Chanel Nav Question
Submitted by Jackfrost80 on Mon, 2022-12-12 12:47
So yesterday I was pulling into Elizabeth Quay using the right side of the channel (red line) and the ferry was beelining straight for me (green line) on an angle (i.e. lined up the red marker with the green marker) pushing me straight into the nav marking and rock wall. He eventually managed to turn enough to prevent a collision with him or the rock wall but let his horn rip pretty aggressively.
Was I in the wrong here i.e. that I have to wait and give way to Commercial vehicles through a narrow channel??
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scubafish
Posts: 962
Date Joined: 15/08/12
Rules
https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/rules-of-the-road.asp https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/licensing/MAC_G_Boating_SwanCanningRiver.pdf https://mastercolregs.com/rule-34-manoeuvring-and-warning-signals/ https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/prod/filestore.nsf/FileURL/mrdoc_4113.pdf/$FILE/Prevention%20of%20Collisions%20at%20Sea%20Regulations%201983%20-%20%5B01-b0-11%5D.pdf?OpenElement
At the end of the day and after all is said,
If you were in the channel before him you would have right of way but maintain course to starboard right.(of the channel going in).
If you look at the photo gallery on , https://www.google.com/search?q=elizabeth+quay See photo, on the map,
you will notice that there is sufficient room in the channel for both vessels.
But in saying that if in doubt then he should wait and loyter at the entrance to the said channel until it is safe do do so then proceed without creating any further danger,
there is a photo of the helm of said ferry,twin motors & bow thrusters more than enough to loyter in one spot.
https://www.google.com/local/place/fid/0x2a32bb2a49326bd5:0xa845a9071daadd8d/photosphere?iu=https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipMuHZ-OThbBnhJwmin54bF61pljG1y6hbeISr0x%3Dw160-h106-k-no-pi-20-ya140-ro-0-fo100&ik=CAoSLEFGMVFpcE11SFotT1RoYkJuaEp3bWluNTRiRjYxcGxqRzF5NmhiZUlTcjB4
https://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/Contact-Us/Feedback
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Swompa
Posts: 3878
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Pass port to port like you
Pass port to port like you did. Good oppertunity to throw a mouth full of abuse in my opinion.
Reefsta
Posts: 311
Date Joined: 03/08/19
Maybe ferry just signalled as caution
I have not seen that channel, but could be the ferry felt they could only track the way they did. If that is the case and your boat was <20m then the onus might be on you not to impede the ferry, if they only have a limited route through the narrow channel and wanted to alert you. No excuse for bad manners though, if they sounded the prolonged blast just because they wanted to push on regardless.
sea-kem
Posts: 14970
Date Joined: 30/11/09
You did the righty mate, but
You did the righty mate, but I would have just given way as a deeper draw vessel like Reefsta mentions and still no excuse for him being a flog.
Love the West!
Shark1
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 21/05/12
commercial vessel with deep
commercial vessel with deep draft in channel takes precedence
up to both parties to avoid collission
did he show any day shapes?
Rob H
Posts: 5796
Date Joined: 18/01/12
The ferry isnt deep draft
The ferry isnt deep draft nor is he the stand on vessel just because he is commercial.
But if it is a gazetted ferry route then he usually does.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
stricko
Posts: 224
Date Joined: 10/05/10
This why you don't pay the
This why you don't pay the ferry man till he gets you to .the over side
BlueKiaser
Posts: 422
Date Joined: 22/04/15
Keep safely to your right
Given it was a narrow channel, and the ferry vessel was likely >20m in length and your vessel was <20m in length, I believe you were expected to keep to the right as safely as practical and to give way to the ferry. The ferry operator is expected to take their safe passage through the narrow channel. That safe passage may be the middle of that narrow channel.
Having said all that, from your description it sounds like you tried to do the right thing.
If in doubt, when in a small power boat, I would cautiously give way to 20m+ vessels where possible.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8143
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Another two pics added. One
Another two pics added. One showing the ferry width and the track he was taking through the channel and the other shows a historical aerial of the track the ferry takes towards the channel.
I should add that I was already hugging the island to line up the channel marker and the ferry came steaming out leaving me nowhere else to go but push up against the marker/rock wall. In hindhight I should have just floored it once I realised the ferry had no intention of staying on the correct side of the channel.
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
scubafish
Posts: 962
Date Joined: 15/08/12
Need to be re Trained .
He is in the wrong.
Need to be reported ,time/date/details and that image of his track.
https://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/Contact-Us/Feedback
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Jackfrost80
Posts: 8143
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Already did, check the
Already did, check the response from Transperth above
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
davewillo
Posts: 2398
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Response was pretty good
Response was pretty good Frosty.
PGFC member and lure tragic
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Might is Right
Comes the unspoken rule that Might is Right, if he is bigger and in trouble of manouvering safely then he has right of way
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8143
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Interesting take on it. So if
Interesting take on it. So if I am driving a road train along Caves Road and instead of slowing down to take a tight bend I just encroach into the other lane it is up to oncoming smaller passenger vehicles to get out of my way?
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
still trying
Posts: 1051
Date Joined: 27/06/17
Thats the rule in the
Thats the rule in the country isn't it
rather be fishing
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Col Regs
Collision regs are completely different from road rules-------thank heaven
still trying
Posts: 1051
Date Joined: 27/06/17
That's what I was always
That's what I was always taught but my dad spent alot of time in Kalgoorlie.
rather be fishing
Swompa
Posts: 3878
Date Joined: 14/10/12
The channel is not narrow,
The channel is not narrow, the ferry is not wide. The ferry's draft is not too deep and the channel isnt too shallow. He was simply being numpty and literally blowing his trumpet.
Good to see that Transperth saw it the same way.
Rob H
Posts: 5796
Date Joined: 18/01/12
COLREGS
"Might is Right" simply does not exist.
There is Restricted by Draft, Not Under Command, Towing etc but if they are not showing those lights or shapes it doesnt come into it.
Courtesy does however, and it is common for a small vessel to call a large vessel on VHF16 and say "we are happy to pass behind you" or "hold your course and we will stay clear".
If you don't call them, and perform an unexpected manoever at close quarters with the best intentions, you may well find yourself at fault.
VHF16 is used for a reason, and there is nothing unusual about calling a bigger vessel
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.