PART III - Tug Boats, Dredges, VHF-Radio Etiquette, and other things you need to know
In this section I am going to list several of the more dangerous activities that the majority of yachters may encounter or be unaware of in and around inland waterways.
1. Tug boat tow cables can wreck your day. Many accidents happen with tow boats. Even the USCG has lost several people to tow boats, because of ignorance of the characteristics of a tug boat towing a barge or another vessel behind it. The best way to tell if a tow boat is towing something is observing two or three white lights facing forward on the same mast. Three lights indicates a tow that is longer than 200 meters.
Tug boats usually either use a spring lay steel cable, or some synthetic line with a breaking strength of half a million pounds or better. Any small recreational vessel is no match for this kind of line. Many boaters including the USCG have struck this line and have lost not only their boat, but lost their lives as well.
Most of these type of accidents happen at night. Most of the time the tow has battery powered lights, and as a result are much dimmer than the bright lights typically utilized on the tow boat. The tow can easily be overlooked, and if you travel behind the tow boat without realizing this, there is a good chance that you will run into the tow cable which may or may not be above the water line. Many times, especially with steel cable, it is below the water line and if you may be fortunate enough to pass between a tow and tow boat without incident.
Stay clear of tugs and barges as they are often much more difficult to handle than ships.
2. How to safely pass a dredge. This is perhaps one of the easiest things to do, but is often overlooked, because of lack of knowledge of the rules of the road. If you are near the dredge, pass on the side where you see two vertical green lights arranged. Be aware that sometimes the dredge will turn itself around, and the operator will forget to manually switch the lights, so if you see a floating pipeline on the double green side (I have seen this twice), use common sense and try to get the dredge operators attention either by VHF or by flashlight if VHF fails before passing him to verify the safe side.
However if you see what looks like a floating pipeline with yellow flashing lights, and a dredge in the distance, look for what appears to be an opening with red lights on either side, this is a safe opening to pass between the red lights, usually only large enough for small boats to pass safely through.
3 & 4. Escape danger by going out of the buoyed channel. Many larger ships are constrained by their draft (there is no such designation in Inland Rules) and cannot deviate from the buoyed channel. Also there are two rules directing you not to impede the passage of ships if you are under 15 meters (roughly 50 feet) in length, even though you may think that you have the right of way. Most yachts have drafts of less than 10 feet, and can safely move out of the channel into shallower water and let the larger ship pass without grounding. Please be aware that if you hear five (or more) short blasts on the ship's whistle, and you see a ship on pretty much the same bearing and decreasing range, get out of his/her way first, and if you feel you have been wronged, then complain on the VHF radio after making it to safety.
5. One of the most common mistakes of beginner boaters who have a few fishing lines over the side is that they think they are a "fishing" vessel. This is NOT the case. A vessel is considered to be fishing only when its gear hampers its ability to maneuver. Trolling lines do not do this. If you are trolling, you have the same responsibility as any other powered vessel similar to your size.
6. Small boats (including Sailboats) vs. big ships. I cannot reiterate the two separate rules of the road regarding small vessels being directed not to impede the passage of larger ships. Also there is the unwritten "Law of Gross Tonnages." Even though there is no law or rule by that name, common sense dictates that you stay away from merchant vessels who have far less maneuverability and a whole lot more inertia than you do. Basically this entire series is pretty much devoted to this unwritten "Law".
7. VHF Radio Etiquette
¤ How to establish communications and what not to do. This one is
pretty straight forward, on the high seas establish communications on VHF16, and
if it is going to take more than a minute and is not an emergency, switch
channels and move most radio traffic to a working channel.
Be aware that each locality has channels that they use for vessel traffic services and pilot communications. Usually this channel is 13, but can be any number of other channels, check with your marina and/or your local "Coast Pilot" publication for more specifics.
If you hear a "MayDay", "Pan Pan", or "Sercurity" call on channel 16, do not interfere with their transmission. If you hear a MayDay or Pan Pan and no one appears to be answering (after two to four sets of messages), then answer as you have an obligation to assist those that are in distress, even if it is relaying a message to the USCG or other rescue authority.
If you are able to contact the vessel in distress obtain the following information for Authorities:
Repeat all information for accuracy, and to allow the USCG or other rescue authority to record the information as you may be half the distance to the appropriate rescue authority. Follow the rescue authority's instructions.
¤ Radio Checks and other improper procedures -- I have heard thousands
of radio checks on VHF16. It is against the law to use this channel for
radio checks (even though I have heard the USCG use this channel in some
jurisdictions do the same thing).
Most marinas monitor a little used channel, conduct your radio check there so more important message traffic is available to be transmitted on Channel 16.
¤ GMDSS and how it affects you. The rules for this continually
change, check with your local authority for the rules that govern your area.
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© 1997-2003 Jan K. Genemans |