Yesterday we were sailing back to our marina after a damp July 4th afternoon when the Liberty Clipper caused us problems. The Liberty Clipper is a charter vessel out of Boston and they were motorsailing behind us while we were under sail power. They kept getting closer and closer as if they had not seen us. At the last moment we hit our air horn and turned 90 degrees to avoid them hitting us. I politely called them on channel 16 on the radio twice, but they did not answer. I am not even certain if their radio was turned on. We then heard someone from near the helm shout at us that "the near miss was our fault because we should look behind us"! Actually this is not true. Also it turns out we were looking behind us hence our ability to maneuver away from them before they hit us. The Liberty Clipper is required to have coastgaurd approved captain on board and he/she just failed on two counts: First, motor power gives way to sail power. Second. if you are overtaking you give way. I guess they could argue that they weren't overtaking because they were trying to sink us. However, they were under motor power. The person at the helm looked in their teenage years, which makes me wonder if they are coastgaurd approved and appropriate to man this vessel. We even called their office to explain our concern about the event only to have someone who knows nothing about sailing answer.
I would not go aboard the Liberty Clipper based on their lack of knowledge of how to control a vessel.
Wow close call...too bad I can't read about the adventures of some salty sea dogs who sailed, say, around June 30th!? So sad I didn't make the cut....
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should give way to the 125 ft tall ship.......
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