on in a narrow channel . I live at Forster Keys and to get to the Keys you have to go through a narrow channel . I was on the far right of the channel doing the 4 knot limit approaching the end of the channel . This boat turned into the channel i would guess doing the 4 knot limit . Did he move to his starboard . No . He wanted to pass on my starboard side . He was a bit perplexed when i started pointing to my port side . He eventually decided to pass on my port side . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 If they can't remember something as simple as passing a oncoming vessel port to port,I'd hate to see them try to interpret all the signs and symbols on the waterways. Same goes to some of the clowns you encounter on our roadways. It just gets magnified during the holiday periods I think alot of these people forget to take their brains and common sense with them. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midcoast1 Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 (edited) If they can't remember something as simple as passing a oncoming vessel port to port,I'd hate to see them try to interpret all the signs and symbols on the waterways. Same goes to some of the clowns you encounter on our roadways. It just gets magnified during the holiday periods I think alot of these people forget to take their brains and common sense with them. Cheers. I'm guessing they only use the boat once or twice a year and simply forget a lot of the rules . Should really brush up on the rules before heading out on the water . Add to that being it is very busy up here at Christmas you have boats anchored fishing but you still get boats not even attempting to slow down when passing next to them . Edited December 30, 2013 by midcoast1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryO Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Im surprised to see people in huge expensive cruisers also failing to adhere to this basic rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike2153 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I was up at Lake Macquarie for a couple of days and the amount if people going the wrong way down the channel was stupid, also the channel is always full of boats during the holiday period, I'm surprised there isn't more accidents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 This mostly happens during the holiday period due to the once a year users! It's frustrating but the way I find to combat this, is to get out early and get back early! Cheers scratchie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catchin Jack Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Or just avoid holiday periods fishing haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midcoast1 Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 This mostly happens during the holiday period due to the once a year users! It's frustrating but the way I find to combat this, is to get out early and get back early! Cheers scratchie!!! Had the grandkids here and you know how hard it is getting teenagers up early Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batfishing Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Im surprised to see people in huge expensive cruisers also failing to adhere to this basic rule. That's because a lot of those don't get used either, and some of them think that when they have paid that much, they bought the waterway. I was out on my large cruiser today, heading to South West Arm in the hacking. I am one of those that do stick to the starboard side of the channel. Anyway some guy coming towards me in a 16' tinny, overloaded, so I turned to my right, he turned towards me, so I turned back the other way, so after a bit more travel he turns back straight towards my bow, my wife looked at me and said what's he doing. I grabbed the throttles, I was doing 20kn plus, and pulled back to idle, put my head out through my screen and gave him a sign of WTF, he leaned out and gave me the finger. I was doing everything right, and this guy had no understanding, and no realisation that I was not going to be able to spin a 36' out of his way that quickly. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testlab Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Unfortunately many of the "get your license in one day" courses lie at fault here. Buy a boat, buy a license and get on the water. It also seems a lot of people buy up market before they ever learn the basics, but then that's a sign of the times I guess. By the way, those colored sticks with lights, the red, green and black yellow ones you see here and there. They ain't for decoration... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batfishing Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 By the way, those colored sticks with lights, the red, green and black yellow ones you see here and there. They ain't for decoration... Arent they mooring posts? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testlab Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Oh yeah.... They sure are, but one needs to wealthy to use em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batfishing Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 The other thing the jet skis use them for in the Hacking, is start finish points for races, particularly in the 80 knot zone, oh sorry 8 knots. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sydney south Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Yep I see this way tooooo often. I stick my ground and stay to the GREEN side. I think they relate to the side of the road they drive. Or they expect the channel markers to change colour when they go they go down stream :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendon19 Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 (edited) I was up at Lake Macquarie for a couple of days and the amount if people going the wrong way down the channel was stupid, also the channel is always full of boats during the holiday period, I'm surprised there isn't more accidents.Tell me about it I was camping at the sand islands at pelican for a week and when going down the channel to swansea shops boats where all over the place did not have a clue how to use the markers. even anchoring dead smach in the middle of the channel at night some without lights. Was even a couple boats towing tubes in the channel too Edited January 6, 2014 by brendon19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Unfortunately many of the "get your license in one day" courses lie at fault here. Buy a boat, buy a license and get on the water. It also seems a lot of people buy up market before they ever learn the basics, but then that's a sign of the times I guess. By the way, those colored sticks with lights, the red, green and black yellow ones you see here and there. They ain't for decoration... ill put my hand up no shame ive been stuck on that mud bank before no where near this guy in the pic but i churned up a bit of mud getting out from memory i had a problem between the deep water and the first markers is where i came undone, i was east of the first marker but still idled into the shallows and got stuck for a few minutes turned around and motored out of there imo the red and green markers should be more south so this problem doesnt happen but all boaters have is a EAST marker with nothing to indicate how far away from the marker to keep if to far u get stuck like i did and this bloke in the pic, too close u run the risk of hitting submerged rocks around the bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testlab Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Gazza, I have put myself aground once or twice after getting confused in unfamiliar waters. It happens to everyone if they boat long enough and in places where shallows exist. The Mooney road bridge channel is where the photo was taken and it is tricky because the road bridge end is choked up with mud. The channel mouth is market by a cardinal marker and the channel passes between this marker and the shore... counter intuitive but the stay between the cardinal and shoreline, then head up the channel staying closer to the red lateral marks. At low tide it is very shallow at the each end. In the main river It shoals very quickly between Spectacle Island and the green lateral marks (the stretch between the bridges). Lots of people get stuck here and at low tide the exposed mud shows the snail trails and prop furrows of people driving over the mud with the boat barely floating and the engine driving through the mud. By the way, the mud is like thick slime and several metres deep. I suggest not getting out of the boat and trying to push it clear as its impossible to get a decent foot hold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Gazza, I have put myself aground once or twice after getting confused in unfamiliar waters. It happens to everyone if they boat long enough and in places where shallows exist. The Mooney road bridge channel is where the photo was taken and it is tricky because the road bridge end is choked up with mud. The channel mouth is market by a cardinal marker and the channel passes between this marker and the shore... counter intuitive but the stay between the cardinal and shoreline, then head up the channel staying closer to the red lateral marks. At low tide it is very shallow at the each end. In the main river It shoals very quickly between Spectacle Island and the green lateral marks (the stretch between the bridges). Lots of people get stuck here and at low tide the exposed mud shows the snail trails and prop furrows of people driving over the mud with the boat barely floating and the engine driving through the mud. By the way, the mud is like thick slime and several metres deep. I suggest not getting out of the boat and trying to push it clear as its impossible to get a decent foot hold. yeah i thought the cardinal i called it a marker was a "EAST" symbol to stay east of the cardinal? i think i need to go read the book again been 13 years since i got my license and to be honest ive forgotten a bit of the markers they were always my bad points remembering ball over ball with a pyramid for a example (if thats even one used) and the different colours catch me out im sure im not the only one out there who has forgotten things like this, its just like getting a car license and driving 3 times a year over 13 years u eventually forget things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredflathead Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Gazza, you can get a sticker from RTM that shows the markers, I have one on the dash of my boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Gazza, you can get a sticker from RTM that shows the markers, I have one on the dash of my boat. fred thats a great sticker mate, ive only recently taught my self to remember the flashing lights of the cardinal as im just getting back into night fishing, its pretty easy east 3o'clock 3 flashes, south 6 o'clock 6 flashes etc... but i got confused with the east and west cardinal sign i got them mixed up and thats why i came undone at the picture testlab posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testlab Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 All those stickers are free at a motor registry. It's a west cardinal marker at the channel entrance, which confuses people because that says the safe water lies on the shore side, which is correct. There is a big lump rising off the bottom approx 30m out into the main river. Rises from say 4m to 1.2m and then drops back to 2m and then rises again to as little as 0.4m just inside the channel on a low low tide. So either take it on the plane or at idle but not in between as the extra draft from a dug in stern will bottom out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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