I Learned About Boating From That - Breakwater Boldness

by Capt. Gregg Clark

Navigating in Darkness

It was a very dark night – no moon, overcast skies and little visible light from shore. I was running a 40’ Tiara, a boat I had run many times, towards a protected residential marina that was a little off the beaten path. The approach required running about 50-100 yards to the west end of a large breakwater made of submerged stones. There was no official marked channel into the marina, just a range once clear of the breakwater. It was a trip I had made countless times.

This was a short run from a yacht club just around a point from the marina, a trip of just a couple of nautical miles. This is just the kind of “milk run” that could welcome complacency. But luckily my training and experience saved the day on this dark evening.

Per COLREG requirements in Section B, I was using “all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions” to maintain a proper lookout. Simply put, I was running my radar, something that many boaters might choose not to do on such a simple trip. 

I could easily see the breakwater on the radar display as I approached, doing about 15-20 knots. I suddenly saw a small blip just west of the western end of the breakwater. At first, I dismissed this as an echo from a sweep. But as the next few sweeps continued to show this small blip, I got completely out of the throttles, bringing the boat to a stop. I turned on the spotlight to do a search of the water. What I saw shocked me.

About 50 yards off the end of the breakwater was a small skiff with two fishermen aboard. The skiff was so low to the water that it was almost indiscernible, even at a distance of about 1/16 of a mile. Worse, the boat had no lights! I am convinced that I had I not been running with the radar, and not been keen to examine what could have been interrupted as a random echo, that I would have run the skiff and the two fishermen aboard over. 

Here are some tips to avoid these types of situations:

1. Always keep a sharp lookout
2. Know the COLREGS and their requirements 
3. Always use all available means to ensure safe operation and sailing. This means always run your radar. Always. If you have a FLIR, make sure it is turned on and operational (this boat was not equipped with a FLIR). Always have the VHF on and dual watch both channels 16 (emergency frequency) and 13 (ship-to-ship hailing frequency)
4. Don't be complacent, even on the simplest runs

Tips for the small boats:

1. Be smart about where you position your boat. Be mindful of frequently traveled water ways even if they aren’t official marked channels.
2. Always have appropriate navigation lights on when the conditions require
3. Have a flashlight handy to shine towards any approaching vessels
4. Be ready to move if a collision is imminent
5. Don't assume others will be operating with diligence, will see you and take the appropriate evasive action

The water should be a place where all boaters can safely co-exist. But it takes efforts, awareness, communication and a mindset of safety.

Capt. Gregg Clark is a test captain for BoatTEST. He holds a 200 GT master license and has boating and yachting for 40 years. He owns a 56’ Vicem and is co-owner in a 40’ high-performance racing sailboat. He can be reached at [email protected].

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