View Full Version : Woman dies after sailboat and motorboat collide off Newport


wdmso
08-12-2019, 10:17 AM
if this happened near fort adams the boat traffic flying in and out of the Harbor is madness .. very sad ..

thefishingfreak
08-12-2019, 11:48 AM
Question: (because I don't know)
Can sailboats navigate in any direction? or are they truly limited to and at the mercy of the wind?
It seems sailboaters intentionally tack back and forth across the busy harbor, and my thinking is why the heck can't they just get in line and follow the trafic like everyone else?

Clammer
08-12-2019, 01:25 PM
all I know was near the bridge & the sali was a 18' cat in a race & boat they said was a 25' power .
Sat afternoon a boat burnt at a gas dock in warwick cove , they towed it burning to the boat ramp .the man that owned it that was his home

RIROCKHOUND
08-12-2019, 01:45 PM
They were racing Saturday up the center span; probably collided with someone fluking, as the fleet was on the Jamestown side....

Clammer
08-12-2019, 02:07 PM
RIR I thought it happened yesterday .Sunday

Sat there was a high powered speedboat race up the West passage around Beavertail & back by the east Passage

RIROCKHOUND
08-12-2019, 03:00 PM
RIR I thought it happened yesterday .Sunday

Sat there was a high powered speedboat race up the West passage around Beavertail & back by the east Passage

Probably racing both days. Those 18ft fancy Cats were definwtly there Saturday.
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Nebe
08-12-2019, 03:54 PM
I listened to it all go down on channel 16 as I was sailing back from cuttyhunk. So sad and jarring to hear one moment of a person in the water bleeding badly to could not resuscitate.

Mike - sailboats can not sail into the wind of 40 degrees to either side of it. They are also difficult at times to change course quickly as you can not just turn a wheel to change course. You have to ease the lines that control the sails as well and all that takes time.
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Nebe
08-12-2019, 04:14 PM
They were racing Saturday up the center span; probably collided with someone fluking, as the fleet was on the Jamestown side....

Doubt it.
More likely it was your typical Cranston Navy dip#^&#^&#^&#^& in a bayliner not looking where he was going.
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Clammer
08-12-2019, 04:33 PM
Nebe .I know ROW for sails …… But Sunday W/E boaters .

When I was OTW full time .I didn,t work Sundays except the winter when you took what you could get ..

But actually scares me between , Jet ski,s , yaks & the high speeds of boats of all sizes , wakes & wind & water .
&&&&& too many people have no fear of any of these .

just think of the incidents that we never hear about ><

Nebe
08-12-2019, 04:42 PM
I hear ya Clammer ! Sunday’s are the war zone days.
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nightfighter
08-12-2019, 04:58 PM
Be interested in details. An 18' catamaran can reach some pretty high speeds in the right conditions and angle to the wind.. maybe more than my Grady. Unfortunate in any event. Sounds like she was an organizer of this event 30 years ago and an accomplished sailor.

My guess is the cat hit the other craft and the impact caused her injuries as well as throwing her into the water. Person steering might not have looked behind the sails to see the other boat. Preventable and tragic

Nebe
08-12-2019, 05:44 PM
Be interested in details. An 18' catamaran can reach some pretty high speeds in the right conditions and angle to the wind.. maybe more than my Grady. Unfortunate in any event. Sounds like she was an organizer of this event 30 years ago and an accomplished sailor.

My guess is the cat hit the other craft and the impact caused her injuries as well as throwing her into the water. Person steering might not have looked behind the sails to see the other boat. Preventable and tragic

Totally possible.
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JFigliuolo
08-12-2019, 06:25 PM
I've almost been hit more than a few time by a hole sailboats while drifting. This IS sad, and I have no idea of the details but a lot of those f'ers always think they have the ROW... and the do not. When under power I ALWAYS give them a wide berth. I had one jackass bearing down on me while IN THE CABIN ON HIS PHONE until I laid on the horn

ONCE I had an issue with another powerboater.
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wdmso
08-12-2019, 06:54 PM
Had a jet ski go head to head with me .i was doing 20kts with the family with a big cruiser 50 yards to my starboard with his buddys between us and this guy blasted by my portside doing 35 so close we got sprayed a little as he went by. He had zero reason to be that close at that speed . Simple steering failure would have been deadly
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nightfighter
08-12-2019, 06:57 PM
Well, while really not wanting to type this POV, here is where the racing sailor's head is at... He wants to go as fast forward as possible. Tacking is the worst thing he wants to do if he could rather stay on his straight line building or maintaining speed. I could drive a sixty footer under sail at speed within three feet of you on a drift or at anchor and be totally comfortable. You on the other hand would (understandably) be #^&#^&#^&#^&ting bricks and going crazy.
But that's not every sailor.... The two sides will never get along totally. But Freak, I would be glad to arrange getting you out sometime so you would better understand what a competent sailor can and cant do....


They will also seem to tack in front of you, with no warning and seemingly for no reason when what they are trying to do is avoid your wake, which again, will hurt their forward speed... Just some possibilities for what they might be thinking...

Got Stripers
08-12-2019, 07:30 PM
Ross as an sail boat racer in my youth, I couldn’t have added much to that, but neither of the two International 110’s I raced could move like these new super cats. Tough loss for sure.
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Sea Dangles
08-12-2019, 07:42 PM
Never forget drifting in buzz bay alone and having a sailboat come up and scream at me for being on the race course. Not another vessel in sight.
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nightfighter
08-12-2019, 07:46 PM
And of course you apologized.....

JohnR
08-12-2019, 07:48 PM
Terrible situation. Unsure of the details yet.

A Cat with the right wind can really, really crank fast. And racing they are right out on the edge of flipping or breaking (and often both).

Clammer
08-12-2019, 08:40 PM
Bob , now I know why your fu cked up :point:

Got Stripers
08-12-2019, 09:12 PM
Hey in my youth some of the most fun I had was several days after a strong storm with leftover big swells but boat length or two spacing. Give me a steady 15 knot I’d be screaming in fun, hanging out of the trapeze, and surfing those swells with that planning hull.
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Sea Dangles
08-12-2019, 09:12 PM
And of course you apologized.....

Profusely

Are you getting close ? Lots of tasty mackerel looking fish around here.
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Nebe
08-12-2019, 09:25 PM
Never forget drifting in buzz bay alone and having a sailboat come up and scream at me for being on the race course. Not another vessel in sight.
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I’ve been yelled at a few times around Newport and I always give them the finger. It’s the “that’s my rock” mentality. Self entitled pricks :hihi:
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Guppy
08-13-2019, 05:56 AM
Well, while really not wanting to type this POV, here is where the racing sailor's head is at... He wants to go as fast forward as possible. Tacking is the worst thing he wants to do if he could rather stay on his straight line building or maintaining speed. I could drive a sixty footer under sail at speed within three feet of you on a drift or at anchor and be totally comfortable. You on the other hand would (understandably) be #^&#^&#^&#^&ting bricks and going crazy.
But that's not every sailor.... The two sides will never get along totally. But Freak, I would be glad to arrange getting you out sometime so you would better understand what a competent sailor can and cant do....


They will also seem to tack in front of you, with no warning and seemingly for no reason when what they are trying to do is avoid your wake, which again, will hurt their forward speed... Just some possibilities for what they might be thinking...

Freak on a bloo boat !,,,, what a sight that would be...

piemma
08-13-2019, 07:40 AM
I've almost been hit more than a few time by a hole sailboats while drifting. This IS sad, and I have no idea of the details but a lot of those f'ers always think they have the ROW... and the do not. When under power I ALWAYS give them a wide berth. I had one jackass bearing down on me while IN THE CABIN ON HIS PHONE until I laid on the horn

ONCE I had an issue with another powerboater.
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Same here Joe. Fishing the N end of J-town and this nitwit in a big sail about 35 or 40" aims right at me. He can see I am drifting and he is not on sail power but using his motor. Screaming at me that HE has the ROW.

bassballer
08-13-2019, 08:57 AM
Sad story around these parts.

Blow boats Vs power boats. Like Skiers vs snowboarders. A rivalry for eternity.

PaulS
08-13-2019, 10:03 AM
Same here Joe. Fishing the N end of J-town and this nitwit in a big sail about 35 or 40" aims right at me. He can see I am drifting and he is not on sail power but using his motor. Screaming at me that HE has the ROW.

If he was sailing and not using his motor and you where drifting is there any case he would have the right of way? That wouldn't seem right.

Got Stripers
08-13-2019, 10:18 AM
If you were drifting and not under power and the sailboat was under motor power he absolutely does not have the right of way. I think even if you were drifting and not under power and he had good headway speed under sail he would be the boat required to adjust course, at least that to me is just common sense.
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nightfighter
08-13-2019, 10:20 AM
If he was sailing and not using his motor and you where drifting is there any case he would have the right of way? That wouldn't seem right.

No. Once he turns on his motor, he is the same class vessel. (only case I could see is if this confrontation took place in very narrow channel, but the right of way would not be dictated by vessel type.)

PaulS
08-13-2019, 10:27 AM
Thank you both.

MakoMike
08-13-2019, 11:33 AM
I've almost been hit more than a few time by a hole sailboats while drifting. This IS sad, and I have no idea of the details but a lot of those f'ers always think they have the ROW... and the do not. When under power I ALWAYS give them a wide berth. I had one jackass bearing down on me while IN THE CABIN ON HIS PHONE until I laid on the horn

ONCE I had an issue with another powerboater.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

You do realize that while drifting you are still "under way" and subject to all of the rules of the road?

MakoMike
08-13-2019, 11:38 AM
If he was sailing and not using his motor and you where drifting is there any case he would have the right of way? That wouldn't seem right.

Yes, if you were drifting on a course that would cause a collision he would have the ROW.

MakoMike
08-13-2019, 11:41 AM
No. Once he turns on his motor, he is the same class vessel. (only case I could see is if this confrontation took place in very narrow channel, but the right of way would not be dictated by vessel type.)

That is simply not true, Yes if he is under power then he is treated as a power boat, but that doesn't change any of the other rues of the road. So for example if you were drifting down on his port side he has the ROW and you have to alter your course to avoid him.

thefishingfreak
08-13-2019, 02:30 PM
Freak, I would be glad to arrange getting you out sometime so you would better understand what a competent sailor can and cant do....


.

i'm in. as long as I don't have to dress up :blush:

nightfighter
08-13-2019, 02:58 PM
That is simply not true, Yes if he is under power then he is treated as a power boat, but that doesn't change any of the other rues of the road. So for example if you were drifting down on his port side he has the ROW and you have to alter your course to avoid him.

Yeah, I kind of mixed up the two questions/posts and was assuming sailboat under power. My caveat was that under power, his simply having a mast to use under sail is not the reason to award right of way. And all other rules of the road apply. (and drifting is different from having lost power....)

Nebe
08-13-2019, 03:02 PM
if you are drifting for fluke you have to realize that the average blow boater has no idea what you are doing. 50% of people are dumber than you. And the other half are even dumber 😂
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nightfighter
08-13-2019, 03:03 PM
i'm in. as long as I don't have to dress up :blush:

Admiral Epaulettes for you!

JFigliuolo
08-13-2019, 03:37 PM
You do realize that while drifting you are still "under way" and subject to all of the rules of the road?

And you DO realize according to COLREGS a sailboat SHOULD ALWAYS keep out of the way of ANY boat:
Not under command,
Restricted in its ability to maneuver,
Engaged in fishing

A boat drifting while fishing satisfied TWO of those conditions
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Clammer
08-13-2019, 03:45 PM
oh jOE , Silly Boaters :walk:

MakoMike
08-14-2019, 10:32 AM
And you DO realize according to COLREGS a sailboat SHOULD ALWAYS keep out of the way of ANY boat:
Not under command,
Restricted in its ability to maneuver,
Engaged in fishing

A boat drifting while fishing satisfied TWO of those conditions
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Go look up the definition of those three terms and you'll see that a powerboat drifting along does not meet any of the definitions. "not under command" means disabled and unable to manuver. "restricted in its ability to maneuver" doesn't apply to any boat that has power and can in fact maneuver. And "engaged in fishing" refers to boats fishing with mobile gear extending off the rear of the boat, such as nets, dredges, etc. Its specifically doesn't apply to fishing poles.

Cool Beans
08-14-2019, 11:28 AM
This story is exactly why I idle my motor the entire time I am drifting for fluke. Many times I have to set the rod in the holder, throw the boat in gear and move. to get out of the way of someone either not paying attention or just being overly aggressive. These A hole boaters are the same idiots flying over the bridges at 70 mph zig zagging through traffic in their full size pick up trucks. I don't trust their driving on the road, so I don't expect them to be any safer on the water.

JFigliuolo
08-14-2019, 12:21 PM
Go look up the definition of those three terms and you'll see that a powerboat drifting along does not meet any of the definitions. "not under command" means disabled and unable to manuver. "restricted in its ability to maneuver" doesn't apply to any boat that has power and can in fact maneuver. And "engaged in fishing" refers to boats fishing with mobile gear extending off the rear of the boat, such as nets, dredges, etc. Its specifically doesn't apply to fishing poles.


It saddens me... you are correct. I'm cuious though how the use of a drift sock would be interpreted as it does indeed restrict the ability to move...

Clammer
08-14-2019, 01:10 PM
that,s your story and you sticking to it :kewl:

JFigliuolo
08-14-2019, 01:16 PM
that,s your story and you sticking to it :kewl:

Lol! Got that ruler made yet?
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Clammer
08-14-2019, 02:16 PM
Can,t make a damn thing //// its on order :rtfm:

JohnR
08-14-2019, 08:41 PM
It saddens me... you are correct. I'm cuious though how the use of a drift sock would be interpreted as it does indeed restrict the ability to move...


The object is to avoid the collisions - not be so dang obstinate and argue REGS after the fact ; )

nightfighter
08-15-2019, 05:30 AM
Go look up the definition of those three terms and you'll see that a powerboat drifting along does not meet any of the definitions. "not under command" means disabled and unable to manuver. "restricted in its ability to maneuver" doesn't apply to any boat that has power and can in fact maneuver. And "engaged in fishing" refers to boats fishing with mobile gear extending off the rear of the boat, such as nets, dredges, etc. Its specifically doesn't apply to fishing poles.

But the "engaged in fishing" is so often abused by the commercial fleet I almost applaud when they get more regs slapped on them....

Case in point: http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=73637

nightfighter
08-15-2019, 08:48 AM
Back on topic;

Investigation continues, but multiple reports have the power boat striking the catamaran.....

Redsoxticket
08-15-2019, 09:35 AM
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MakoMike
08-15-2019, 10:16 AM
But the "engaged in fishing" is so often abused by the commercial fleet I almost applaud when they get more regs slapped on them....

Case in point: http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=73637

The engaged in fishing exception to the normal ROW rules doesn't apply in the case of when one of the vessels is anchored. That incident was clearly the fault of the captain of the dragger.

Nebe
08-15-2019, 11:10 AM
Back on topic;

Investigation continues, but multiple reports have the power boat striking the catamaran.....

If you heard the captain of the boat that struck the sailboat report to the coast guard the initial distress call, you could tell he was #^&#^&#^&#^&ting his pants. Cracking voice. Stuttering. Reluctant, but doing the right thing.
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