What to report and how

[davidpm]

Sailing in starlight I saw a piece of timber floating about the size of a phone pole and four feet long. Should I have reported it?
How?

[artbyjody]

Originally Posted by davidpm

Sailing in starlight I saw a piece of timber floating about the size of a phone pole and four feet long. Should I have reported it?
How?

You could call it in to the CG - but doubtful they would consider it a threat. Usually they are more concerned about deadheads (submerged objects that are moving relatively slow) or larger obstructions... So on Channel 16 hail the local coast guard station, mark gps location and report it... about all you can do...otherwise just avoid it... here in the PNW this is a common occurance and rarely reported...

[Boasun]

Just use your VHF and make a "Security" call giving the position of the Navigation hazard and the set & drift. It would be:
Security, Security, Security. This is the S/V Lollipop WAC 4506. Just passed a Nav hazard of a chunk of wood dimentions of 3 ft dia. 4 ft long in position of 32n and 87w with set & drift of 120 @ 1.5 kt. (give the data again and then bow out using correct radio procedures) But a chunk of wood that size is minor compared to a container drifting just at the water's surface. Now that would be a boat sinker.

[SVDistantStar]

I was out in my skiff today and saw a railroad tie in the river floating. I slipped a line around it and towed it to the marsh. One less thing in the river.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by Boasun

.. with set & drift of 120 @ 1.5 kt.

1) What is "set?" 2) Couldn't the drift be highly variable, depending not only on current, but wind and, where applicable, tide? Other than consulting the charts, or keeping an eye an compass on it for a while and doing some fancy math, how would you determine the drift, anyway?

Jim

[Slayer]

Originally Posted by SEMIJim

1) What is "set?" Jim

Set is the direction towards which the current flows, given in degrees read of the compass,,,,drift is the speed or velocity of the current in knots.

[davidpm]

Originally Posted by Boasun

Just use your VHF and make a "Security" call giving the position of the Navigation hazard and the set & drift. It would be:
Security, Security, Security. This is the S/V Lollipop WAC 4506. Just passed a Nav hazard of a chunk of wood dimentions of 3 ft dia. 4 ft long in position of 32n and 87w with set & drift of 120 @ 1.5 kt. (give the data again and then bow out using correct radio procedures) But a chunk of wood that size is minor compared to a container drifting just at the water's surface. Now that would be a boat sinker.

Perfect, that is what I was looking for.
Don't want to sound like dork on the radio. "Duh looks like a log out hear you guys should miss it."

[Sailormon6]

As Distant Star suggested, why not either take it onboard or tie a line to it and tow it to your destination where you can dispose of it? It probably won't slow you any more than towing a dinghy. If you just call the coasties and leave it there, you know they're not likely to send anyone there to get it. In that case, the radio notification to the coasties might make you feel like you've "done your duty," but the hazard to navigation still remains. I'd much rather remove the hazard, so that I won't have to hear of some sailor or power boater or pwc'er who hit a log at speed.

[CharlieCobra]

I've sailed past trees, yes, whole trees when the wind is up out here. Not much you can do with a 40' tree and a root span of some 15' in 50 knots and seas to match except dodge it.