Advise

[Kiwijohn]

I am still new to boating and had an experience today where I need some advise.

I was coming out of Jackson Creek (Nudgee Beach) and I noticed a boat sitting side on in the middle of the channel. Initial thought was that his motor had died on the way out so I came off the plane and slowed down. When I got closer I realised that he was fishing with his lines were running down the channel towards me.

It was too late for me to do much else so went to the left of him - the side with the most room. I didn't foul his lines but I got a comment and gave one back

I am not sure what I could have done different. The channel is quiet skinny (plenty of room for two boat to pass but are within 5m of each other) and I have beached myself before when taking it too wide. Maybe I am a little over careful and don't stray too wide.

My question is what should I have done? Is it reasonable for him to be fishing in the channel and get upset when I go past. He wasn't happy with me and let me know - I also let him know my thoughts. What are you thoughts?

Thanks John

[haggis]

what does the other fellow think will happen when he is fishing in the channel
diffrent if it was a wide body of water , maybee you should have gave him a friendly wave as you went past .
cheers haggis .............

[Angla]

I think a little bit of care around him is advisable. I think you did the right thing by slowing down in such a narrow area but because he was fishing and you have not mentioned that he was anchored then I believe you could have blown past within a safe distance at full speed on the plane, to the starboard side, provided you do not create an incident. There is no speed limit within the area you described.

Cheers
Chris

[finga]

Legally if he was anchored and you slowed down to the 5 or 6 knots then your right.
Ethically if you slowed down to 4 or 5 or 6 knots then what more can you do??
Old mate in the other boat should realise someone might come and want to get past at some stage and not go all feral.
Personally if I slowed right down and did everything possible not to upset him and he gave me a mouthful I would gave reversed back over his lines and asked what he said...I didn't quite hear ya (especially if I was close to the ramp or somewhere nice to pull the prop off)
I do that a fair bit at Evans Head when people are fishing off the pontoon at the boat ramp.
There's a sign saying not to fish off it but people still do...until Tanoa comes in that is

[TimiBoy]

If you legitimately tried to do it right, and did all that was practical in terms of being safe and obeying the Law, then the guy's a jerk. I hate when people fish in the channel.

Like when people troll up and down in South Passage. All you want to do is cross safely, and having to figure out where their lines are is an added hazard.

Plenty of them on the water, unfortunately. He was probably a Kiwi!

Cheers,

Tim

[finga]

I hate when people fish in the channel.

Tim

I also hate it when your going through a small channel and that 3m wide and there's 300000000 crab pots out with 50m of rope on each and the channel is 2m deep or when your in the middle of the bay and there is a black or dark green float all by itself in the middle of nowhere just waiting to be hit

[yellowbeard]

Did you say anything about his mother? Being a curious cat, I just had to take the light plane up for a look and took this shot of your 'creek' (maybe I could get a job at Google Earth). You cane toads call that a creek ? Why down here in NSW (Godzone) we call that a stormwater outlet. Enough, enough!
You probably confused him with your initial approach and he didn't know that you meant well. From when I was a kid my late, great dad taught me the golden rule of boating. Stay away from da udder boats. Way, way away.

[bigjimg]

You did the right thing by coming off the plane.Without being too technical always keep bank on your starboard side when navigating a channel.Matey was probably annoyed with you going to port and not to starboard.But then again one should not impede the safe navigation of other vessels within a narrow channel.I probably would have given the him the facts of life as well.Jim

[tin can marlin]

If you legitimately tried to do it right, and did all that was practical in terms of being safe and obeying the Law, then the guy's a jerk. I hate when people fish in the channel.

Like when people troll up and down in South Passage. All you want to do is cross safely, and having to figure out where their lines are is an added hazard.

Plenty of them on the water, unfortunately. He was probably a Kiwi!

Cheers,

Tim

Your on the money Tim I could not agree more.

[BaitThrower]

I try not to anchor up in a channel, but sometimes that is where the good fish are I usually only anchor up in the channel around short island in the pin area, but there is plenty of room either side for bgoats to pass... a good 20-30m each side at least.

[Kiwijohn]

Thanks guys

Thought I was ok but wanted to make sure I done all I could.

finga - have to agree crab pots can be annoying

John

Why are the inspectors never there when I have caught fish

[oldboot]

I am constantly amazed at the ignorance and complete lack of understanding of the rules some peple have.

I was comming out of the leads at wello one day ad keeping to the right ish.....saw an incomming boat comming straight at me so I deliberatly and obviously moved to the right (as is correct).... the tourkey abused me on the way past.... he obviously thaught he was on the road.

cheers

[Damned67]

I'm VERY inexperienced when it comes to boating, having only received my license in the past 6 months. Yet, with my very short time on the water, I'm constantly left questioning where a lot of these other 'boaters' learnt their 'rules of the road'....

Oh, and the dark green crab pot floats? Those damn things should be illegal. On a choppy day, I almost end up on top of them before I spot them.

[Skusto]

I'm VERY inexperienced when it comes to boating, having only received my license in the past 6 months. Yet, with my very short time on the water, I'm constantly left questioning where a lot of these other 'boaters' learnt their 'rules of the road'....

Oh, and the dark green crab pot floats? Those damn things should be illegal. On a choppy day, I almost end up on top of them before I spot them.

wats worse is the rope that they use. dam strong!

[Zooter]

LOL bloody the same down here at urunga,

Got heaps of boaties wanting to drive there boats like there cars,

I stick to the right and then have to slow down nearly to a stand still as the other boats and not taking the line down the right and heading straight for me,

Really starting to give me the shyts as even my 7 yr old has a drive once in a while and even he can follow the rules. LOL

As the others have siad KIWI , Mate sounds like you did the right thing, wondering if old matey thought about boats coming from other direction that would pass on his starboard side???
Basically If your gunna fish in the middle of a narrow channel you have to expect there is going to be some dissruptions to your fishing every now and then!!