Manly Ferry & Yacht Collide On Sydney Harbour

[Not My Real Name]

What the hell am I missing here?. 

I looked at that video and it is nowhere near as crowded as San Diego Bay is on any weekend. Not even close.

You are only seeing a tiny slice of the harbour. There were a lot of boats around. And that is a fairly constricted area, and literally the busiest one mile stretch of the harbour.

We just did a closer look at that video. In it, you can see in the first second or so the sailboat approaching on port tack from left to right. The next time the tourist video cuts back, the sailboat is in irons, dead nuts in front of the ferry. If you look at how the flagpole moves around  :16 it looks like the ferry is turning left, which would help it avoid a sailboat crossing from left to right. When the video pans back at :32 it's fairly clear that the ferry has come quite a bit to the left. But the skipper tacked right in front of the ferry and muffed the tack, and was just heading over to the left.  If he'd crossed and not tacked so late (and poorly) he might have made it across.

I'm pretty sure they boat that got whacked is tied up to a dock at that marine right under the ANZAC bridge where Blackjack is sitting on the hard. At least there is a very similar looking dismasted vessel with a clean break right above the lowers. But it's tied port to the dock, so you can't see any hull damage. We're anchored a few hundred yards away, so we'll try to take a closer look later.

 

[SCANAS]

East sail is the Standard that all of us in the industry aspire to. They are an incredibly well run business. They do not throw the keys to their yachts to any mug - but I have no knowledge of whether this was a bare boat or skippered charter. A formal charter agreement does remove the responsibility of the owner (it is a good idea to even get your mates to sign one for a peppercorn exchange if you lend them your boat) but in QLD the operator of a bare-boat must ensure that the charterer is competent to operate the vessel. The vid from the ferry is horrifying and Rule 17 (actions of the stand on vessel) will certainly be discussed. It takes two to tango - one to cause it and one to let it happen. Fuck, what is going on with colreg threads around here at the moment? I come here to avoid work!

Either way I will not be to harsh about the charter skipper just yet. Yep he/she fucked up but let those who have never made a mistake on a boat cast the first stone. Thank god no one was killed or seriously injured.  

Good info. 

I wonder if the yacht skipper thought to tack to port because he assumed ferry wouldn't pass between him & the island. 

 

[DFL1010]

Because ALL ferries in Sydney Harbour have priority over all non-ferry vessels. Even yachts under sail.

[SIZE=12.5pt]Rule 18 of the International Regulations is modified by including the following NSW special Rule: [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.5pt](1) In this special Rule, [/SIZE][SIZE=13.5pt]priority[/SIZE][SIZE=13.5pt] over sail signal means a signal displaying an orange diamond shape. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.5pt](2) In addition to complying with the requirements of Rule 18, the operator of a sailing vessel must keep out of the way of, and keep a safe distance from, a vessel displaying a priority over sail signal. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.5pt](3) If the operator of a sailing vessel is unable to comply with subrule (2) of this special Rule, the operator is to make that fact clear to the operator of the vessel displaying the priority over sail signal as soon as possible. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.5pt](4)[/SIZE]

The operator of a vessel must not display a priority over sail signal without the written consent of the Minister.


 

Is Rule 2 also re-written?

(a) Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.

(b) In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.

 

[Parma]

You are only seeing a tiny slice of the harbour. There were a lot of boats around. And that is a fairly constricted area, and literally the busiest one mile stretch of the harbour.

We just did a closer look at that video. In it, you can see in the first second or so the sailboat approaching on port tack from left to right. The next time the tourist video cuts back, the sailboat is in irons, dead nuts in front of the ferry. If you look at how the flagpole moves around  :16 it looks like the ferry is turning left, which would help it avoid a sailboat crossing from left to right. When the video pans back at :32 it's fairly clear that the ferry has come quite a bit to the left. But the skipper tacked right in front of the ferry and muffed the tack, and was just heading over to the left.  If he'd crossed and not tacked so late (and poorly) he might have made it across.

I'm pretty sure they boat that got whacked is tied up to a dock at that marine right under the ANZAC bridge where Blackjack is sitting on the hard. At least there is a very similar looking dismasted vessel with a clean break right above the lowers. But it's tied port to the dock, so you can't see any hull damage. We're anchored a few hundred yards away, so we'll try to take a closer look later.

After posting that I thought that maybe there were no other boats in the video because they all got the hell out of the way of the ferry. 

 

[mad]

Doesn't the rule "don't run anyone over" take priority over who is the stand on vessel and whether or not ferries have perpetual right of way?

Unfortunately the other golden rule took precedence. 

Tonnage. 

 

[Fah Kiew Tu]

 On land no one suggests that all road traffic should get out of the way of all busses, instead the bus timetables are varied in peak hours to allow for slower trips. Similarly we are all obliged to drive slowly in school zones at busy times.

Hmmm. That explains why there are no such things as transit lanes for buses, and why people on pushbikes are welcome to ride in all lanes on any road, including tollways.

Sydney doesn't really have peak times any more. The place is so overcrowded it's frenetic all the time.

Ferries (and in theory other vessels) are supposed to slow down to 10 (?) knots while passing under bridges and IME they do this pretty religiously. Anyone remember why that rule was brought in? Anyone observe the general run of recreational boaters obeying it? Not an issue for sailboats I agree - until one gets T-boned by a speedboat anyway.

I'll predict what'll happen if the *recreational boat* drivers don't get their act together. It won't be the ferries slowing down either. It'll be a ban on recreational boats jilling about off of Circular Quay and as far east/west as reasonably necessary for the safe transit of the ferries in & out of the Quay. Think defined transit lane that you have to stay in.

There's precedent. Jet skis ended up banned from the harbour because of the persistent stupidity of the operators.

FKT

 

[LB 15]

There's precedent. Jet skis ended up banned from the harbour because of the persistent stupidity of the operators.

You say that like it is a bad thing...

 

[Fah Kiew Tu]

You say that like it is a bad thing...

It *was* a bad thing.

Bob Carr should have banned the things south of the Queensland border.

FKT

 

[LB 15]

Oi!

 

[Fah Kiew Tu]

Oi!

OK, Rockhampton. Happy now?

FKT

 

[LB 15]

OK, Rockhampton. Happy now?

FKT

All good. 

 

[Not My Real Name]

It *was* a bad thing.

Bob Carr should have banned the things south of the Queensland border.

FKT

They are a fucking plague on the broadwater.

 

[Rain Man]

They are a fucking plague on the broadwater.

It should be legal to shoot at them.  It's only fair.

 

[paulewill]

I know that B.J. I grew up on the harbour sailing dinghies and skiffs before the orange diamond rule, was still sailing there when it was introduced.

I was sailing down there a couple of weeks ago and it is still a crowded shitfight...

Thank god for Lake Mac, 4 times the size of Sydney Harbour, and no commercial shipping..

What I have usually seen is the ferries go all 5 blasts, they will confuse the situation if they blow a recognised Colregs signal with a specific meaning.

Yes. Thank god (whoever that is) for “The Lake”. It is the birthplace (genesis?) of everything that is good about our sport for at least a generation. 

 

[LB 15]

It should be legal to shoot at them.  It's only fair.

I agree but we don't want to be cruel so if you only wound one you have to finish them off with a head shot. The huge fireball is the best way.

 

[DtM]

I was on Mrs Macquarie's Point very very shortly after the incident.  I don't think that that part of the harbour was as busy as it is being painted.  

Although the gap there is narrow between the Point and Fort Denison there was plenty of room for the ferry (and from the video time as well) to avoid by turning to starboard.  It only needed two degrees from when the master of the ferry must have realised there was a problem and he would have easily missed.

True he has right of way but that is not a license to run people down.   And yes, I have sailed on Sydney Harbour all my life.

 

[SCANAS]

I hope no one paid the ferryman. 

 

[SCANAS]

Until he got them to the other side. 

 

[savoir]

Hmmm. That explains why there are no such things as transit lanes for buses, and why people on pushbikes are welcome to ride in all lanes on any road, including tollways.

Sydney doesn't really have peak times any more. The place is so overcrowded it's frenetic all the time.

Ferries (and in theory other vessels) are supposed to slow down to 10 (?) knots while passing under bridges and IME they do this pretty religiously. Anyone remember why that rule was brought in? Anyone observe the general run of recreational boaters obeying it? Not an issue for sailboats I agree - until one gets T-boned by a speedboat anyway.

I'll predict what'll happen if the *recreational boat* drivers don't get their act together. It won't be the ferries slowing down either. It'll be a ban on recreational boats jilling about off of Circular Quay and as far east/west as reasonably necessary for the safe transit of the ferries in & out of the Quay. Think defined transit lane that you have to stay in.

There's precedent. Jet skis ended up banned from the harbour because of the persistent stupidity of the operators.

FKT

When the operators are all " men of middle eastern appearance " stupidity is the best you can expect.

 

[DtM]

Where the fuck did that come from ?