Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: bmynbr on October 28, 2015, 09:57:06 PM
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Last weekend I was anchored in the fraser, and was fighting a sturgeon. While doing this, two tugs with logs in tow started heading down the river towards us. The first tug went quite far away from us, but the back of the logs swung out to the side where the second tug was. As I was getting the fish to the boat the second tug operator yelled at me to get out of the way. I released the fish as fast as I could and swung my boat out of the way. I don't think the logs would have hit us, but they would have come within probably 20 feet or so. Seemed reckless to me that he would come that close. I mean they could see I was fighting a fish, and even if I wasn't how do they know i wasn't having mechanical troubles and couldn't move. Does he have any more right to the river than I do? I was nowhere near the centre of the river.
Dave
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The tug boat under tow has the right of way, you must give way them.
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All vessels, especially with a tow, have rights heading down stream. This is due to the fact that they cannot stop easily with the river current behind them. In this case as they alter course, the tow will continue to swing in the current until the second tug can apply force and redirect it. You were lucky there was a second tug.
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It is good that you posted this. Great case study/eye opener/reminder.
We need to pull anchor and get the F out of D, stat. No ifs ands or buts. As far as I know.
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There's a saying on the Fraser... Might has right. The bigger it is the more right it has... The Fraser has a lot of commercial traffic and one should consider it a roadway more so than a... Leisure area.
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Go wander around on the highway and tell me who has the right of way.
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Any large vessel coming down river with or without a load must be given right of way. If i recall there was a section in your boating exam in regards to "right of way".
Especially being a large tug with logs.... now thats just common sense to pull anchor and move over regardless of fighting a record sturgeon or not. Imagine if that boom came and caught your anchor rope or boat, id say you'd be going down pretty quick without the chance of being able to free yourself.
As mentioned above, a reminder to all when fishing the Fraser to pull anchor and provide plenty of room for a tug boat and boom coming down.
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Also to consider... Large vessels sometime move with the tides and have small windows to operate in at times and can't always afford to have to wait for someone to move so consideration should be given to those moving down OR up stream if you are in its path... It can be quite stressful for those operating in changing conditions and I've been in the control room and seen the stress when windows start to close... Always be prepared to move and help these guys operate safely... The thoughts going through the first tugs head weighing the cost of hitting you and having to go wide.... Probably wasn't fun if his actions were jeopardizing their operations and positioning further down stream... Ever seen the cruise ships move up River below the Alex Fraser bridge.... You definitely move for him as well, lol. He can't stop very fast even if he had to and he simply can't just go around you...
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Always have a way to break away from your anchor in an emergency.
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Same goes in the ocean.
And sometimes being right isn't worth being dead.
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Here Lies Jonathan Day
Lost his life keeping the Right of Way.
He was Right.
Dead Right.
It's safer as a small vessel to just get out of the way.
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I fully agree and moved Out of the way. I just though he could have hit his horn to let me know he was coming close. And then I thought about if I was broken down. Am I supposed to release anchor and float downriver until I crash.
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Well, according to the law, all power boats bigger then a jet ski and up to I THINK it is 30'? Have to have a set of oars on board or some other form of manual propulsion. I have chewed a prop to nothing and used my oars to get to a bar on swift sections of the non tidal Fraser. If I was broke down on the Fraser I think the LAST thing I would want to do would be to drop anchor unless of course you don't have oars?
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Everyone who operates a boat on any body of water in Canada needs to understand the Collision Regulations (Col Regs). These are effectively the rules of the road and paint a clear picture of who has the right of way when it comes to different kinds of boats/ships engaged in different activities.
Rule 18 tells us the pecking order from top to bottom:
Vessel not under command (damaged, loss of steering or power)
Vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuver (restricted by draft, tow, dredging operations)
Vessel engaged in fishing (Commercial)
Vessel under sail
Vessel under power
Here are the Col Regs:
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._1416/page-4.html
Look at Rule 3 for definitions, specifically 3d and 3f
If you are broken down and unable to navigate you need to use your VHF radio and contact either Vessel traffic or Coast Guard Radio so that others operating on the river can provide assistance or at least avoid running you over assuming you are simply anchored while fishing.
Someone mentioned that a vessel coming down river has the right of way and that by itself is false. If it is a tug engaged in towing operations, then yes, absolutely they have the right of way. Tugs in the river are typically are on a short tow line which limits their ability to change course. As hard as they try, that tow will keep making way and will drag the tugboat with it. Have a look at this accident where a barge overran the tug.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEfUblSDzww
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Holy crap.How fortunate the conditions were that nice.
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Have spent literally 1000s of hours on the Fraser R from Pt Coq. to Sandheads using 4 dif. boats.
1st one a fibreglass car topper with a 9.9 hp.
One chap doing some electrical work on our 13 ft runabout mentioned to me "Stay out of the way of the big boys".
The big boys are those big vessels that navigate up & down the river.
The vessels that carry rail cars or truck trailers or trans ocean vehicle transport ships.
There are large barges that have a bow & the tug pushes it instead of towing it.
You can just imagine the mentioned vessels need room.
Plus many times the wake can be very powerful.
Once a BC ferry was going up river to dock at their maintenance facilities across from Captain's Cove area. Plus the dredger ship was near & another freighter. All navigating in close quarters in the Fraser east of Steveston.
We just stayed closer to the north shore.
Once when coming up river from Sandheads I switched the fuel line to a full portable fuel tank.
Only one thing; forgot to open up the air vent.
Suddenly our outboard stopped. The wind & waves were from the south & our boat started to drift more into the main shipping channel.
There was a large vessel barreling down river.
One's mind works quick & does a math.
Our boat will be way too close to this ship if I cannot get the outboard restarted.
With the heart beating extra, noticed the closed air vent thus twisted it open & gave a few quick pumps to the fuel bulb & cranked the key to the right.
Outboard started right away,thus pushed the throttle & headed straight south & out of the shipping channel.
Another time we were on the south side of the river east of Steveston along the rocky jetty.
It's quite deep even a few metres from this jetty.
A big sucker ship was heading up river & they navigate about 25-35 yards from this jetty.
Was thinking maybe I'll just stay between this rock jetty & the big ship.
But thoughts of "what if ?"
If big wake shovels us onto the rocky shore.
Or ship is just too close to our boat & it would feel like were sandwiched between.
Decided to play it safe & cross the river & give plenty of room between them & me.
Once did see a guy on high tide with an inflatable & oars in the middle of the shipping channel by Steveston.
He had his wife & 2 small girls on board.
Large vessels passed by them.
Convinced the guy to give us a rope & we slowly towed them closer to Shady Is.
Many many stories of boating accidents in these same waters thru the years.
Yes stay away from the big boys is a safe thing to do.
Kicker is a must on these waters incase your main stops.
If the big boys do not scare you, the currents & standing waves will or other big recreational boats racing up behind you & or deadheads or near submerged logs.
Boating in the Fraser to Sandheads is an adventure.
Did it for 20 years aprox. & many many close calls & frights but never had a major happening.
Me have no 9 lives. Things on the water can happen so fast. Whale watching boat accident on the westcoast of Van. Is. a few days ago is case & point. 5-6 killed.
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If you are broken down and unable to navigate you need to use your VHF radio and contact either Vessel traffic or Coast Guard Radio so that others operating on the river can provide assistance or at least avoid running you over assuming you are simply anchored while fishing.
Coast Guard... Yes my boat has lost power (may have turned engine off) and I am anchored and I've decided to throw out a line. I may need assistance but for the mean time advice others not to run me over and if I need assistance (big fish) I'll radio in.... Thank you.
Lol
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^ Good plan
Also, *16 works on most cell phone networks, but nothing beats a radio!
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^ Good plan
Also, *16 works on most cell phone networks, but nothing beats a radio!
Are you saying you can access this Chanel (16) from a cell phone? Please do tell....
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Are you saying you can access this Chanel (16) from a cell phone? Please do tell....
I'm pretty sure he meant dialing "*16"
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Are you saying you can access this Chanel (16) from a cell phone? Please do tell....
Dialing *16 will connect you via phone line with the nearest Canadian Coast Guard Marine Traffic and Communication Services (MCTS), ie. Vancouver Radio, Victoria Radio, Comox Radio, etc. Its a phone connection and cannot be heard by any other mariners in the area. However, the Coast Guard will broadcast on your behalf using their high power broadcast antennas as well as coordinate rescue resources should you need them.
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HOWEVER...
Not everyone on here operates near the coast where the marine VHF radios are monitored. A lot of us operate inland in remote lakes and rivers. Calling the Coast Guard from Hihium lake isn't going to help you. If that is the case, you'll want to put this number in your phone.
Joint Rescue Coordination Centre
Emergency Numbers (24 hrs/day)
Toll free (within BC & Yukon)
Telephone: 1-800-567-5111
Cellular: #727
Satellite, local, or out of area: 250-413-8933
Email: jrccvictoria@sarnet.dnd.ca
JRCC is manned by the Canadian Military and Canadian Coast Guard and they are the ones that dispatch rescue resources such as the Coast Guard or Search & Rescue Technicians from the military.
http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/e0003868
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Dialing *16 will connect you via phone line with the nearest Canadian Coast Guard Marine Traffic and Communication Services (MCTS), ie. Vancouver Radio, Victoria Radio, Comox Radio, etc. Its a phone connection and cannot be heard by any other mariners in the area. However, the Coast Guard will broadcast on your behalf using their high power broadcast antennas as well as coordinate rescue resources should you need them.
Great info, thanks!!!
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a reminder to all when fishing the Fraser to pull anchor and provide plenty of room for a tug boat and boom coming down.
ditto for trees coming down stream.
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Gotta love the title of this post. "Tugs in the Fraser"
May I add some stories about tugs on the Fraser......
Going down river after going all the way to New Westminster & now returning to Richmond.
We are on the north shore side going at about 10 mph.
Ahead on the other side of the river are 2 of the biggest tugs I've ever seen. & they are full throttle & no tow from what I assume.
Big white spray & waves are at the front of their bows. Literally wake with white caps are heading our way & the waves are about 6ft high at least. It seemed about 30 of these wake waves hit us.
Water came over the bow & over the windshield into the boat.
Tug operators seen us & throttled down but their previous wake still came at us.
Another time we left McDonald Beach boat launch into the North Fraser R.
My dad in the passenger seat was rather hot as the sun was blazing & very little breeze.
He kinda scolded me to get the boat at a higher speed thus to create some wind in our face thud to cool us down.
Well this huge tug was going by with no tow & the wake waves were such that they literally came over the bow & over the windshield & buckets of water splashed us in the face shirts & pants.
So.....asked my dad if he was cooled down ?
Ha !!!!
Well it was a sunny day & within 2 hrs our cloths were dry as we trolled English Bay.
Great memories.
My dad is now 90 yrs old. & we sold the boat this past summer.
The cycles of life.