another boat crash

No injuries reported thankfully.

On a lighter note, don’t mess with a 40’ Cabo !

From Facebook
"Most of my facebook friends are fisherman. This is a friends small dragger, which was ran into/ over yesterday in the fog. Which sank moments after this photo. He was hit by a jackass in a sportfish Cabo, that was doing almost 30 knts , in pea soup fog, with his radar on 12 mile scan . So my PSA is learn how to use your equipment, and slow the F down in the fog. Capt Chuck and mate Edd are lucky to be alive today , and only because of their quick thinking."

All fun and games until someone gets hurt. Yes, NE pea soup is famous. I've dealt with it in the aviation world ad nauseum.

I don't worry much about the ferries.
1) They've got real radar that they use (not mini-screens and overlays)
2) Most people know where they'll encounter them and know to watch for them.
3) They make good radar targets.
4) The operators have more experience than the average Joe.

Not to say none of the ferry caps every screw up, hence 2 & 3.

It the average Joe that scares the c--- out of me when I see them running blind at 30 kts. This is my back yard. When I saw this I thought 'Yep it's nice to be retired'. Too many memories of almost getting cut in half by some J.A. who doesn't have a clue how to use radar running wide open when they can't see their own bow rail.

Yes we don't run into each other, much. But trying to get in, legally, is always a challenge.

I don't "worry" about the ferries. I'm scared shitless of them, and I choose courses to stay far away if possible.

Completely agree with that. We were out tuna fishing at the canyons on Sunday and the fog was pretty bad within 10-15 miles of shore. We took our standard approach, slow down to hull speed, at least two people on watch plus the captain, and an appropriate radar setting. We didn't encounter any JA's on this day but there have been many other days when I have seen these guys running 30 knots with their bow up and obviously not able to see anything. It's crazy what they must be thinking. Same guys that run autopilot and go into the cabin. I think mandatory AIS would be great to implement on all boats but that does not prevent idiots from doing the same thing. I also heard of a very close near miss off of Chatham on this same day. Hopefully they prosecute the Captain of "Chaos" to the full extent of the law and make an example for others. Thankfully no one was killed.

That's why I don't worry about them. Their courses are predictable, and it's easy to see and avoid them IF you're watching your radar and are practiced using radar. This is also why I always taught my students to use (and practice using) their radars on clear days. See what that buoy or small boat or ferry looks like on the screen. See what that line of crab pot buoys look like on the screen. Put on the trail so you can see the course of that blip. Practice zooming in as you approach an object or an inlet so you're comfortable doing it when blinded by fog or darkness. Practice in the rain reducing the rain clutter without taking actual target off your screen. With the rigging on Chaos' victim's boat they had to make a very clear target on their radar IF they just looked at it.

Absolutely not true although it may seem that way by the confidence with which they run their course. Remember that these are licensed masters, generally at least 100GT, who run these courses all day and night, 7 days a week, in good weather and bad. They've got a ton of experience, especially along the routes they travel. If they ran as you suggest there'd be bodies strewn across the bays. Of course do not expect them to slow down. They're on a schedule. So if you're in their way they'll alter their course just enough to avoid hitting you and then you'll pay the price for ignorance in their wake which is generally substantial.
And what they ASSume about the small boat on their radar is what every experienced captain assumes; that they're an idiot Sunday sailor with more money than brains who doesn't have a clue what they're doing.

I've piloted a transport category aircraft for 34 years now, I've been across the Atlantic somewhere between 1300 and 1600 times. (Lost count). Complacency is a very tricky opponent. 99% of the time you catch the rabbit hole you're heading down and get out of the situation. Once in a while you get well in to it.... and get "OH 6HIT" out of there without paperwork and media involvement and sometimes.... the NTSB gets called out of bed. EVERYONE can screw up. Those that do it all the time face their own unique threats. We have "Error Management and Recovery" programs out the wazoo, and they work....99.9999% of the time.

Point is, the stay waaaay the hell out of their way method is a VERY sound one. Especially if you're a fraction of their size and weight. Give them room.

I like your "play with the radar" in good vis and daylight so you know what stuff is supposed to look like". Been doing that for years.

NYCap, I find it interesting that you defend a ferry maintaining a high speed in a fog because of a schedule. So it is OK by you for the ferry captains to take a risk to lives by running fast in a fog to meet a schedule. In other words, Take a risk to others lives to deliver their customers on time so that the ferry company can maintain their revenue stream. But yet you Criticize those in another post because they don’t want another shutdown saying that they are putting lives ahead of profit. Analogy is not perfect but i hope my point is made. Risk is a part of everyday life. Yes we should take measures to reduce It but even you seem to acknowledge that the show must go on atleast in this instance.

Every step you take involves risk management. How many times have you heard about ferries running over boats compared to the number of hours they run? Not many. They generally run a short route they know well. They know where the boats gather to fish and where the boats are likely to cross their channel. They watch their radar screens every day and know what they're looking at. They also have their licenses, careers and fortunes at stake if they screw up and spend every minute aware of that. Now how many times have you heard of people contracting the virus? 3,000,000+ in 4 months. With ferries we listen to the professionals and accept their skill in mitigating risk. Wouldn't it be smarter to do that with most things, especially in things like science and medicine?

Admin edit: this post has been edited to prevent political dissent.

Don't forget the Staten Island ferry crashing into the dock. As for the Southport ferry finding a mud bank. that's pushing it. Of course accidents happen. A space shuttle exploded too, but we still have a space program. Planes crash too, but we still fly. I'll still put my trust in the professionals, because they know more than I do. Yes I've run into Hyannis, and Nantucket and the Vineyard many times in clear weather, fog and even a nor'easter. You might have noticed that although that ferry scared you he didn't hit you. Sounds like someone knew more than you're giving them credit for.

Ferries in NY Harbor worry the hell out of me. Yes, I stay as clear as I can, and I love the vector on the radar to help me see them in a crowd, but sooner or later you have to converge into their traffic density, and it pays to be the aggressive/proactive/defensive one. They go too fast, seem too careless. I know they know their routes, but the traffic with which they interact is never, ever the same trip to trip and day to day.

Now, the Bridgeport/Port Jeff ferry, those are careful, good folks that will give on the course and throttle to lend a hand in mutual avoidance. Those folks are super. In the harbor? That's a jungle.

In NY Harbor you have several ferries from Staten Island, Sandy Hook and other places, water taxi's, tour boats and untold numbers of commercial vessels and it all works very well because all vessels in the harbor are monitored and all commercial operators are in contact with traffic control (VTS). So what may appear to be madness is actually quite organized. And yep the Pt. Jeff ferry is very professional, but they also run on a schedule regardless of weather. I do want to note that this thread has migrated big time. If you go back to the OP this thread is about a fishing boat getting rammed by a weekend warrior.