Ferry hits kayakers in Hudson River 08/30

R

Robyns Nest

Active member
Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2001
RO Number
4846
Messages
3,913
It was only a matter of time before this happened.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ferry-strikes-kayakers-hudson-river-injuring-article-1.2772087

It is sometimes very difficult to see these kayaks on the river.

One time coming back from fishing around dusk I am coming under the Verrazano Bridge and had to turn to avoid a kayaker paddling in the middle of the bridge span. He didn't have bright colored life jacket, paddle, kayak or a light.

Guy was lucky, so was I.

I do feel bad for these people that got run over by the ferry. I guess they don't post a watch on the stern of the ferry when the pull away from the dock.
 
Jonathan years ago on this site we had a knock down drag out about 'yackers in the harbor. Yes, they want to claim their right to use the water way like everyone else. However, the Manhattan Kayak Co. was negligent. The knew full well that they were taking people out into an area frequented by the ferries and there was risk. Depending on where they were when the ferry pulled out it could have been impossible to see them.

This kayak activity is analogous to riding a bicycle on the FDR drive.
 
Inland Navigation Rules - Rule 5 - Look-Out - Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.
 
The Kayak World doesn't seem to want any form of Safety Training. That ranges from individuals who seem to see themselves as intelligent enough to not need anything decades of experience have taught to other boaters. And, in most cases, the kayak shops are about the same. They want to get people into those boats as seamlessly as they can. CGAUX has a Paddlesports program that hasn't gained much traction. Why should a paddler spend 4 hours learning how to de-conflict their encounters with power boats then they can spend those hours flipping us the bird?
 
We were going to NYC (Liberty Landing) from Kingston one weekend. We got to the Newburg Beacon bridge and they were all over the place. The L.E.'s tried to tell everyone including a tug pushing a raft of barges 3 wide that the river was closed. The yaker's had their hand helds going with crap like SHOOT THEM while the L.E.s were telling us to put our engines in neutral.
The tug captain screamed "what do you want from me?" and pushed on through.

The yakers were totally arrogant acting like entitled petulant children.
 
But they are entitled to used any waterway :)

You can not teach common sense, no amount of classroom will solve the problem

We have a lot of kayakers around coconut grove and many are rentals and oretty clueless. Maintaining a look out is fine but when some idiot in a kayak comes in and pass too close to be seen from the helm, there isn't much you can do. It's happened a couple of times lately. We re busy dropping lines on the starboard side (tee head), it looks all clear and then a couple of kayakers appear out of nowhere and proceed along our port side so close that we have to hold position. Oh and they do that at night too! Standing at the helm in a position where I can reach the engine controls to leave the dock, I have about 20' of water on port side which I can not see unless I leave the helm and look down.

And obviously sounding the regulatory one long blast leaving the dock doesn't help either because like most of the people nowadays, they are entitled.
 
Came back from trip up river this weekend and tons of Kayacks crossing river. I own them myself but never attempt a river crossing or use them in channels. The best was a water skier going parallel with NB bridge and of course he fell right in the channel with four of us heading south and two others heading north. As they say, stupid is a stupid does.

As far as kayackers being hit yesterday, plenty of blame to go around. Both sides were negligent. No lookout from ferry and the idiot from kayack company who put them in harms way.
 
Tech can help though, I m surprised ferrys in a busy port like NYC don't have any cams running. I usually always have them running when maneuvering in close quarters if I can t see what s behind.
 
Those little Otter Class ferries have the bridge forward, with a restricted view astern. If the skipper was backing out, he never would have seen close-in kayaks without a stern lookout stationed (dunno if that one had cameras - the few I've inspected did not.) And while I agree that most rec boaters - let alone Kayak boaters - don't know sound signals, the one prolonged blast (Leaving berth) and 3 short blasts (operating astern propulsion) would have at least given SOME warning to the Kayak's that, 'Something's happening on that noisy boat, right here.'
 
Hey Pascal! The 18-wheelers have stickers on the trailer "If you can't see my mirrors I can't see you." Maybe "If you can't see my face..."
 
Kayakers, like jet ski people, can be careless. They need to realize that it's hard for the operator of a larger vessel to see them or maneuver around them.
The other side of the coin is that often the ferry operators in New York Harbor only care about going from point A to point B and expect everyone to get out of their way.
Personally, I think there was most likely fault on both sides. They each should have done more to watch out for the other.
 
quote:
Originally posted by j-d

Hey Pascal! The 18-wheelers have stickers on the trailer "If you can't see my mirrors I can't see you." Maybe "If you can't see my face..."

Click to expand...


Yeah but here I'd have to get them in Spanish too

And Portuguese for the brazilians, creole for the Haitians, and maybe Ebonics too.
 
How is the kayaker at fault. The nav rules are pretty clear and he had no obligation to avoid the ferry. Being stupid, unaware, a lowly renter who can't afford a yacht is of no relevence to this discussion. He was the privledged vessel and was hit by a vessel under propulsion.

My personal opinion is the nav rules need to be rewritten but until that happens they are the rules.
 
Which nav rule are you referring to? Which nav rule states that power vessels must stay out of the way of kayaks or paddle boards?

Please enlighten us
 
When you are driving in a store parking lot and you pass a car with backup lights on, do you not hit the brakes or proceed with caution? Regarless of the rules of the road, there is the rule of tonnage. I have always gotten out of the way of larger vessels. It does not matter who was in the right if you are dead.

I have had them in front of me moving on an angle across a channel. Not directly, on a shallow angle. When I gave them a short horn to let them know I was there, they flipped my the bird and slowly paddled their course. Arrogance get you hurt.
 
quote:
Originally posted by mdoherty

How is the kayaker at fault. The nav rules are pretty clear and he had no obligation to avoid the ferry. Being stupid, unaware, a lowly renter who can't afford a yacht is of no relevence to this discussion. He was the privledged vessel and was hit by a vessel under propulsion.

My personal opinion is the nav rules need to be rewritten but until that happens they are the rules.

Click to expand...


Here we go.

Applying your train of thought to a small outboard floating around looking for fluke in the Ambrose channel, a tanker should give way because he is fishing? The outboard was there first! He has a right!

Like I said, kayaking behind a ferry in NY Harbor is like riding a bicycle on the Long Island Expressway.
 
I see Mike's wisdom, the rules need to be rewritten. The Rule of General Responsibility (Rule 2) should be modified to include "The smaller vessel and mariner with least knowledge has greater rights in all situations". Jet Ski's have been practicing this 'enhanced rule' for years. So have sailboats under power with sails up. And those 5 guys in a 19 ft center console fishing mid channel.

Good Call, Mike - I'll be awaiting the Rule Change comment period from the USCG!
 
"(a) The word “vessel” includes every description of water craft, including nondisplacement craft and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water"

A kayak is a vessel therefore the nav rules apply, including the responsibility to avoid a collision and rule 9B narrow channels and fairway
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top