Dragger cut my anchor. What to do ? poll:
 

Anchord in the fleet over the weekend {where I had spent the entire night, not like I just showed up and set up in anyones way} when a dragger clipped my anchor, towing us about 100 yards before parting the line. I couldn't get them on the radio, so I had to chase him down..
Long story short. The guy refused to take responsability. Stop dragging to talk about it, or even admit it happened.
After way too much screaming on my part I got them to haul back. The deck hand claimed the Capt. didn't speak english, so he just hid out in the wheelhouse, and they "Don't know what to tell you" "the nets not damaged, your anchor isn't stuck in the net and You can't prove it" So I called the coast guard.
Thay told me to file a report on land and asked if "MY" insurance would cover it?

Should I just let it go and suck up the couple hundred bucks this jerk just cost me? or try to get reimbursed?

What kind of deductible do you have? Did you get all the boat ID information? Picture of being dragged?

WTF: the Capt didn't speak English!:wall:

Talk about timing.......................I was at a well known marine supplier in Marshfield on Saturday and I was asking the guy how the whiting bite has been recently, he said "if you are going to fish it, watch out for you anchor, I think the dragger captains have a bet going on how many they can get this year"

I have all ness info for vessel owner. my deductable is 7% I believe.

Mind you this happened to me a few years ago in the same scenario. Back than the capt told me I "should have know better than to set up where they were working"
nothing happened, I just let that go ..

I am a commercial fisherman just as much as they are and like me, they need a commercial vessel operators permit.
I guess it doesn't pay to set up on the outside edge of the fleet..

sucks, You got nothing to lose to file except some time I guess.

i hate the " speak no English" part i prob would have been in the wheel house giving him a free English lesson. - you could turn this into a whale wars type incident!

One thing I've learned in my years fishing offshore, especially near commercials.
Laws don't apply out there and things are self policed.
Almost always the bigger boat and the one most crazy wins !
The real commercial full time tuna fishermen typically won't have these problems as they and the guys running draggers, gill net boats ect.... usually know each other and are friends.

Please post the name of said FV......

I watched it all happen as I was anchored up right near you mike. My friend has a slip in P-town and said the captain of the Pamet speaks portugeuse but certainly understands english when he needs to.

Yours truly had the 30 second run off of death and a broke a crimp on
a big fish Saturday .

It's just the cost of fishing there. Happens a few times every year, and there's nothing you can do about it.

Go buy another anchor and let it go.
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Might be time to load up on some of that stuff they throw on whale wars. Eff them scum bags. I'm a firm believer in treating others as they treat you.

WW's uses butyric acid but go for the isobutyric acid, much more STINK!

You really think it would be smart to pick a fight with a boat 3-4 times bigger and probably a crew 5 times as crazy ?

Throwing butyric acid at boats while they're working is a good way to get your a$$ beat shoreside - and deservedly so.

Keep in mind that area is closed to fixed gear for a short season so those guys can drag unencumbered.
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I know...kinda sounds like the Pats/Raiders game. Undergunned and overmatched:rotf2:

Haha
Don't know if I agree with that Steve.
The Raiders are much crazier and commit stupid penalties just like the guys on those draggers

I'll say this Ron...I wouldn't let anyone that can't speak English drive me off of American fishing grounds. :rocketem:

Whats the difference.
Obama gets done screwing up this country , millions of non English speaking people will be driving lots of Americans off plenty of other things besides fishing grounds

Let it go

Lets not forget probably hopped up on coke and meth.

Mike, were you showing the proper lights? :hihi:

It's broad daylight and I'm under 12 meters, not required
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Did you have an anchor ball displayed? I was under the impression that any vessel regardless of length is required to have a black ball displayed when at anchor.

Not that I've ever seen one, especially out in that clusterf*ck... :hihi:

Definitely file the reports with the Coast Guard. As far as Insurance etc goes , look into the economics of it all.

Filing the paperwork helps put it on record this A hole did it. If he does it to a few others then there is a paper trail and something may happen.

Unfortunately its the wild west out on the water.

30a/b

file a report and they'll most likely want to know.

2/a

Filed a lenghty report with the coast guard.
Called my insurance co- No help there, it's under my deductable.
Got qoute from hamilton marine for replacement value of what was taken from me{$490.00}
Called owner who did returned my call ,then told me to go Eff myself. Sent certified mail including CG reports, quote and demand for payment to company\corp. owner with intent to file lawsuit within 14 days.
Next step, i'm fileing small claims lawsuit for 490.00 for what was taken from me.
Accident or not, that does not relieve the captain of responsiblilty.
He effin dragged my boat for over 100 yards before the line snapped and then tried to screw!
I'm out 600' of line, 15' of 5/8 chain, a 22# anchor and a few shackles..I want it back! simple as that.
It's no different then someone running over your spread of 8 spreader bars cutting every single one and then simply turning a blind eye and denying it ever happened. or taking one of your penn 50's
Not chump change here.
I want back what was taken from me..

Good for you! Go get 'em Mike!

Wouldn't that be the nautical equivilent of a "hit and run"?

Although you didn't suffer any serious damage or physical loss, it could have happened just as easily.

This "part-time english speaking POS needs to be made to pay!
Although revenge and retaliation sound justified, they would just lower you to his level. Make sure to try an include ALL your court cost in the small claims filing, so that he can feel the pleasure of paying for you to beat his sorry arse in court!!!

Great for you. Good luck with the small claims proceeding. I'd be curious if he tries to pull the "no speak english" with the court and doesn't show up.

Please keep us posted.

This goes directly to the earlier post about carrying guns on board.
If your boat starts being pulled...fire a warning shot! You need to get his attn. That is a very dangerous situation. Imagine if you were tied up beam-to...Gunshots at sea are a universal language that everyone understands.
Hope it all works out for you. The comm guy will ignore you and drag their feet until you give up. Your insurance probably has a deductible > than the loss.
Sounds like you need to institute justice on the spot next time.