another boat crash

Would it matter if the person flying at Mach 1 is guy whose experience is flying a piper cub or a Navy test pilot? Yes what's safe for an experienced professional may not be safe for novice. In 1989 the Gentry Eagle, a "blind" boat set the trans-Atlantic record with an average speed of over 55 kts. The windows aren't the only, nor even the best, way to see for a professional who knows his equipment.

Ok more like 47 knots for the Gentry Eagle, the fastest so far was Desterio at 53 knots.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Atlantic_Challenge_Trophy

That was the number I had stuck in my mind too, but I didn't trust a memory from 30 years ago so I looked it up and saw 55.6. It wasn't till I saw your post that I looked back at the Sun Sentinel article and saw "mph". Hey Sun Sentinel you're in the "yachting capital of the world". Yachts measure speed in kts. lol.

Thank you, Admins for creating this solution. We've lost some very good threads in the last couple of months, just because a couple of our members can't keep from prodding one another. While I appreciate a good debate amongst actual friends, I hope to see many more of these tags in the future.

As the one who had his sentence cut I agree. The political debate is incredibly important today and I won't let subtle and not subtle comments and propagandizing go unchallenged, but as I previously told Carl I'm not immune to letting it get out of hand and I welcome the mods reining me in for the sake of YF's mission.

A little self censorship wouldn't hurt either...

You forget I'm NYcap. Subtle as TNT. Letting things slide is not in an old school NYer's DNA, but the mods stepping in when necessary is welcomed.

Yeah, and Fabio Buzzi, equally talented, recently died from hitting a jetty on a speed run.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ed-boat-crash-trying-break-record/2361817001/

Three people are dead after a speedboat racer in Italy crashed Tuesday night while trying to break an offshore speed record, officials say.

Champion Italian racer Fabio Buzzi was killed when he hit an artificial reef near the finish line as he tried to set the record for traveling from Monte Carlo to Venice, the BBC and AFP reported.

And what does that have to do with a weekend warrior not watching his radar and ramming a vessel engaged in fishing or even a study of how fast ferry captains run (which has little to do with the topic). How many tangents is this thread going to migrate to? Now if you hadn't quoted me it might have fit in this thread (although it didn't just happen), but I fail to see the relevance.

"Yes what's safe for an experienced professional may not be safe for novice. In 1989 the Gentry Eagle, a "blind" boat set the trans-Atlantic record with an average speed of over 55 kts. The windows aren't the only, nor even the best, way to see for a professional who knows his equipment."

No, they just got lucky that nothing was floating on the surface during that run. Buzzi, also a highly regarded and wildly respected long time power boat racer wasn't so lucky. Going fast with no visibility is dangerous whether it be a professional boat racer or joe blow power boater.

Actually they didn't if you read up on their later attempt when their radar went down, and there's very little relevant comparison between a guy running an area he's only so-so familiar with at 80 kts and a ferry captain running a 1 hour route that he does several times a day at 20 kts. DK if you've ever run fast, but I've done over 75 mph and it's just a blur. Nothing safe about it, and nothing like running a ferry. And both the ferry captain and the skipper of Chaos had perfectly clear visibility ON THEIR RADAR SCREENS, except that Chaos didn't use or didn't know how to use his.

Not sure how anyone would argue that..... besides:

“83.19 (b) Every vessel shall proceed at a safe speed adapted to the prevailing circumstances and conditions of restricted visibility…”

I didn't notice a prescribed speed limit in that. Is the speed limit the same for the amateur in fog for the 1st time maybe using a 6" radar with a chart overlay as it is for a licensed professional with years of professional experience running the short route he travels several times every day and night, with multiple large radar screens and the experience of using them every day and night?

Hull speed, no more in limited visibility is what I do and every prudent Captain that I know. There are PLENTY of targets in NY harbor and plenty of moving ones such as anchored barges etc., small boats, etc. Easy to miss a small target in a harbor when you're doing 30 knots. Maybe if you're 100 miles offshore in a cruise ship or freighter where the possibility of small boats is almost nill, doing 20 knots in heavy fog and relying on radar is safer.

If you were a ferry operator in NY Harbor you'd have about 5,000 angry commuters ready and willing to keel haul you. If you survived your first day they'd actually do it on your 2nd day. lol. For the Hyannis to Nantucket ferry you'd only have about 500. How about the pilot boats running out to meet the ships in Ambrose Channel? Hull speed also?
A blind man walks with confidence in the dark. It's all a matter of what you're used to.

That does not make it safe or prudent. The number 1 cause of ship accidents in the world, is keeping a schedule.

Which is precisely why I am not a Ferry operator, haven't had a marine accident in the 20 years I've had my license (or 37 years of total boating experience), and make far more money than a Ferry operator in NY.

Your not being able or willing to do something doesn't make it wrong or unsafe. I'll take a guess that you're not qualified to fly a commercial jet into JFK. Should we ground all planes? I haven't had an accident in over 60 years of boating, 30 years as a licensed and working professional, but I wouldn't bet I make more than a ferry operator in NY Their salary is a little over $1,000 for a 4 day week (plus benefits), and up to double that in overtime.

You can't fight physics, and radars don't pick up everything.

1. Running a ferry (or any boat/ship) in reduced to no visibility makes it less safe than during good visibility- FACT
2. The faster you run a ferry (or any boat ship) in reduced to no visibility makes it even less safe- FACT.

It is what it is. It's a calculated risk, but far riskier than in good weather. Just like the Staten Island ferry mowed down an entire pier in 2003 and 11 people killed and 70 injured because one of these Ferry Captains was off of his game combined with inclement weather (wind gusts to 40 mph). As far as I'm concerned, I'd rather have people be 15 minutes late to work and ALIVE.

And yes, I make much much more than that salary in 4 days of work and including the overtime.