Observations on the water in New England this year -

[jimmalkin]

Is it just me, or have others noticed that there are new boating rules this year?

Boats leaving harbor must immediately do a radio check on Ch. 16.

It is obligatory to leave fenders hanging overboard and considered poor showing if they are only deployed on one side of the vessel. If multiple fenders are not available, dragging one at the quarter will comply with this regulation.

Boaters must wear baseball hats when boarding the vessel and hats must be worn with the brim toward the back of the head at all times.

The scrawniest person on board must be employed in picking up moorings, dealing with the anchor and tossing docklines. The loudest person on board must be stationed at the wheel.

Anchoring in weed is preferred to resetting the anchor in the sea bottom. Dragging in weed is an astonishment.

Opposing wind and current makes for interesting anchorages. Boaters confused by this situation are expected to use loudhailers to ask "what's going on here, we are all facing in different directions?"

Crews in the best physical shape wear clothes. Crews in the worst shape seem to prefer the state of undress.

Magma forgot to put in their instruction manual that bbq's don't float...

With the boating accidents of this summer, you have to spend your entire time underway (and at anchor or in a mooring field) wondering which of the vessels in sight might become a problem.

There were an awful lot of accidental distress calls this year. So seriously, I think that radio technology and gps technology (since I have one in my car/I can now go out on a boat which has a gps) have put a lot of people on the water who might have stayed home in the days of paper charts, radio direction finders and the like.

I love being on the water and am never happier than when I'm there. It just seems there's much more worry and much less common sense.

[Brezzin]

I also thought that having a child sitting at the bow by the anchor while underway was also a new law.
As well as six people and a dog in an inflatable.
That Kayaks don't need lights at night.
And my favorite new law is the requirment to have your anchor hang over the dock at least three feet when in your slip (seems to be limited to powerboaters though)

[Maine Sail]

Jeeze you guys forgot the newest mandate!

COLREGS Sec: 69-69699 - All boaters hailing the launch on the VHF, from within the harbor, even within shouting distance from the dock, must use the HIGH POWER SETTING on their VHF...


This afternoon while sailing I picked up NO LESS than three calls for the Sebasco Harbor launch which is a solid 10+ nautical miles away..

"What, you mean my VHF has different power settings???"


Try LOW POWER every now and then!!!!!

Don't laugh there are some on this board who undoubtedly had no clue of the low power setting..

[jimmalkin]

Gawd, Halekai, I forgot that one. And while you're spot on about high power VHF, why is it when people agonize and debate over dinghy choice, then purchase and fuss with dinghy towing, stowage and dinghy motors, that they all use harbor launch services? And did oars go out with the Vikings?

[nk235]

You forgot the law that states powerboats must head in and out of a narrow channel 4 abreast at all times, and must speed up to overtake any sailing vessel before reaching the entrance to the channel, then slow to 2.5 knts right in front....I hate that law!

[sailingdog]

Halekai-

I've picked up people hailing Cape Cod Canal control from Clarks Cove... it's got to be almost 17 miles away...

[jtull7]

This information is good to know. Especially the caps.

[AboardIndigo]

Those new rules have been into effect everywhere, including here in Canada.

[goodearth58]

Originally Posted by nk235

You forgot the law that states powerboats must head in and out of a narrow channel 4 abreast at all times, and must speed up to overtake any sailing vessel before reaching the entrance to the channel, then slow to 2.5 knts right in front....I hate that law!

the law I hate is the mutual disrespect from both sail boaters and power boaters. I say the are A$$holes in both camps ei; loud drunk stinkpotters and cheap dirty blowboaters.