Yesterday afternoon, having a pleasant sail in Halifax harbor, 5.5
knots, starboard tack with a 25' to 30' cape island power boat
approaching at about the same speed on my port side.
As we approached each other, I was judging distance and time and it
became clear we were on a collision course. Since I was under sail and
he was a leisure boat, not commercial, under power I assumed he would
give way......maybe slow his speed and let me cross in front of him or
he would duck behind me.
Not happening....I could see him looking right at me so it was not a
case where he didn't, couldn't see me.....at the last moment when I
realized he wasn't going to give me right of way, I 'crashed
tacked'......I didn't even have time to release the jib.......just spun
around 180 degrees and he passed approx. 3' from my transom. There were
two people sitting in chairs on his back deck that saw me and looked
bewildered wondering why I was so close to them.
He didn't slow down, didn't alter his course, didn't acknowledge me in
any way. If I had not turned, we would have collided......given my
judgement of the situation, he would have T-boned me about mid ship,
port side at 5 to 6 knots.
I will be more careful in the future......this was way too close and
totally unnecessary.
Rob Abbott
AZURA
C&C 32 - 84
Halifax, N.S.
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