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Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
By:Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks
Date: 9/1/2010, 11:39 am
In Response To: Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat. (Bill Hamm)

: Maintaining a proper lookout isn't the issue, having a jib on the
: deck or below the horizon is. It's much more difficult to see
: forward to windward from a sailboat than any other direction.
: And while prudent sailors will on occasion alter course to see
: what they might be missing, they don't and mostly can't do it
: very often so they tend to be somewhat blind in that direction.
: Just a heads up to non-sailors.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but of course it is an issue of maintaining a proper lookout. Sure the jib is below the horizon from the cockpit, but if you sent someone out to the pulpit, that person could see just fine. I understand that there are reasons that this is not done, but those reasons do not change the law or what is defined as "proper lookout".

In all situations there is a way proper lookout could be maintained, you could sail less aggressively so the jib is not blocking visibility, you could not fly a jib at all, you could tack more often so you can get a view of both directions, you could carry an additional crew member, you could lower all sails an motor. If there is any situation where you can not maintain proper lookout, the law requires that you change how you are operating the boat so that you can. Of course these techniques rarely win races and are not the most efficient or fun way to sail or may just be inconvenient.

The lesson to kayakers is sailors are more concerned about other performance considerations than whether or not they are going to run you down. This is standard human nature and despite the fact that maritime law requires otherwise, do not expect sailors to see you through a layer of Dacron fabric. If you live to bring charges after collision, and they say "I didn't see her, she was blocked by the jib", they will be at fault, but you may not get that opportunity.

Messages In This Thread

Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
dave g -- 8/29/2010, 4:16 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Robert N Pruden -- 8/31/2010, 11:40 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:13 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Will N To Go -- 9/1/2010, 8:31 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/2/2010, 2:38 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Will N To Go -- 9/3/2010, 7:29 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/4/2010, 1:49 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
dave g -- 8/31/2010, 8:15 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Malcolm Schweizer -- 9/1/2010, 6:53 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Shark Bait -- 8/31/2010, 10:03 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Will N To Go -- 8/31/2010, 1:28 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 8/30/2010, 5:20 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Michael -- 9/6/2010, 9:42 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/9/2010, 3:31 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Malcolm Schweizer -- 9/1/2010, 6:51 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Robert N Pruden -- 8/31/2010, 11:50 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:11 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Fred -- 9/1/2010, 8:18 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:28 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Dan Caouette (CSFW) -- 8/31/2010, 9:11 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Kudzu -- 8/30/2010, 9:10 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 9:39 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 8/31/2010, 4:44 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/31/2010, 5:04 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/31/2010, 4:53 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 9/1/2010, 11:39 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/2/2010, 2:32 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/2/2010, 2:37 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Kudzu -- 8/30/2010, 7:51 am
attention getting suggestions?
Mark Rakestraw -- 8/29/2010, 7:34 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Eric -- 8/30/2010, 3:08 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 4:59 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 5:01 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Eric -- 8/30/2010, 5:37 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 9:35 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Mike Bielski -- 8/29/2010, 10:17 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Will N to Go -- 8/30/2010, 12:25 am
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Mike Savage -- 8/30/2010, 7:32 am
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Al Edie -- 8/29/2010, 9:30 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Alex Ferguson -- 8/30/2010, 6:53 am
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Al Edie -- 8/30/2010, 12:40 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Kurt Maurer -- 8/29/2010, 6:39 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 12:42 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Robert N Pruden -- 8/31/2010, 11:42 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:08 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
John lasky -- 8/31/2010, 11:16 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
TheLuckyOne -- 8/31/2010, 7:10 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:07 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
John lasky -- 9/1/2010, 9:08 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 9:14 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
John lasky -- 9/1/2010, 2:55 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/31/2010, 2:46 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
John Caldeira -- 8/29/2010, 10:56 pm