Fletcher500
Guru
Background:
-Heading down the coast, about 10 miles offshore Oceanside.
-3 Naval ships are in front of me, each is separate by a couple miles, doing maneuvers. Common for this area.
-On Radar, 10 mile scale, the Cruiser in front of me is moving to port – should be clear.
-The Cruiser to Starb, is at least 4 miles away. Fine.
-The Carrier is to port, but I watch her start a slow turn, and heading toward me. But, keep in mind they are still 2-3 miles away.
Me (so I can keep the comments relevant):
-Worked on merchant ships including tankers, and spent time in the USNR, but I was a Snipe (Engineer) so I don’t profess to be a nav/rules/radio expert, and that was a long time ago.
-I have been on fishing boats since age 12, and my own boat many times around Naval ships, but never had a need to speak to them in the past.
The Situation:
-I will pass the Carrier on my port, and will clear them by 2-3 miles.
-They hail me on 16, know the boat name (AIS), and probably what I had for breakfast that morning.
-They ask that I go to 10, its cordial, and they inform me they are starting to turn south. They are moving slow, and keep in mind, still 2-3 miles away.
-I ask for permission to stay on course 150, a pause for about 1 minute, they say fine – out.
-Yes, I could have avoided this trio of ships, but it would have required me to change course to get around the Cruiser to my Starb, and added another 10 miles or so, to an already 90 mile journey that am.
-I know I need to keep my distance, and was 2-3 miles away from the carrier, but they said 5 miles – didn’t know that.
So my question.
=>What would others have done?
=>Would you contact them on 16? I avoid 16 because we all know it’s for emergencies, and I don’t want to bother a carrier unless its important.
=>If you would contact them, would you use another channel, say 10?
I know there are a lot of passage makers on this board, and people with a heavy cruising background, so I wanted to throw this out there to get some feedback. Never too old to learn.
-Heading down the coast, about 10 miles offshore Oceanside.
-3 Naval ships are in front of me, each is separate by a couple miles, doing maneuvers. Common for this area.
-On Radar, 10 mile scale, the Cruiser in front of me is moving to port – should be clear.
-The Cruiser to Starb, is at least 4 miles away. Fine.
-The Carrier is to port, but I watch her start a slow turn, and heading toward me. But, keep in mind they are still 2-3 miles away.
Me (so I can keep the comments relevant):
-Worked on merchant ships including tankers, and spent time in the USNR, but I was a Snipe (Engineer) so I don’t profess to be a nav/rules/radio expert, and that was a long time ago.
-I have been on fishing boats since age 12, and my own boat many times around Naval ships, but never had a need to speak to them in the past.
The Situation:
-I will pass the Carrier on my port, and will clear them by 2-3 miles.
-They hail me on 16, know the boat name (AIS), and probably what I had for breakfast that morning.
-They ask that I go to 10, its cordial, and they inform me they are starting to turn south. They are moving slow, and keep in mind, still 2-3 miles away.
-I ask for permission to stay on course 150, a pause for about 1 minute, they say fine – out.
-Yes, I could have avoided this trio of ships, but it would have required me to change course to get around the Cruiser to my Starb, and added another 10 miles or so, to an already 90 mile journey that am.
-I know I need to keep my distance, and was 2-3 miles away from the carrier, but they said 5 miles – didn’t know that.
So my question.
=>What would others have done?
=>Would you contact them on 16? I avoid 16 because we all know it’s for emergencies, and I don’t want to bother a carrier unless its important.
=>If you would contact them, would you use another channel, say 10?
I know there are a lot of passage makers on this board, and people with a heavy cruising background, so I wanted to throw this out there to get some feedback. Never too old to learn.