Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Ferry Collides with a Group of Kayakers on Hudson River - Old Salt BlogOld Salt Blog



Update: Recreation and Commerce Collide on NY Waterways // NY Times
I am disturbed by the press accounts which suggest that the Manhattan Kayak company guide did not have a marine band radio.  For many years I sailed a seventeen foot keel boat  on the Hudson (North) River from the George Washington Bridge to the harbor. The dangers are many on the busy river with a swift current.  I always kept my VHF on channels 16 and 13 (emergency and commercial) to hear the many "securitay" calls as vessels announced their position and intentions.   Whenever I feared that visibility was not good I too made a "securitay" call.  The news accounts do not report that the kayak guide made such a call as the squadron approached the 39th Street terminal.

As I recall New York Waterway captains announced their intention when underway .  I always gave the NY Waterway terminal a wide berth because the ferries back out swiftly and their ability to see the kayaks  (or low freeboard boats like mine) was limited. There is a reason why the lobstermen in Maine refer to kayakers as speed bumps.  Neither bright colors nor pennants flying from the stern is sufficient.  A guide such as the one who suffered injury should not have crossed behind the ferry terminal without announcing his squadron's position and intentions.

Ferry Collides with a Group of Kayakers on Hudson River - Old Salt BlogOld Salt Blog

by Rick Spilman

...On a personal note, which may or may not relate to the collision, having kayaked the Hudson for the last 25 years or so, I always carry a waterproof VHF radio clipped to my vest whenever I paddle the river.  I keep it turned on so I can here where the traffic is and to let others know where I am if need be. Paddlers individually and in groups are not specifically required to carry a radio. Nevertheless, a radio can be a lifesaver. I know that it may not have necessarily be common practice for individuals or groups of kayaks to make Security calls when crossing near a ferry terminal or other similar congested areas, but perhaps it should be. As the smallest and the slowest boats in a very busy harbor, we can’t always rely on others to see us....

L. Francis Herrreshoff - Patent US1613890 - Sailboat - Google Patents

L. Francis Herreshoff designed my boat - a Buzzards Bay 14.

L. Francis Herreshoff Patent US1613890 - Sailboat - Google Patents





DESCRIPTION  (OCR text may contain errors)
1,613, 90 11 1927' L. F. HERRESHOFF 8 SAIL BQA'I Filed Dec. 11, 1925 3 Sheet's-Sheet 1 Jan. 11 1927.

1,613,890 L. F. HERRESHOFF SAIL BOAT Filed Dec. 11 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

fl; ATTORNEY.

Jan. 11 1927.

| F. HERRESHOFF SAIL son Filed Dec. 11,

1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

6 ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,613,890 PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS FRANCIS HERRESHOFF, 01' BRISTOL, RHODES ISLAND.

SAILBOA'I'.

Application flied December 11, 1925, Serial lilo. 74,728.

This invention relates to various types of sailing craft, hereinafter referred to as sail boats, and is more especially concerned with such craft designed for racing purposes.

The invention has for its chief object to improve the mast and sail construction of sail boats with a view to increasing their efficiency.
The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out ll]. the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sail boat embodying its invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrammatic views, partly in cross-section, showing the position of the sails and mast in tacking;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating certain details of the mast construction and the means for securing the stays and sails thereto;

Fig'. 5 is a vertical, cross-sectional view through the step bearing for the mast- Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross sectional view showing another method of fastening the sail to a mast; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the hearing at the lower end of the spar which serves as a stay for the mast.