"Mike Kanze" wrote in message

Never having stood OOD on a Bird Farm I don't know if the Rules of the
Road
are modified during such things as FLTOPS, UNREP, etc. My very dim
recollection is, "no." But it's been many years since Navigation and
Piloting.

Many years here, too.

Speculation: It wouldn't surprise me if certain operations like you cited
create a "burdened vessel" situation, one in which other traffic would be
obliged to steer clear despite their otherwise having the right-of-way.
This also presupposes that the burdened vessel is flying all the proper
flags, lights and shapes, and is signaling appropriately for her
situation.

Could be. I just don't remember.

No 'Shoes about, eh? :-)

While we are on the subject of "hearsay sea stories" I stood Shore Patrol
Officer one night in Greenoch, Scotland. It was a pretty good deal, as I
got to have dinner at the RN Officer's Mess and they made the Yank pretty
welcome. One of the RN LTs told a story about HMS ARK ROYAL (we had just
completed some ops with that ship and USS INDEPENDANCE).

He said he was OOD one day during an UNREP. All was going smoothly, when
their AGI decided to play "chicken of the sea." He ran a couple of miles
ahead of the oiler and carrier, then reversed course, putting himself in the
position of privelegded vessel. His intent was run between the oiler and
carrier, causing an emergency breakaway (creates quite a mess, I am told,
when done with NSFO flowing in the pipes). The Captain had just entered the
bridge as the AGI started his run. The LT, who had the deck was about to
order an emergency breakaway when he heard the Captain say, "This is the
Captain, I have the con." He looked at the CO, who was staring straight
ahead. He asked the Captain if he wanted to secure pumping and the Captain
said, "No." By now the AGI was committed and ran between the two ships,
resulting in a Very Near Miss. Of course, as the AGI proceeded bewteen, he
parted four fuel lines, all charged. The AGI turned from a pretty shade of
white and gray to a VERY dirty brown. Mast head to water line. Stem to
stern.

(For those of you not familiar with Navy Standard Fuel Oil, it is a tar-like
stuff that must be heated to flow. When cooled it has the consistency of a
very sticky asphalt.)

The Captain then immediately ordered a helo launched to take pictures. He
returned the con to the LT and retired to his sea cabin.

For the next week or so the deck apes on that AGI had quite a cleanup
problem. There were photos on the wall in the bar.

Still - as others have already pointed out - the above is moot if you are
a
USN Skipper and your hull touches something it shouldn't.

Amen.

Sidebar: Having crewed on a 34' sloop, I know the USCG is very particular
about pleasure sailing craft flying the appropriate shape (daytime)
whenever
they are maneuvering under BOTH sail and power. (Inland Rules of the
Road,
I think.) In these instances, the sailing craft is treated as a
non-burdened vessel and has no more right-of-way than any other motorized
watercraft. Flying the shape is necessary also because many pleasure
sailcraft have inboard engines that aren't readily apparent by distant
visual inspection.

This is just one more reason that I will stick with houseboats on Watts Bar
Lake. ;-)

Bill Kambic

Mangalarga Marchador: Uma raça, uma paixão