Hang around the harbor awhile and you’ll see boat-handling mishaps that shock, amaze and entertain.
If you’re standing too close, some mishaps may put you in motion as fast as your sea legs will carry you away from danger. I can recall one fine summer day on Marina 2 in the Santa Barbara Harbor when a sudden boat movement caught my eye.
A newer and beautifully appointed 40-foot-plus custom cruiser suddenly bolted out of its slip, nearly rammed into vessels berthed in their slips across the fairway, stopped just in the nick of time and then jerked into reverse with equal suddenness. It happened twice in rapid succession.
The climax was when one of the passengers — a lady in a red cocktail dress — tumbled right off her feet, over the rail and into the water. For a moment it looked as if the boat would run over the woman or smash her between the boat and the dock. Fortunately, whoever — or whatever — was at the helm quickly shut down the engines. All hands reached out as the woman climbed onto the dock and looked down at her ruined dress. She was invited back aboard, but she wanted no part of that boat. I don’t blame her.
Nearby volunteers eased the boat back into its slip. They may even had been kind enough to show the person at the helm the difference between the throttle and the shifter. The near-disaster looked to me like a total lack of boat-handling skills. It sounded as if the person revved the engine, and then shoved it alternately into forward and then reverse.
Such mishaps are not uncommon, I am sad to report. Should you want to witness some humorous boat mishandling, and if you can stand some frightful moments, just spend a few hours at the public launch ramp on a busy weekend. Most folks know what they are doing, but the beginners who have not done their homework and feel they own the ocean can be downright scary.
The problems are not limited to the launch ramp. Some expensive boats in equally expensive slips are manned by people who think that once they spend all that money, people should stay out of their way.
Riders on personal watercraft will make you laugh and cringe in rapid succession. They blast through the harbor ignoring the speed limits, charge boats dangerously because they want to jump wakes, have no idea of rights-of-way and do crazy things such as blasting by so close to a boat out fishing that it spooks the fish and runs the risk of the skier becoming tangled in fishing lines with hooks. I’ve actually had riders on personal watercraft scream by within 20 feet, become tangled in our fishing lines and then swear at us like it was our fault.
No license is required to operate a private boat, including personal watercraft, which saddens and worries me. I would like to know that the person at the helm of a vessel on a converging course with mine has read and understood “rules of the road,” has passed proficiency and knows which of us has the right-of-way and which of us should give way.
I also believe there should be a designated driver aboard boats. Alcohol adds to the problems.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help.
