From: davidm@meaddata.com (David Miller)
Subject: Re: Loud Boats (Was: Re: Novice boaters)
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1992 15:14:27 GMT

In article <1992Sep24.173914.17344@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu>, whoward@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu (Will Howard) writes:
>In article <1992Sep24.130033.27262@cs.brown.edu> jfh@cs.brown.edu (John F.
>Hughes) writes:
>>Let me throw down the gauntlet here: I want to know explicit ways in which
>>sailboaters can make themselves less of a burden to the other users of the
>>waters. What is it we do wrong? What can we do about it? All you non-sailors
>>have a great opportunity to teach us a lesson that we will value. 
>>
>>Whatever you tell us, *I* at least promise to listen to, try to heed, and to
>>pass along to other sailors. I probably can't make too big a dent, but I
>>*will* try. Speak up! Perhaps I can get you started with some of the things
>>I already know about, since other powerboaters have told me about them:
>>
>>(1) Tacking in narrow channels. At the very least, wave the powerboats by when
>>you are going to tack. Try to leave them room to get around you (i.e., stick
>in
>>irons for a moment during a tack).
>>
>>(2) Silence your halyards in harbor.
>>
>>(3) Don't trail fishing lines in crowded areas.
>>
>>(4) Don't trail your dinghy on too long a line when doing short tacks, or in
>>crowded areas. 
>>
>>More? Please?
>
>(5) Keep a reasonable distance from fishing (commercial or sport) who are
>obviously trailing gear and/or restricted in their ability to maneuver.
>
>About the noise issue: a key difference between sail and power boats is that a
>loud powerboat forces its noise upon those close to it. There's really not much
>one can do to avoid it. The sailboat doesn't force itself upon anyone (just by
                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
See # 1 above.  I have encountered sail boats doing dumb things in very
narrow places in San Diego Mission Bay.  For example, there is an openning to
a marina that is very narrow (20 yards?) but is not a long channel.  I     
was starting to enter when a sailboat who was exiting chose to turn in front of
me and come out laterally (not sure if the turn was a tack or a jibe).  Seemed
pretty rude to me.  In the long channel to the ocean, some sailers opt to 
cross completely from one side to other, as opposed to turning more 
frequently, and using less of the channel (which is reasonably wide).
My only complaints about this are in areas where manuvering is restricted.

>being out there), unless someone is offended by the mere sight of a sailboat.

No, most are quite beautiful....

>The powerboater may enjoy the noise but cannot isolate it. So powerboaters:
>when in doubt, muffle it. There's plenty of water out there, so I think with a

My boat is quiet (or as quiet as outboards get).

>little consideration and common sense on everyone's part we can all share it.

One more thing, when an area of water is segregated such that some portions are
designated for sailing (and thus have speed restrictions) and some are 
designated for skiing, it would be nice if the sail boats would avoid the ski
areas if possible...  (again, this is from SD Mission Bay experience)

-- 
David James Miller                        Architecture&Systems Evolution
Mead Data Central, B6F3                   (513) 865-7441
PO Box 933                                davidm@meaddata.com
Dayton Ohio 45401                         I speak for me, not MDC