I'm just back from a cruise along the Maine coast where we, naturally, ran into a good amount of thick fog among the islands. With one eye on the plotter, one on the radar, another sorting through the ubiquitous lobster pots (even in depths over 200 feet a couple miles offshore), and one for sail trim and steering, we had no particular difficulties. Our VHF-hailer automatic foghorn signaled every 2 minutes as legally required, Still, we had some very close calls with other vessels that came ghosting or roaring out of the fog a hundred feet or less away, often on a collision course. As always, I was surprised how many boats blithely go forth into deep fog without using a radar reflector to help others see them or a foghorn for others to hear them. There have been collisions in fog, of course, and people have been injured - and sometimes die. I wonder if these careless boaters are trusting that the boats they encounter will always be using the correct equipment and common sense to prevent collisions? What happens when two vessels both ignoring the regulations meet? The odds are small, but maybe that's when the collisions happen. There's really no excuse not to have aboard and use a required sound signal in fog. Here's some basic information on different fog devices available.
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Comments
Carry enough water and provisions,and stay offshore.In maine this usually means go East Young Man.
Remember there are bold sailors,and old sailors,but no bold old sailors.
This is stolen from the airplane pilots.
Tom – I enjoy reading your blog. Keep them coming! I also agree with the previous comment about no old, bold sailors/pilots. As a Commercial pilot that adage certainly applies to both disciplines and from one who has kept his boat up in Mid coast Maine for the last three years, it amazes me how many sailors throw caution to the protectors of fog’s fate and plow aimlessly and QUICKLY ahead with no radar or reflectors, let alone signalling devices. It’s just a matter of time.
I want to thank you for yet another terrific article. I am always searching for original sailing tips to recommend to my readers. Thanks for creating this post. It’s just what I was trying to find. Truly great post.
Tom-
The biggest problem arises when fog is in the head…..
That said, one other suggestion for those who use the reflector and horn and are not using radar detection. Keep in mind that course changes should be done as little as possible and when done slow and deliberately. The few close calls we have had have in fog occurred almost immediately after changing course or when not maintaining a constant course.
We raced around buoys the last two Wednesdays in fog. Maybe I should think of horns next time. But I don’t know, on second thought: If more than one boat were using horns, it could get chaotic after a few minutes!