boat/trolling rite of way ??

[870 ExpressMag]

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

[sherman51]

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.

[igotgills2]

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.

[Hoytman86]

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]

[870 ExpressMag]

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.

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.

[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.

[FishOn205]

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.

[Zander Man]

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.

[penalty box]

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.

[penalty box]

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.