These guys are going to kill someone....and very shortly. I have seen 4-5 instances now online where people have made comments about their actions.

I had a instance with them several weeks ago fishing in WH in between Broadway and the Strait channels....I'm at the SB buoy and just on the edge of the Strait channel, I'm watching the guy come flying into WH at about 50, I'm keeping very cautious eyes on him, there was a small skiff on the other side of broadway and I figured he's going into the broadway channel like everyone else does thru there....all the while i'm drifting I never take my eyes off him. He comes up to the split, I have my motor started and waiting to see what he's going to do...he sounds his horn one quick blast....maritime rules say one short blast is PORT TO PORT...I move over further to the right...into the strait channel more....he keeps coming...sounds his horn one short blast again....AGAIN I say ok port to port.....he's still got time to turn into Broadway....I sit still as the drift should have me well out of his way.....he sounds again one short horn...I say screw this and wot across to the other side of the channel....meanwhile the guy slows his engines to almost stop and gives me a nasty look. I just about flipped him off on the spot I was so mad.

A COMMERCIAL captain should know several things here.....one is that a short horn blast announces your intention to pass port to port....and your speed needs to be reasonable and proper for the circumstances you're in.....you just don't go 50 mph into WH, ESPECIALLY when there are small skiffs etc around such as that day....although this guy doesn't throw a large wake, he's still responsible for his wake and could EASILY cause someone to be killed in there.

And #3 this guy shouldn't have been inside WH to begin with....I've already been told that they're SUPPOSED to be transitting Quicks Hole instead.....so WHY are they there....

Get Nobska on the cellphone and rant up a storm about the idiots.

You won't be the first to have done it....

Yup, they subscribe to the "biggest wins" theory. I was going through Woods Hole last weekend. I had two sailboats in front of me and 3 small sailing dingies going all over the place. I'm trying to weave my way through without running somone over. In the mean time, I have a trawler coming in from behind me that wants to go into Woods Hole Harbor and just leans on the horn and keeps on coming. As he continued to bear down on me to now about 40', I was finally able to squeek by the sailboat and head on out towards the Vineyard ... but not a moment too soon. The fact that I had no place to manuver didn't matter to him. He was coming regardless. At that point, had I not been able to get by, I don't think he would have been able to avoid running me down due to that fact that he still had too much speed and was too close to stop/slow in time.

Same rules, I'm bigger, get the f*&^ out of the way.

At least they blow the horn........the Yankee fleet out of gloucester does not ...they just cruise on through and you'd better get the frig outta the way!!

Nothing will be done until they wipe someone out

my.02

Hmmm,
TONNAGE RULES...get the hell out of his way!

Sorry, I fall on the ferry's side. They have the right of way.
Get out of his way. I see sail boats put up sails in a channel and tac across his bow and try to force this guy to stop or change course in the channel...what is he suppose to do, ground the boat, stop the boat? I dont think so, not with lots of people on board. Rant and rave all you want...they are in the right. STAY OUT OF THE WAY.

Your fishing in a tight narrow Nav. channel where there are fast currents, rocks, and regular ship traffic. Any "small skiff" should think twice and A) not be there and B) if you choose to go there stay out of the way.

I have been on that boat and passed thru WH @ 32 knots....it is a thing of beauty, we weaved around you guys but he is NOT going to slow down. I love the boat. *really* sweet. 2 Large LCD flat panels in each cabin running nobletec showing chartplotter activity/speed/depth/position and course...every click the capt make is displayed. Nice AC'ed cabins, plush seating, ultra quie and vibration free. He sees you. YOU have to keep aware of the fact that YOU are in a narrow channel, with rocks, and lots of ship passage activity. TONNAGE rules.

BTW I think if he actually did hit you, you would pass under the cat hulls without too much damage :D

Seriously, you are fishing in a dangous place, you have some responsibility too.

I think they will hit someone some day...but it will not be his fault.

Yep tonnage rules I agree Jim, and again I was watching him from the whole time he entered WH channel.....tonnage doesn't absolve him however when he's giving maritime signals of one short blast of a horn.....I'm no dummy when it comes to boating, I know exactly where I am and where I am going every second....I've fished WH alot in the last 3 years on the boat so I know where to be and where not to be.....I guess my reasoning for posting this was that, #1 the guy isn't SUPPOSED to be using the WH route.....SUPPOSED to be using Quicks which is closer and faster anyways from NB, and #2 his speed on this particular day looked to be significantly above the 30mph area to me...and with the 20 or so boats around in the area I thought it was unreasonable and improper....even to the point that he blew the horn.

#3 SOMEONE isn't going to be so lucky and these guys are going to kill someone....

Remember back to the early days of Domino's Pizza....FAST delivery was advertised.....then a delivery driver hit someone and killed them.....Dominos had their asses sued off and lost....they INSTANTLY changed their policies and advertising because of it.... Dollars to donuts it happens here too with these guys...and not wishing anyone ill will but I hope when it does happen that NBFF gets their asses sued too and they will lose for the same reasons Domino's did.....

Maritime or land it's the same thing when it comes to causing an accident or death...

Originally posted by Mr. Sandman
I have been on that boat and passed thru WH @ 32 knots....it is a thing of beauty, we weaved around you guys but he is NOT going to slow down.

blahblahblah

Seriously, you are fishing in a dangous place, you have some responsibility too.

He's not supposed to do 32 knots through Woods Hole other than not being allowed to go through (I'm sure they're just waiting for enough complaints then make them cut through quicks).

And on the second part...
Dangerous?
Woods Hole is dangerous?

Only dangerous when there's idiots loose in it, otherwise its actually a very pleasant and safe place to fish. I do it constantly in a 13 foot RIB. :D

I wasn't there but I bet he was just blowing the horn to get everyones attn. and alert the boaters that he is coming thru and to make way, not to signal which side he intends to pass. The sad fact is most boaters (probably 95%) don't know that one short blast means pass on port.
No matter, in that channel, it was probably not an issue anyway as it was clear where he was going...right down the middle..its not that wide.

I really don't argue that fact about blasting the horn. I was on one trip when they slowed down to about 15-18knots to pass thru WH then sped up upon entering BB. That flet quite safe. The other times we went thru full bore 30-32. This boat is very agile and can dart around most fools out there. Maneuvers like an outboard. I have to agree with you somewhat that I thought 32knts was on the high side the first time we blasted thru there. Personally....If it was my boat...I would slow WAY down and chug thru...but its not my boat and I am not on a schedule.

I have spoken to a few of the ferry boat capt's (not of the FF but others) and they all fume when you bring up rec and sail boats in the channel...they hate them. They (recs) seem to think that these boats can stop or turn on a dime. I see guys fishing in front of the steamship auth in OB and the capt is BLOWING a major horn and they will not budge. He starts moving and nearly clips a 16' boat with a moron aboard. If he hits them...is it the ferryboats fault? The law will be in favor of the lic capt and the larger vessel.

Yes someone will get hit or killed I agree with you, and it will be THEIR OWN fault...not the ferryboat's fault, high speed or otherwise.(it will prob be in the fog)

I think WH is the disired route for them (more direct), they have every right to use it. Quicks is wider but I don't think they don't *have* to use that. (again...if it were my boat...I would go quicks and slow down but I don't think that have to)

As an engineer we always look at limits...One fair question is "what is the limit?", if they make a 200mph ferry would it be safe to travel thu WH at that speed? Probably not because most boats could not react in time to avoid the vessel at that speed. they probably need to establish some regulations on speed thru restricted channels for saftey IMO. In the past it has not been an issue...nowadays it clearly is. I would guess that a limit of 20-30knots or so is probabaly reasonable. ( I don't think the FF can do much over 35 or so anyway)

Also these fisherman don't have the right to clog up a channel...if they do they should expect to come close to ships on the move.

Not trying to start a war but I those ferry boat have seen a lot of jerks day in and day out, out there and have gone WAY out of thier way to avoid making them prop food.

yep I agree Jim, just think that what they're doing is wrong whether they like them or not they're there and it would be sad to see someone get killed because of the speed etc....specially if it's someone you know..

I fish WH as much as anyone and there are certain things we need to know. If we are fishing in the channel, we are the burdon and need to get out of the way of anyone passing. If there is a-lot of traffic then fish outside of the channel, if you don't know where to fish outside the channel, go somewhere else until the traffic lets up. WH is too dangerous to screw around.

Ferry's and large vessels don't necessarily have the right of way, but who cares, get out of the way they are bigger than you, and again you are fishing in the channel. You can't win in court if you are dead.

All vessels including ferry's are responsible for thier speed and wake no matter where they are. If there is traffic in WH and small boats fishing, they need to slow down to a proper speed for the conditions and make sure they don't swamp anyone in, or out of the channel. I agree that they often don't slow down enough, and throw a huge wake, especially the regular New Bedford ferry.

Originally posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&
he sounds his horn one quick blast....maritime rules say one short blast is PORT TO PORT...

no sir.
you are wrong.
one blast means "i intend to leave "you" on "my" port.
two blasts mean "i intend to leave "you" on "my" starbord.
he's overtaking you, no matter which way your facing him.
if he signals you with one blast, you should respond with one blast "ok"{leave me on your port}
if he signals you with two blasts, you should respond with two blasts"ok"{leave me on your starboard}
he's commin' thru, and just letting you know his intentions.

same thing. port to port.....still on the wrong side.

actually you're both right

here's the full international rule:

(a) When vessels are in sight of one another, a power-driven vessel underway, when maneuvering as authorized or required by these Rules, shall indicate that maneuver by the following signals on her whistle:
· one short blast to mean "I am altering my course to starboard";
· two short blasts to mean "I am altering my course to port";
· three short blasts to mean "I am operating astern propulsion".

(b) Any vessel may supplement the whistle signals prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule by light signals, repeated as appropriate, while the maneuver is being carried out:
(i) these signals shall have the following significance:

one flash to mean "I am altering my course to starboard";
two flashes to mean "I am altering my course to port";
three flashes to mean "I am operating astern propulsion".
(ii) the duration of each flash shall be about one second, the interval between flashes shall be about one second, and the interval between successive signals shall not be less than ten seconds.

(iii) the light used for this signal shall, if fitted, be an all-round white light, visible at a minimum range of 5 miles, and shall comply with the provisions of Annex I to these Regulations.

(c) When in sight of one another in a narrow channel or fairway:

(i) a vessel intending to overtake another shall in compliance with Rule 9 (e)(i) indicate her intention by the following signals on her whistle:

two prolonged blasts followed by one short blast to mean "I intend to overtake you on your starboard side"
two prolonged blasts followed by two short blasts to mean "I intend to overtake you on your port side"
(ii) the vessel about to be overtaken when acting in accordance with 9(e)(i) shall indicate her agreement by the following signal on her whistle:

· one prolonged, one short, one prolonged and one short blast, in that order.



in a stationary position TFF is right
if converging upon each other salty is right

No matter what the vessel you never have the right of way through someone else's boat. IOW, if you hit it its at least partially your fault.

Mike: red over red...

You hit it... your fault 100%

Running a big steel tour boat through newport you learn somethings..
1. most people out putting in their B__liner or whatever Dont pay attention.. we're 60ft x 20ft, with 2 decks, and noone ever sees us coming....
2. Sailboats always think they are right, even when their sails are down and they are pover vessels not sail vessels...
3. It's always my fault, not theirs if I get too close
4. Most important to this thread... NOONE KNOWS THE SIGNALS ANYWAYS... If I'm passing another commercial boat, I may call him and say 1 whistle, or blow one short, and they know what it means, but when some A-hole in a sunfish is pushing his ROW or doesnt see me, 1 short usually gets his attention and then We both can asses who should move etc... I dont always do this if I mean port to port.. by the book, not 100%, but it seems to work...

Thats my 0.02

I thought the Onset Chief was bad screaming through WH passage . That new high speed Ferry is horrible .