boat/trolling rite of way ??

i have a quick question on rite of ways and courtesy. We fished sunday by west sister in the large pack of boats. we tried all different approaches from trolling to casting, etc. well anyways we were drifting and casting, however not drifting very fast as there was hardly no wind, and along comes a guy trolling and is running his big board right at the bow of my boat! he then proceeds to tell me i should be paying more attention! I told him, as politely as I could, that he was under motor power and should probably watch where hes going! who was in the wrong? i am just curious for future. he pulled his board in a bit, and i did start up and move out of his way even though i dont think i should have had to, i'm not one to create problems just to make a point, but i am curious as to who actually had the "legal" right of way

im not sure just how the laws are written but in my opinion the boat under power should always avoid a boat that is drifting. but that's just my opinion and what I do when trolling. but remember its better to give up the right of way than to hit another boat.

you wouldn't believe the boats that's out there that doesn't know the boat on your right has the right of way. but that all goes out the window when it comes to a sail boat under sail, then the sail boat has the right of way except when overtaking and passing a boat then the sail boat must give way to the boat being passed. but many times I have given the right of way to boats on my left when they just kept coming. its much better to use your head when trolling and give way rather than hitting the other boat or tangling lines with them even though you are in the right by law.

Well this should be an interesting thread....... :)

I'm not too sure about the legality of "Right of Way", but I do believe that considering two vessels on a intersecting course, the vessel under power is responsible to make course adjustments to avoid collision. What if your motor wouldn't start and your anchor broke loose? Did you motor past him and drop off right in his troll path? There are always situations that are perceived differently by each persons perspective. I've had situations where I'm cussing at a guy cause he's drifting into my line and I dont have anywhere to go, and hes cussing at me because I'm trolling too close. I try to watch what everyone is doing in my intended troll path and if I need to adjust, I adjust.

We almost always troll with the wind (if there is any) or pick a path that appears to be in a similar direction as the boats we are around. This is a bit easier when you're not in a 300 boat pack.


Happens when the fishing is good, and people feel they are more privy to the fish. Don't forget we fish for fun and to fill the freezer, Charters are relying on a good trip to make money and sustain their families.

Clearly you're in the right. Think about it this way, what if you'd been perching and had been anchored. Are you then responsible for pulling anchor and moving out of the way of every boat that came your way? Guy was just being a jerk.

18. Responsibilities between vesselsExcept in narrow channels, traffic separation schemes, and when overtaking (i.e., rules 9, 10, and 13) A power-driven vessel must give way to: a vessel not under command;
a vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre (this may include vessels towing one another[12]);
a vessel engaged in fishing;
a sailing vessel.

A vessel engaged in fishing when underway shall, so far as possible, keep out of the way of:
a vessel not under command;
a vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre.

Any vessel other than a vessel not under command or a vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre shall, if possible, not impede the safe passage of a vessel constrained by her draft, exhibiting the signals in Rule 28.
A vessel constrained by her draft shall navigate with particular caution having full regard to her special condition.[6]

thanks for the replys, i knew about the sailboats being under sail, and i always try to be as courteous as possible to other boats, the problem is it almost never gets shown back. if i am running on plane towards a group of boats heading to a fishing spot, when we get close to the pack, i will throttle down and no wake through so as not to jostle everyone around, i sit out there all day long and watch jerks weave there way through packs of boats at wide open. :mad:

as to the situation i was referring to, i was almost sure i was in the right, but again, i will avoid problems, rather than allowing them to happen to prove a point. so i started and moved away, however we had been sitting there, i wouldnt even call it drifting on sunday, for better than an hour before he came by, so he clearly just thought everyone should move for him, i didnt stop and start drifting near his path. he was also not a charter.

hey we were trolling all by our self's yesterday, a few boats several miles away, I found and active pod of fish and was working a tight area, along comes a sail boat, it's sail was out but there was no wind, it was moving to fast not to be under power, it was on my right so I made a hard left to get out of it's way, that sail boat was not going to change course, any more I get out of everyone's way even if I have the right away. It came really close to us, we had a triple on and didn't notice the sail boat until it was very close. I avoid packs at all costs. I thought it was kind of funny, maybe that sailor wanted to see if we were catching anything. He did wave to us and I kindly waved backed.

A drifting boat has the right of way. it would be no different as too if you were under power and came up on a sail boat. sail boats have the right of way unless they are under motor power, but if they are under way by means of wind drift (sail) they have the right of way.

I too ran into this problem over the weekend. We were trolling around rattlesnake and a boater pulls into the area starts trolling towards me and starts yelling at me about being right of him and I should divert away. The bigger problem was I was moving away but he kept coming closer and closer and I was heading towards the rocks. Finally I exchanged a little pleasant conversation with him and he moved to his right and everything went back to normal. The problem I see is everyone on the water feels they have the right of way. No one is willing to show the slightest amount of courtesy-like it's a sign of weakness or they are giving up "their rights to the water". It seems to me that those who have bigger boats feel they have the right of way like its a trucker mentality or something. Anyways, I will be fishing more on the week days and stay home weekends. I'll save my sanity this way. :cool:

I knew the sail boat had the right away I thought its just my luck in the middle of know where, no other boats to contend with and I have to turn my boat to avoid a sail boat under power. The flies were terrible yesterday, I have never had that many flies on my boat.

Zander Man I just get out of every ones way its a lot less stressful. It's unfortunate that some people just don't have a clue about anything.

A pedestrian in a crosswalk always has the right of way, just like a boat that is drifting...

Of course walking out in a crosswalk on a busy NYC street just to prove a point may make you right, may make you "dead right."

I can't tell you how many times someone pulls up 100 yards right in my troll line and shuts their engine off and start drifting. Legally they might have the right ow way... But they have no consideration or sportsman etticate.
I am NOT, let me repeat, I am NOT saying or suggesting that is what you did at all... Just saying there are times that a drifter doesn't have the right of way.

Go park in the Ferry channel and perch fish.... Go stop 100 yards directly in front of one of the ferries and then tell them to go around. They will. But that doesn't make it right.

Okay. There. I ranted a little, and NOT at magnum... The poor guy just joined, I wouldn't do that to him.., that's just for all you drifters who have been around and know what I'm saying and you do it to prove a point.

-Matt

Okay.... I opened myself up.... Fire away!

Zanderman....I hear you on the bigger boats feeling they have the right of way regardless. We were trolling last year over by Niagra and this large catamaran is far behind us traveling same direction at a faster speed and when he catches up to us he starts blasting away on his air horn for us to get out of his way! I know not all larger boats act this way but this one in particular thinks he owns the lake!

I had a much better time last Saturday trolling all alone!

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Originally Posted by Eyezcrazy

Zanderman....I hear you on the bigger boats feeling they have the right of way regardless. We were trolling last year over by Niagra and this large catamaran is far behind us traveling same direction at a faster speed and when he catches up to us he starts blasting away on his air horn for us to get out of his way! I know not all larger boats act this way but this one in particular thinks he owns the lake!

I had a much better time last Saturday trolling all alone!

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Was the boat in question Papa Smurf Charters? Sounds like the same boat, watched while his one board hit an anchored boat at C Can not to long ago.

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Originally Posted by Madd Matt

A pedestrian in a crosswalk always has the right of way, just like a boat that is drifting...

Of course walking out in a crosswalk on a busy NYC street just to prove a point may make you right, may make you "dead right."

I can't tell you how many times someone pulls up 100 yards right in my troll line and shuts their engine off and start drifting. Legally they might have the right ow way... But they have no consideration or sportsman etticate.
I am NOT, let me repeat, I am NOT saying or suggesting that is what you did at all... Just saying there are times that a drifter doesn't have the right of way.

Go park in the Ferry channel and perch fish.... Go stop 100 yards directly in front of one of the ferries and then tell them to go around. They will. But that doesn't make it right.

Okay. There. I ranted a little, and NOT at magnum... The poor guy just joined, I wouldn't do that to him.., that's just for all you drifters who have been around and know what I'm saying and you do it to prove a point.

-Matt

Okay.... I opened myself up.... Fire away!

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i know you said you were not suggesting thats what i did, and i dont take offense to it, as i know thats not what we did. i try to be as courteous and sportsmanlike as possible, hell i get excited if im not catching a damn thing but they are slaying them in the boat next door, im just happy to be doing something i love and just as happy for the next guy thats succeeding. i just wanted clarification on who was legally in the right. and as i said, i did power up and move anyways, and i would do it the next time as well, as i said i wouldn;t create a problem just to prove a point.

Had that happen, I was anchored perch fishing and a guy comes trolling by and snags my anchor rope and yells at me for having too much anchor line out.
go figure, avoid packs as much as possible, usually catch more fish anyway.

I have read all these posts and have experienced just about all of these situations myself over the years. With these new phones that do short videos we should start taking videos of the really stupid and "wrong" legal things we see and post them on here with an explanation of what is not legal. Perhaps some of these people will see themselves or their own boats on here and see what they are doing wrong. Just the fact that you are pulling an idiot move and get posted on video would embarrass me enough to sell my boat.
Then again it may make some think and get the message..........

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Originally Posted by wakina

Was the boat in question Papa Smurf Charters? Sounds like the same boat, watched while his one board hit an anchored boat at C Can not to long ago.

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I have seen this guy myself a month or so ago west of Kelley's . I have 196 StarCraft w/ I pilot and had to keep altering my course even though I had the right of way on several passes. I always alter my course for the J-A**ess with the bigger boats just to avoid the BS. You do not see these guys in march or April.

keep cutting me off also fathersday weekend out by a can . name like that what do you expect.

Penalty Box,
I agree. I give it my best shot to be courteous and move away but when you move in a direction and the other guy keeps following you and rocks are near then what? There was no where else to go. Hopefully, the next time I run into someone like that on the water it will be you and you will be courteous and move away from me as well as I move away from you:)

kinda reminds me of fishing on the lake all by myself and watch as a sailboat uses me as a referencing point and comes by and hooks on to two of my planers, I'm sorry, I do not tolerate ignorance and stupidity on the water all at the same time. His wife's mouth was wide open after my blatant suggestions of what and where he should go. Shame on her for associating with such an ignoranus.
All this talk kinda reminds me of ice fishing, you are slaying the fish and some ignoranus has the blatant audacity to drill a hole just a mere 6 ft away from yours. You just can't make this stuff up, it happens and the Lord made these people on the day of rest and with a dearth and shortage of parts.

Be respectful when trolling, troll with the wind and go downstream then pull up and gently guide your boat back around the pack to repeat, not through with a vengeance.There are some that are just born short of intelligence and show a resolve to pizz others off and zig zag through the pack in opposite directions causing a lot of angst with there fellow fishermen.:mad:

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Originally Posted by penalty box

hey we were trolling all by our self's yesterday, a few boats several miles away, I found and active pod of fish and was working a tight area, along comes a sail boat, it's sail was out but there was no wind, it was moving to fast not to be under power, it was on my right so I made a hard left to get out of it's way, that sail boat was not going to change course, any more I get out of everyone's way even if I have the right away. It came really close to us, we had a triple on and didn't notice the sail boat until it was very close. I avoid packs at all costs. I thought it was kind of funny, maybe that sailor wanted to see if we were catching anything. He did wave to us and I kindly waved backed.

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you made the right choice as a boat on your right has the right of way even if he is under power.

Here is something that everyone seems to be forgetting or at least no one has mentioned it yet!

The rules of the road is a legal guideline that defines prudent behavior and defines who has right of way to maintain course and speed under normal circumstances. I think we are all aware of that fact! But here is the kicker.

It also states that both vessels if under command must take such action as to avoid a collision at all costs. Meaning that if a boat or vessel is approaching you from the left and is apparently not going to give way to your vessel which is on the approaching vessels right then your vessel on the right is bound by law to take all means to avoid the collision by changing course, slowing down or even stopping.

I realize that most everyone here would take such action and avoid a collision if at all possible! I only posted this to let everyone know that it is addressed in the Rules of the Road of navigation and that being on the right of another vessel does not give you the absolute right of way. It is somewhat confusing when you read the rules but it is what it is so be aware.

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Originally Posted by wakina

Here is something that everyone seems to be forgetting or at least no one has mentioned it yet!

The rules of the road is a legal guideline that defines prudent behavior and defines who has right of way to maintain course and speed under normal circumstances. I think we are all aware of that fact! But here is the kicker.

It also states that both vessels if under command must take such action as to avoid a collision at all costs. Meaning that if a boat or vessel is approaching you from the left and is apparently not going to give way to your vessel which is on the approaching vessels right then your vessel on the right is bound by law to take all means to avoid the collision by changing course, slowing down or even stopping.

I realize that most everyone here would take such action and avoid a collision if at all possible! I only posted this to let everyone know that it is addressed in the Rules of the Road of navigation and that being on the right of another vessel does not give you the absolute right of way. It is somewhat confusing when you read the rules but it is what it is so be aware.

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i guess i will have to cancel the "Ma Deuce" i just ordered for the bow of my searay...Wakina just took all the fun out of me anchoring and laying in wait for a sailor or a rude troller....oh well!
tight lines to all

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Originally Posted by stubby

i guess i will have to cancel the "Ma Deuce" i just ordered for the bow of my searay...Wakina just took all the fun out of me anchoring and laying in wait for a sailor or a rude troller....oh well!
tight lines to all

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LOL! Anchored is considered moored and you should not have to move. The approaching vessel would not know if you are fishing or are anchored because of an emergency. Of course you would not want to anchor in the middle of the shipping channel!

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Originally Posted by wakina

Here is something that everyone seems to be forgetting or at least no one has mentioned it yet!

The rules of the road is a legal guideline that defines prudent behavior and defines who has right of way to maintain course and speed under normal circumstances. I think we are all aware of that fact! But here is the kicker.

It also states that both vessels if under command must take such action as to avoid a collision at all costs. Meaning that if a boat or vessel is approaching you from the left and is apparently not going to give way to your vessel which is on the approaching vessels right then your vessel on the right is bound by law to take all means to avoid the collision by changing course, slowing down or even stopping.

I realize that most everyone here would take such action and avoid a collision if at all possible! I only posted this to let everyone know that it is addressed in the Rules of the Road of navigation and that being on the right of another vessel does not give you the absolute right of way. It is somewhat confusing when you read the rules but it is what it is so be aware.

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you are right about the boat on the right giving way to the boat on the left. if we didn't do that there would be many wrecks on the water. I have been trolling for many yrs and I couldn't even guess how many times I have been on the right and had to change course to avoid a wreck. there are just to many people out there that just doesn't know the boat on the right should have the right of way. and then there is that 10% that just don't care.

when I first started boating I didn't have a clue as to who had the right of way. so I always just did what I had to to avoid problems. after I found out the boat on the right is supposed to have the right of way I always wait until I see the boat on my left isn't going to give me the right of way. then I will do what ever it takes to avoid the other boat and his lines.

I personally think every boater in the us should have to take a basic knowledge test before driving a boat or take some kind of boating class.

I was trolling on the western basin and I seen this sail boat coming out. it was pointed right at me so I slowed down to let him go first. then after a few minutes I looked back and he was still heading right at us so I speeded up quite a bit I just knew we would be gone before he got there. I looked back a few minutes later and he was getting close and was headed right at us. it was like he was just trying to get us. I started turning the boat but he was barring down on us. he came so close that we had to pull the rods from that side of the boat and used our hands to push off the sail boat. I know the sail boat has the right of way but he shouldn't have the right to run you down. if he had of kept his course to start with there wouldn't have been any problems. but when I slowed down he had to have turned his boat to keep heading right at us. then when I speeded up he should have went behind us. but no matter what I did he just kept coming right at us. it was like he was using us as a steering point.

under normal conditions I would have just turned the boat around sooner. but the air adjustment screw had came out and we lost a full tank of gas. so all the gas we had was what little we had left in the other 2 tanks where we changed tanks a little early so we wouldn't run out while trolling. so we was trolling on our way back to our harbor. however we did run out of gas but we was only a couple of miles west of the harbor. but not really close enough to get anyone to notice us. but then out of nowhere there came this boat from the west and we flagged him down. we asked him if we could borrow about a gallon of gas. he said he had been lost and had run out most of his gas. then he asked if we knew how much farther it was to Cooley canal inlet. we told him about 2 more miles. we said watch where a boat was coming in and that was the harbor. then he said he would try and tow us in. we made it in and tried to pay him for helping us out, but he refused any money.

sorry for such a long post, but I thought the sail boat story needed told. then I thought I should tell the whole story.