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Excitement at the Marina last night...

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/26/2008 : 06:57:55

Last night I had a late meeting (got out at 10:00PM) and although herself, my loving and longsuffering wife was waiting patiently at home, I had to go to the marina after the meeting to move the boat. I had arranged a slip swap with a neighbour who has shore power so I could charge the batteries, and had to move the boats back to their "home" slips.

So at 10:30 I arrive at the marina and start jockeying boats around, we get everything squared away and share a beverage of thanks etc. when out beyond the breakwall the lake is lit up like its opening day at Skydome (I don't think the Jays have won yet this year).

The lot of us head to the end of the dock to see what is going on, and it turns out its the Police boat towing in a disabled boat. The cops bring in the boat and toss us the bow line, then go to get themselves docked while we wrestle this boat into place.

There are 2 guys on the disabled boat. I ask the one on the fore deck to switch the dockline to the starboard cleat. He looks at me funny. I tell him to tie the dockline to the right side of the boat. He asks me which rope is the dockline. I figure this guy must be crew or something. So I patiently tell him the rope that is in my hand is tied to the wrong side of the boat. He tells me he doesn't know how to untie that knot. I cleat the line off with it attached on the wrong side of the boat.

At the stern, it turns out some of our other guys are having similar communication problems. We ask for the fenders to be brought over to the side of the boat that is against the dock. "What's a fender?". Try again but call them bumpers. Still blank stares. "Those things that are hanging over the other side of the boat that look like sausages." This gets a response... "We have something hanging off the boat over there!?!!?"

After about 10 minutes we have everything sorted out, the boat is secure, fenders in place, and the distressed crew are being interviewed by the police. The cause of their distress... The battery died. Now this is one of those 2-storey floating houses. Its got more room and more toys than my boat for sure. Up on the flybridge there are dozens of gauges and switches.

The GPS was still on when I was up there. So were their nav lights. They switched on the house lights once they were docked. Dead battery? I think (this is a guess) that the starting battery may have died, but the house battery was still OK. All they had to do was to swap the battery out. Yes? No?

In any case, the funniest part of the night came in the police interview when the cops were talking them through what had happened and how to prevent it from happening again. The one officer was talking while his partner was writing down the report. The captain and crew were asking for explanations of almost every term that was used. The quiet cop piped up - "You guys don't know much about boating, do you?". The answer from the Captain "Are you kidding, I don't know anything, I just got this thing today."

They were ticketed for not having PCOC cards or the necessary lifesaving equipment on board.

After everything was done, I offered them a drive to meet a friend who was waiting for them. I tried to be genial and kind. These guys were from the city (Toronto), and were shocked that we had been so decent to them. The marina they were going to is very unfriendly to sailors, preferring these floating homes since they draw less and pay more in fuel etc. Hopefully reaching out to folks like these will help raise the profile of sailors on our little lake, and maybe make folks think twice before crossing my bow at full throttle... or maybe not.

"Iris"
1984 FK/SR #4040
http://frosthaus.blogspot.com/

Take a minute to register your boat with the association!!
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/owner_questionnaire.htm

Edited by - Prospector on 06/26/2008 07:39:06

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2008 : 08:18:47

Your new friend didn't happen to have a twin brother in Annapolis on a C470 did he?

I support MANDATORY licensing for boaters. I am struggling with Boat US and their positions on the matter. You have to get a learners permit and take a test to get a license for a car, why should the water be anything different.

BTW - Dr. Dave if you are watching. What is this CT licensing thing? I just saw tons of ads for some one day course mandated for travel on CT waters. Does that mean I'll have to get cert'd to go into LI sound?

sten

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2008 : 08:48:06

Hey Sten, Maybe you should come to Canada!

http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=15182&tid=024

Edited by - on

SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2008 : 17:08:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> CT licensing thing? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

ya ,

in CT you need a "certificate of personal watercraft operation"

"must be carried on board when operating a vessel"
16 and up to operate alone

its two - 4 hour classes or a 8 hour saturday .
you learn the basics, and a little charting .
its a little over a $100 for the class .

I was surprised when I went to South Carolina and you didnt need anything to rent a boat !

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5361 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2008 : 20:40:07

Sten -
You could always sail the New York State side of LI Sound without a CT card.

But in checking the rules at: http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2686&q=384530&depNav_GID=1620

It looks like you may be able to obtain a temporary cert in CT.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2008 : 12:52:09

Sten: Actually it's a Safe Boating Certificate--the PWC Certificate is separate for PWCs... But they're only required to operate a vessel registered in CT, so you're safe, so to speak.

I too am a fan of testing and registration/licensing. Since the program started in CT, I see many fewer boaters who have no idea how to navigate a channel, and I don't have to answer the question "Where the hell am I?" as often--it was sometimes accompanied by "What's a chart?" And the VHF channels are cleaned up a little, too.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 06/27/2008 12:53:02

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2008 : 09:23:04

Hmmm.... Still can't find anything that tells me that as a cruiser I need get even the temporary SBC to ply CT waters. Great idea, but if every state I travel thru starts extracting money from me I will have a problem with mandatory licensing. This may be one of those cases where Federal/International Maritime law supercedes state law.

For example, Florida city ordinances enforcing anchoring laws are not only unconstitutional but violate international maritime law concerning a vessel under way. That being said, the derelicts found everywhere Charleston south certainly give justifiable cause to restructure anchoring laws internationally...

sten

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5896 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2008 : 11:15:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redviking
 Hmmm.... Still can't find anything that tells me that as a cruiser I need get even the temporary SBC to ply CT waters. Great idea, but if every state I travel thru starts extracting money from me I will have a problem with mandatory licensing. This may be one of those cases where Federal/International Maritime law supercedes state law.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Sten, it appears that a Safe Boating Certificate is only required in Connecticut if you are a resident of the state; owner of real property in the state; or owner of a vessel required to be registered or numbered in the state. If you're just passing through, you should be OK. Also, many states are now requiring SBCs, and I don't know for sure, but usually in this type of state legislation, if you have an SBC in any state, other states will accept that SBC as being in compliance with their requirement. I carry an SBC from Ohio in my wallet, and haven't been asked to produce it yet in any other state, but am hoping it'll suffice. The Ohio course is based on the USCG Aux. course called "Boating Skills & Seamanship," and that same course is approved by the Connecticut authorities. Therefore, proof that I have taken that course should comply with the requirements of other states (at least, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!)

The Connecticut requirements can be found at the following hyperlink:

http://www.ct-clic.com/RecreationalLicenses

Type "Safe Boating Certificate" in the "search" box, and then click on "initial," beneath the search box.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 06/28/2008 11:17:37

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2008 : 00:11:20

Florida was working on a reasonable state law to supersede the hodge-podge of community ordinances when I was there last winter and the Fl Supreme Court was ready to receive a challenge to a local ordinance that won in lower courts. The federal gov. officially deferred navigation rules and enforcement to the states several years ago as a cost cutting measure and opened this can of worms, but it certainly appears unconstitutional and certainly senseless to non-lawyers like us. National laws supersede international within the territorial limits, which is where most people anchor. And the US is not alone, many countries have special rules for navigation and anchoring. The question is are you impeding a ship in navigation.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3448 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2008 : 07:51:50

In the Washington DC area, north of the Wilson Bridge, DC has the rqmt that all those that operate their boats in that area shall have proof of a boat safety course. When I signed up for my slip at my marina, they asked for certificate proof of compliance. But...there is no expiration dates on boating certificates and I was able to dig up my old Power Squadron Safety and Navigation Certificate. So, I fuilfilled that reqmt. But when I registered my boat at the DC Marine Police Hqtrs, I decided to sign up for their safety course so I would be more familiar with some of the local issues and also as a refresher having been out of boating for over 20 years. DC offers a free safety course. It is 2 hrs on 4 nights to complete it. They then give you a Wash DC Boat ID Card and that is free as well.

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Stardog
Captain

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USA
319 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 17:45:54

I would like to see something like those rules for Texas. I'm not fond of regulation, but here they make it too easy for any Tom, Dick or Harry to hop on a power boat and go out and endager themselves and others.

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