Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 19, 1990 TAG: 9007190452
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-6 EDITION: BEDFORD
SOURCE: By Associated Press
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium
Pilots and masters of commercial vessels entering and leaving the harbor say the small boats are a navigation hazard of constant concern.
"The biggest problem we have out here is stupidity," Jack Alder, a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, said during a recent weekend patrol. On most weekend, the unpaid auxiliary members man up to eight small boats acting as the eyes and ears of the Coast Guard.
Norman Fanney, commodore of the state auxiliary and captain of the 36-foot Bayliner Nautique, said the small boats don't seem to understand the rules of the road and can't seem to stay out of the deep-water shipping channel.
"You'll see recreational boaters zipping up the middle of the channel when all they need is less than three feet of water," Fanney said.
Recently, two container vessels collided in the channel just outside the Hamptons Roads Bridge-Tunnel. The pilot of the Columbus America has said he was forced to steer a course farther out in the channel than normal to avoid several small boats.
Lt. George Naccara, executive officer of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Office in Norfolk, said boats smaller than 20 meters in length and sailboats should not be in the channel.
Fanney said most of the large cargo ships can not see what is directly in front of them inside of half-a-mile. The view is blocked by the rising bow of the ship and the tractor-trailer-size containers, often stacked four high.
"Our biggest problems are sailboats or rowboats that get in front of container ships and can't get out of the way. A container ship is not a sports car. You need a lot of room to turn something that big. And you can't stop it on a dime," Alder said.
by CNB