Idiot Armada

[capt. dave]

I was out Saturday anchored at the Spike near the enterence to the Rappahannock River. There were many other boats anchored there in a rather small area. I happened to look across the river and saw a large group of Blow Boats assembled on the north side west of Butlers Hole. It looked like they were all headed in our direction with their sails close hauled. In about a half hour the whole darned bunch of them were right on top of our group of fishing boats. I stared in wonderment as they made their way precariously throught the midst of us. I called to one that was close by and said that was a stupid thing for them to do and were endangering other people. The answer I got was that they were having a race.
They headed south and at some point turned around and came back. Of course they came right through us again even though there were more boats there than before. I watched as one came to within 20 feet of my bow and I had my fingers crossed that it wouldn't foul its keel on my anchor line.
All of my life I have had a more or less live and let live attitude toward Blow Boaters. Most of the time they don't bother me and I give them a wide birth when I running. This was a down right poor example of good seamanship and a blatent disregard for others by those snail boaters to run through the anchored fishing fleet in such close quarters. I guess they have no shame.

[Cutbait]

That sucks. Any spot?

[grover123]

That stinks but I'm not suprised. In the past month I've had a jet ski guy circle me then slow down and ask how the fishing was, a 30 foot go fast boat had 200 yards of channel and passed within 20 yards of me at 60 mph, and the best was a cruiser heading out of the river passing right behind me while I was trolling for spanish. I Just sat there and watched one of my lines go slack while he waved at me. I give up. I consider the idiot armada part of fishing. Just like the wind, tides, and water temp..

[satterly]

As I was going up the Piankatank yesturday morning in my little 14 footer I had a guy in a bass boat fly up behind me and pull a nice nascar style pass about 20 feet off my port side. He had to of been going everybit of fourty MPH while i was getting along as fast as I can with my little 5 horse kicker (needless to say as fast as I can go isn't very fast). I could see if I were out in the channel going so slow that he might have come up on me fast like that, but I was hugging the shoreline to stay out of the way. Some people just don't give a damn about their behavior and the effects it may have on others while on the water.

--John

[capt. dave]

Cutbait, we did get some spots. Some of the other boats didn't do as well so they went over to Butler's Hole. I don't think they did very well over there either.

[Rockfish Man]

I was out trolling for blues and spanish this summer. This one boat was driving like he was the only boat there. He came about 15 feet off the back of my boat and snagged all the lines. I had to cut the lines since the line was shooting and re rig everything :(

[jwas1]

At the risk of getting blasted on my favorite bulletin board, I raced sailboats up and down the Bay for 25 years. The race committee often sets the course months in advance. Other times the starting point is set ahead of time and then the turning marks are set the day of the race depending on wind direction and speed. Once the course is set, like NASCAR or any other type of racing, the aim of each boat is to sail the course as fast as possible. Unfortunately, there is no provision for sailing around fishing fleets. We always tried to keep a safe distance from fishing boats to avoid fouling fishing or anchor lines. Snagging an anchor line is a sure way to lose a race. Our 10,000lb 35 foot sailboat would stop cold if we snagged a crab pot line. Sailboats are a lot quieter under water than the guys who fly up to a fleet at planning speed only to anchor right on your spread so I don't think they would scare the fish. Sailboat racers are used to coming within inches of other boats while maintaining complete control of their boats so what might look very dangerous and inconsiderate to powerboaters of which I am now one, is just an ordinary day of racing to them.

[cwoods]

There were actually people sailing down there!!!? I don't get in that area often, but when I have been there the blowboats from Deltaville almost always are under motor power. It seems like the sails are for status and show-and-tell and the real sailors hang out in Annapolis!

[jinx]

It's one thing you have to remember. It is there world, we are just living in it!

[shellfish]

I to was at the spike when the sailboats came right up on top of everybody what a smart move ..........we did catch afew spot and trout but it was really slow moved to the bridge area still slow ended up in front of the silos and really started to catch nice spot up to 10inchs...........

[Dr. Bob]

I used to own a sailboat and participated in a few races. The general area of the course may be generally planned in advance but the legs are dependent on the prevailing wind at the start of the race. The first leg (upwind) has to be at least 1 mile, and the boats have to tack back and forth to go in an upwind direction. They have the whole bay but it would seem they did not want to inconvenience themselves too much by starting too far away from home. Just my two cents.

[clarkaa777]

yea we came out of broad creek and looked right and wondered 'are the sailboats fishing the spike too?'

so we headed up river a ways and fished #7 to the silos and did pretty well. over 100 fish, 7 species, kept about 35 spot. 1/2 bait sized for the pen and the other 1/2 about 1/2-3/4 lb

everything caught on bloodworm fishbites. spot seemed to be in 30-40 ft of water

Andy

[grover123]

I was venting on the idiot armada but to be fair the sailing guys are generally the most respectful. I agree though that setting up your race at the mouth of a river in the fall is a recipe for fishing boats and sailboats colliding. They probably have a website with a guy writing fishing boats anchored at the mouth of the river with the Fall winds coming will cause havoc with our races. Why don't they motor 20 minutes more to a different place?

[NNKjake]

jwas1 is right, those races are set up months in advance but only as far as the general location or government marks that you have to go around, so the breeze determines where alot of the boats will go.

I am also going to admit having done alot of sailing and feel like i have seen alot of j@ck@sses on both sides--i have had squid thrown at me because i was on a blowboat that came within 20 ft of an anchored boat bottomfishing (not chumming) and i have been trolling in the spring and had some idiot motorsailing ignore the lines behind me because he figured he had the right of way.

sometimes we are closer than we'd like to be on the water, but i think paying attention and a little patience would solve a bunch of the confrontations, and now i will get off my soapbox :-)

[rocksandblues]

burn them at the stake!!!

[grin][grin]

[capt. dave]

Right ON R&B!!!!!!!!1[grin][grin]

[jwas1]

Capt Dave, I'll settle for keel hauling rather than being burned at the stake.

[chillinmonster]

I would have to agree with both sides. Yes a sail boater has the right of way under the rules of navagation but i believe that common sence should have some say in it. I live in baltimore city and you think you have it bad. try going threw the harbor while 3 or 4 sailing classes were going on. I met a random sailing instructor at a bar last weekend and e started talking. Let it be know'n that our conversation didnot turn out that nice. She said, 'We have the right of way' and i responded with if i have a 45' 26,000 lbs. boat when the motors are cut off. Now i believe that would make me a boat in distress. I would never put anyone in harms way but it is tempting when people think its fun and cool to go ziping around. As far as the races are going, i dont think they would head for a tanker or a big ship and pull their little stunt moves off their bow or sail right into a light house. I believe that they sould also have to stay away from any anchored boat sort of like how jet skis have to stay a way as well.

[drbartz]

Capt Dave

Good to hear from you !! Ed V and I were talking about you the other night at supper club and we were beginning to wonder if everything was alright. I hadn't seen you or Myra at chruch lately, was about to pick up the phone and then I saw your post.

Hope you have a good rockfish season.



DON

[drbartz]

Capt Dave

Good to hear from you !! Ed V and I were talking about you the other night at supper club and we were beginning to wonder if everything was alright. I hadn't seen you or Myra at chruch lately, was about to pick up the phone and then I saw your post.

Hope you have a good rockfish season.



DON

[capt. dave]

Don, I've been running charters on most of the weekends for the last month so I can't get to church on time. Myra goes most of the time.
Nice of you to inquire though. I need to get Ed V out on the water one of these days.