Boat Channel Navigation Etiquette?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH, i am steaming mad.

Today we took our boat out in Barnegat Bay and were cruising around the bay. We then headed towards the inlet boat channel to get to some sandbars and go kitesurfing since the wind was picking up. This boat channel is quite zig-zaggy and not a straight line.

As we are approaching the entrance in a straight course, we pass a bigger boat, maybe 30 feet. He was going quite slow, just past no wake speeds. As we are about 75 feet to the buoy another boat, a brand new 18 foot (or so) CC console passes us but not from behind. He cuts in from my left and makes a SUPER hard left to get into the channel.

So now we are crusing and i figure this guy is a bit quirky so i slowed down a tad to put some distance between us. Then i see down the line a big 45 footer coming the other way. and as we zig into a turn this guy is coming around the corner. He was hugging his "shoulder" of the channel well and no complaints against him. But as expected he has a wake. So i speed up a bit to get over it, and thats when the fun starts.

At the moment i am trying to get our 17 foot bowrider over this massive wake and speed up and the CC that cut us off earlier just shift to neural. I swerved around him but only missed him by 2-3 feet and then had to swing back quick into the proper side of the channel.

I think maybe the only thing i could have done in this case is kept more of a distance.

Usually what i do when pulling out of the channel to the sand bar is to keep at speed, turn out of it and then slow down. He did this about 30 seconds from where i usually turn towards are kitesurfing spot. So i immediately got out of the channel and started heading towards our spot. But this guy starts waving his hands and showing me that I am #1 with this middle finger. He then let a few boats pass, hit the gas and was gone.

My guess he just got a bit freaked by the big wake but $#^%$#^* come on.

So any other suggestions of what i could have done in this case?

Thanks.

Re: Boat Channel Navigation Etiquette?

this is the reason i am 100% committed that every boat owner be certified, thru a testable boating safety course. also the 45 footer, should not have been throwing that big wake in close quarters. i don't know where you are boating but we do have speed limits, in areas here.

Re: Boat Channel Navigation Etiquette?

TD

I couldn't agree more.

Re: Boat Channel Navigation Etiquette?

I would be the last person to ask our government to interfere more in our lives, but you are totally correct TD. It's just crazy to let some person buy a boat that can go 70-80 mph without needing any training at all. It's just an accident waiting to happen.

Re: Boat Channel Navigation Etiquette?

1. The over taking vessel, (in this case you) must give right of way, maintain room to maneuver and not impede navigation to the vessel being overtaken.

2. The two smaller vessels in the channel, you and the CC, must yield right of way to the other larger vessels that are constrained by weight and draft..

Sorry, but the accident investigator from USCG would cite you for ?failure to give way? if you had traded paint with the CC? There is however a bunch of real sticky wording about vessels not maintaining way in a channel, BUT, because you had way on, the ability to maneuver and were not constrained by draft you might get whacked on that too...

The point that the other operators were not operating at a safe speed, or in a consistent manner, unfortunately is irrelevant. Just because the guy in the CC did something completely erratic does not put him at fault, he would be a contributing factor but you as the overtaking vessel would still be responsible for any contact.

Don?t ever push the rules to make a point, not everyone knows what to do in most non standard situations and doesn?t do anyone any good to be ?dead right?.

Re: Boat Channel Navigation Etiquette?

THanks for the replies guys. I guess i will just get a tatoo on my forhead saying "distance is my friend". I have one that appears when towing and when driving and skiing, i will add one more.