Is it illegal to anchor in a channel???

[northsboy]

Hello all,
Just something i was curious about cause it could of caused alot of hassle last night!
Ok i was on my way out to the reef for some good fishing when i entered the channel and was going along almost top speed with the new 115 optimax and almost hit some fella anchored in the middle of the bloody channel! I mean i missed him by about 10 foot no more,maybe even less! The worst thing was the F***ER didnt have any anchor light on any deck light not even nav lights!! After i realized what had happened and it registered i stopped the boat turned around and before i could say a word my deckie gave him a serving Might not of been the best thing at that time but still i could of ripped his head off it makes me so angry > >
So they question im asking here is,is it illegal to anchor in the middle of a channel?? I always thought it was but have been told by different people it is and it isnt???
Thanks in advance boys.....
Cheers
Liam

[boatboy50]

Its not defined as illegal.
It is illegal to impede the safe navigation of another vessel, which in my mind means u cant anchor in the channel.
If i find a boat in the channel, and i have to pass closer than 30 metres to it, i wont slow down to six knots as im supposed to, for that reason.
u will find many different interpretations of the rules, and the truth is, none of them are wrong, because they are left wide open to interpretation.
Regards
Darren

[Big_Kev]

It is illeagle to operate or anchor at night with out lights.
The guy also has a death wish and I would have done the same as you in letting him know all about it. > > >
How many collisions do you hear of on the news and someone has died as a result?
It don't take Einstein to work out a light is needed.
I also don't travel so fast at night for this very reason.
Cheers Kev #

[Gazza]

travelling boats should at least have a 'spottie' ,I wouldn't trust for a second ,that everything that can hurt you or others, is 'well lit' for you to go around #

Whose the DH # ??? #the stationary 'object' or the blind as a bat boat-driver #???

your choice ,i've made mine long ago. #
(handy for crabbing too)

[rodbender]

i think your booth in the wrong him for not haveing light's and you for traveling so fast at night rodbender

[Mundi]

Liam,
I am not sure about the legal point of view but in Cairns I'm pretty certain the channel is marked as a No Anchorage area. Another issue in the channel is the outrigger canoes. They hit the water about 5.30 am and pm. Hard enough spotting them looking into a setting sun let alone before first light.

[thebandit]

boatboy you have to slow down within 30 m of a anchored boat its the rules!!!

[charleville]

I used a 1M candle power spottie when I go to the Pin at night. People park in some funny places there without a light on moonless nights.

Worst part about a spottie of course is the blinding reflection that comes back at you off the bow of your own boat. So I added a length of tube to the spottie (cylindrical plastic canister with the bottom cut out) to narrow the beam and stop side light close in.

[cHiCo]

Liams point is that the boat was anchored in the channel without any lights on so how was he suppost to see it and slow down????? Stupid statement "rodbender".

[ba229]

I find this statement somewhat disturbing

If i find a boat in the channel, and i have to pass closer than 30 metres to it, i wont slow down to six knots as im supposed to, for that reason.

We complain about plenty of others on this chat site but deliberately showing scant regard for others is somewhat questionable.

It's one thing if you don't see them at night with no lights on.

But to find one and keep going regardless?

[northsboy]

Rodbender....how am i in the wrong??? its at night and ive got my nav lights on as well as a little light on my centre console and hes in the middle of a channel WITH NO LIGHTS!!!!!!!!!! Imagine if a bloody barge was going through there.....he would be dead now and so your gonna say the barge is in the wrong for going to fast??? Even if i was doing a slower speed and still collided it would cause damage!!! So i dont beleive im in the wrong...besides what is a motor for if im sposed to be going slow??? I may as well use a smaller motor hey?? Sorry mate but i disagree with you!
Mundi! Ya not wrong there into the setting sun there impossible to see,and i always thought it was illegal as well...with all the ships going in and out all the time!
Cheers boys
Liam

[Lucky_Phill]

Liam, the anchored boat is more than in the wrong, and illegal, he was down right dangerous,, not only to himself but innocent third parties. You are quiet within your rights to travel at the designated speed. Most marked channels etc, the speed limit is 40knots.

Giving the guy a piece of your mind, is also within your rights, but let's be constructive in our critisisim.

" mate, I nearly ran you over. you don't have any lights on. Did you know you are anchored in a Channel ? "

Just because someone is anchored in a channel, doesn't mean you have to blast by at 40knots within 5 mtrs of them. 2 wrongs don't make a a right . There are many instances around our water ways, where the river/ creek etc is only 30 mtrs wide itself. It is not a race. ! Backing off for a few meters won't make you catch any less fish. A little courtesy goes a long way.

It's not a crime to smile at the passing boat, back off in a channel, pick up a floating plastic bag, hold someone else's boat at the ramp or give your unused bait to the kid at the jetty.

Cheers Phill

[northsboy]

"Just because someone is anchored in a channel, doesn't mean you have to blast by at 40knots within 5 mtrs of them."
Mate i wouldnt of blasted past at my speed i was going within that distance if had of known he was there,thats what im saying i didnt even see him till i almost hit him otherwise i would of slowed down and gone to one side! Do you understand where im coming from?? I didnt do it in spite i just didnt see him till when i was about level with him!
Cheers phill mate hope you understand now?
Liam

[rodbender]

chico how can it be a stupid statment northsboy said in his post that he was traveling almost at top speed any person knows u dont fly around at night at almost top speed regardless its accident waiting to happen & the outher boat was in the wrong for not haveing lights on chico u wont to read the post properly before u say i made a stupid statement.rodbender

[boatboy50]

BA229,
If you are crossing the entrance to the seaway on a sunday arvo and have literally 100 boats in the channel, are you going to slow down for every single one of them cos you are within 30 metres of them?
I will do everything i can to pass further from them, but if i cant, i wont slow down for them because they showed disregard for me in the first place.
If they want to anchor where everyone else needs to go, they need to put up with the speeding boats.
I will definately try to pass more than 30 meters, and will not pass 5 away in spite, but really, should we be expected to show regard for them if they dont show us any?
Just my opinion.
Regards
Darren