The speed limit is 9.9 knots on this section of canal. I would think by looking at video the black vessel lost her engines and they would loose steering to.
Oh I'm sure they knew what was coming, but with nowhere to go and no way to stop it was a slow speed inevitability.
No horns in the video so they prolly were already in contact via radio and bracing for the inevitable ?
Nothing worse than knowing it's about to happen and nothing to do. We once witnessed a horrifying accident on the streets. Pickup truck ahead of us approaching intersection with green light. Van coming down the hill from the left and clearly not slowing down. In our wide view, all visible. In pickup truck's view, van was way out of the field. They collided and van rolled three times and landed upside down in a ditch. Pickup stopped. He had slammed on his brakes to try to avoid but couldn't. I actually dialed 911 before we got there. My wife ran to the pickup and I to the van. I described it and operator wanted to know injuries and blood and fuel and to my shock there were no serious injuries (turned out pickup truck driver had worst to neck and back). In the van there was a woman and two kids and only injury was slight cut to woman getting out. Pickup truck driver was stunned and kept saying "I thought I had a green light" and we kept telling him he did. Was one idiot cursing and beeping because we had the street blocked. Guess he felt his being able to come through was more important than running to the victims. I know it was only seconds, but from the time we saw the van at the top of the hill until they hit all seemed in slow motion. I futilely blew my horn but they had no idea what that was about. I was terrified when I approached the van thinking surely someone in it would be dead or seriously injured. I can only imagine how it felt on these two boats and at what point they each realized it was really going to happen.
Motor Yacht Eccentric 125' Westport heading for lock two. She is only the third American yacht to transit the canal this year. I have a few American yachts trying to get down canal and are having trouble getting permission from Canada Customs. I have one guy that bought a new boat in St Clair Shores three weeks ago from SC and was told he has to hire a delivery crew to get through canal and he can not be on boat. They are bringing boat to Buffalo this week and he will get off and delivery crew will take it down canal to Youngstown NY in the Niagara River and he will get his boat back. Custom seems to have a set of rules for every boat.
You nailed it. They are all over the map. Every day I'm hearing different stories from different people, most not good. Every decision is based on what kind of mood the responding officer is in.
I have got to get my new post 50 to the Erie Canal hopefully early next month. This is all pretty frustrating. Seems like there could be a systems for crews to pass that is documented and agreeable.
Video of Florence Spirit up bound Port Huron going to ship yard in Sturgeon Bay WI Hope the crew have their life jackets on.
Having dealt with Transport Canada for years, I'm surprised they were able to get a certificate to proceed.
BTW, The Florence Spirit made it to Sturgeon Bay... I went past it last eve in the tender and there were guys still welding on it at 7PM.
Today took Yacht Forum member Capt. J. on a 50' Post S/F and five other yachts with our group. After departing L8 down bound it was thirteen miles to L7 and shortly after we caught up to a 475' Tanker going our way. Seaway traffic called the tanker and told him that all 6 yachts were going to pass him and when we got to L7 if we were going to delay him they would pull us over and let him go first, luckly he did not catch up to us which knocked about two hours off our trip. In the picture you can see the tanker behind us. The locks can only hold six yachts three at the north end and three at the south end do to the Hands Free Mooring Machines that take up a lot of room on the lock walls. This year there is no rafting allowed in the locks do to Covid-19 19