Drifting boat could have wiped me out
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:14 amWent out to do a regular check on Windchaser. Was a bit concerned about the boat anchored in front. Bit too close. I'm on a mooring.
Tide was extra high and scuds of strong wind were blowing up the river. With the wind swinging the boats about, I suspected the blue boat was dragging but after watching it, seemed okay. But when I finished on Windchaser and rowed away, I was startled to see how close that dang boat was getting. And it was heading smack on to my boat.
Racing back to Windchaser I leapt to the bow and as the steel boat swung to and fro I managed to keep it from catching on my mooring and as it moved back, I was straining to stop it from smashing my bow. Then I had to decide which side to let it slide past. For ages I kept pushing it off and letting it slip down the port side. Luckily it had various fenders out towards the stern so despite its bow smacking Windchaser a few times, I was able to get the fenders into play. While pushing off the boat with one hand, I tried calling the boat club only to find I did not have the number in my phone. SMS'd a guy in the club and he sent me the numbers. Interesting situation.
Had to move my dinghy as it was on the port side and would have been crushed. The club Commodore, when I phoned him, asked if I could tie up the other boat which I did when it had slipped back enough that I could get the fenders working to best effect. The Commodore came out and since both of us were concerned about the change of tide swinging the boats around and tangling chains, we pulled up the blue boats anchor. Not much chain out. My mooring would be strong enough to hold both boats until the owner came and moved it.
- drift1.jpg (419.17 KiB) Viewed 2096 times
Tide was extra high and scuds of strong wind were blowing up the river. With the wind swinging the boats about, I suspected the blue boat was dragging but after watching it, seemed okay. But when I finished on Windchaser and rowed away, I was startled to see how close that dang boat was getting. And it was heading smack on to my boat.
- drift2.jpg (382.71 KiB) Viewed 2096 times
Racing back to Windchaser I leapt to the bow and as the steel boat swung to and fro I managed to keep it from catching on my mooring and as it moved back, I was straining to stop it from smashing my bow. Then I had to decide which side to let it slide past. For ages I kept pushing it off and letting it slip down the port side. Luckily it had various fenders out towards the stern so despite its bow smacking Windchaser a few times, I was able to get the fenders into play. While pushing off the boat with one hand, I tried calling the boat club only to find I did not have the number in my phone. SMS'd a guy in the club and he sent me the numbers. Interesting situation.
- drift3.jpg (368.07 KiB) Viewed 2096 times
Had to move my dinghy as it was on the port side and would have been crushed. The club Commodore, when I phoned him, asked if I could tie up the other boat which I did when it had slipped back enough that I could get the fenders working to best effect. The Commodore came out and since both of us were concerned about the change of tide swinging the boats around and tangling chains, we pulled up the blue boats anchor. Not much chain out. My mooring would be strong enough to hold both boats until the owner came and moved it.