[Sailsss] The Singlehanded Sailing Society of SF A serious message from the SSS

[Jeff Berman]

Dear Racers,

 

            During the Race Saturday, I was the recipient of a phone call I
never wanted to receive while on vacation.  As an SSS Board member, my name
is on the Permit we are issued to hold race events.  As such someone would
have to call the Coast Guard for that information.  Such a person did.  He
was a Ship Captain.  He phoned me to voice his concerns that many racers in
our event did not head Rule 9.  This means he had to STOP and REVERSE his
course in the Oakland Bar Channel.  In the area from Delta Echo span to the
Outer harbor there is NO place for a ship to divert.  Our race caused, in
his judgement, a serious safety issue aboard his ship.  He had great concern
of needing to choose grounding vs. hitting a racer out of site below his
bow. In the area which these infractions occurred there is no place for a
container ship to maneuver but in the narrow channel.

 

In Rule 9 a vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or
fairway is obliged to keep "as near to the outer limit of the channel or
fairway which lies on her starboard side as is safe and practicable." The
same Rule obliges a vessel of less than 20 metres in length or a sailing
vessel not to impede the passage of a vessel "which can safely navigate only
within a narrow channel or fairway."

The Rule also forbids ships to cross a narrow channel or fairway "if such
crossing impedes the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only
within such channel or fairway." The meaning "not to impede" was classified
by an amendment to Rule 8 in 1987. A new paragraph (f) was added, stressing
that a vessel which was required not to impede the passage of another vessel
should take early action to allow sufficient sea room for the safe passage
of the other vessel. Such vessel was obliged to fulfil this obligation also
when taking avoiding action in accordance with the steering and sailing
rules when risk of collision exists.

 

The racers who ignore this rule put our races in jeopardy of being granted a
permit in the future.  For those unaware, short handed sailing is under
attack for safety issues.  If WE do not abide by extreme safety guidelines
we will not be allowed to race short handed in San Francisco Bay.  

 

It will be up to the Boards discretion to allow these racers to participate
in the future of SSS events.

 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Jeff Berman

Race Information Officer

 

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