Quiet on ch.13 lately ?

J

jonf

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Anyone noticed how quiet it's been on ch. 13 ?
I live close to the river and monitor my handheld on scan 24/7 . I have noticed this past winter SECURITE calls are less frequent,(not traffic) most tugs and ships used to always give one or two before approaching worlds end ,lately I've heard much less from them as I see them pass then ever before.?

Are securite calls going to become less this year because of AIS ?

I understand pleasure boats will rarely initiate securite calls , but I pay attention to them at night or in foggy conditions and react as appropriately, when a potentially dangerous course change is needed.

AIS is a + for the big guys but, if what I've outlined above is the trend , it could be a - for us little guys. AIS is available for us too, but quite expensive for most of us to justify the cost.

safe 08 season to all
Jon
 
Good point about channel 13. Hudson boaters should monitor it and use it if they need to contact any of the commercial vessels on the river.

It's good to monitor so that you know where the ships are and which way they are heading.
 
There are ships and tugs out on the river?
 
Rommer - must be . . . you certainly wouldn't expect a sailboat to lower its' standards an actually monitor other traffic from us "stinkpotters". . ..!!!!
 
Pete

Can't say that anymore. Several tugs and barges spent time in Bowline last year. They were picking up equipment from the power station and shipping it down to Texas. Mirant(sp) continues to screw over the local economy....

I thought sailboats were targets for us? You know go as fast as you can as close as you can and see how far you can get their mast to swing from side to side! ;)
 
quote:
Originally posted by rommer

I thought sailboats were targets for us? You know go as fast as you can as close as you can and see how far you can get their mast to swing from side to side! ;)

Click to expand...


:D
 
I think we need a point system.

Something like 50 points for a 15 degree swing
100 for a 30 degree swing
etc.

You get extra points for making them spill their white wine and double points if they shoot you the bird with both hands at once.

Look at it this way, we can stay close to home, saving fuel and still have fun with our boats. I'm sure we could get a local marina to sponsor a score board.
 
HAHAHHAHA - Yeah fuel savings would be good since we would idle until we see them then start to get on plane to create a large wake too.
 
Considering the amount of commerical traffic on the river I thought I might take a min. at the start of this boating season to remind us all about saftey on the water around tugs & ships especially after sundown ("slow-down" as I like to call it on the boat) & times of low visability.

Most of us know the basic nav. rules by heart & I feel this site is a great asset for us to help each other "read between the lines" of the rules & share tips & information we have picked-up through time on the water.

Even the most experienced of us can hardly deny that we have not seen a tug & barge appear out of almost nowhere once or twice on a dark night , or disguised against shore lights or other circumstance. I admit its happend to me , as well as too often , witnessed many close calls & perhaps unintentional dangerous actions by fellow boaters.

A few common avoidable ones I have seen are , not holding a basic steady course when meeting commercial vessels - zig zaging can usually warrent a bright blinding blast of light from an attentive watch stander which can ruin your night vision for quite a while. I'm sure we have all seen the skipper following a large displacement vessel directly astern without apparent thought for the powerfull propwash that stirrs up big logs and other things that go bump in the night.

One that always gets me is watching boats cut in front of tows & ships in close proximity of thier bows. Why anyone would risk thier life or that of family & friends aboard in the event of a simple stall or loss of power is beyond me.

So lets keep in mind most tugs travel at 9,10,11, knots or more & ships usually much faster. Usually at distance they appear to be hardly moving , when close they approach quite quickly.
I look forward to replies & learing from the knowledge you can share that rules & books do not give-up easy + the fun a banter also.
Best wishes & SAFE boating to all ! OK you can push me off my soap-box now. Jon
 
Good advice, Jon. The worse part of leaving ANY fireworks display on the river is the knot in my stomach caused by the stray go-fasts, which feel that passing as close as possible in the dark is Far safer than keeping a safe distance . . ...

I got radar for a reason, and I don't boat at night without it!
 
Gene , I downsized boats 2 years ago & do not have radar aboard this one ,sure miss it at night.

I go to Macys 4th by Roosevelt island and know what you mean , its scary to see everyone take off and race up the Harlem river twards the hudson. Over the years i've found staying on the hook just a few min. longer & waiting for them to race off can help keep the nice relaxing feeling of enjoying the fireworks on the boat all the way back to the dock.

A few years back I towed a boat back to piermont with two coupples aboard & a bunch of young kids , they were right in the middle of the channel around Yonkers when we found them shinning a small flashlight for help, they did not even have a radio . I will never forget what the guy said to me " we hit something but I was going slow only about 35 " they were nice people ...Just didn't know any better of potential dangers of" hitting something " that fast & easily hidden at night.

I hope I don't seem like a know-it-all because i'm far far from it . Just trying to remind us all to be safe after dark and slow down at night and enjoy a stress free cruise, because even if you do hit something large chances are the props or hull will ok enough to limp back or safely get you out of a channel to anchor and wait for help. Believe me I know - cause I"m the kinda guy who can use all the help he can get. :)
best whishes-Jon.
 
Anyone know what the small orange ball on the east side of the river almost directly across from Panco tank in stony point is marking ? ? ? ? just wondering Jon.
 
Its either one of the sailboat race markers or DEC stugeon study net. I saw it the other day out there...
 
Thanks "GOV". Any cruising plans this weekend? When ya see Hogan tell em were counting on him for good weather.
see ya Butch....Jon
 
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