NYCkayaker Kayak safety meeting with NY Waterway

[Geoff K.]

I have a general question regarding the use of whistles. I always have a 
whistle at the ready, simply attached to my PFD and clipped to a pocket 
flap. However, I do not always have a VHF radio handy, and conditions 
don't always lend themselves to radio use. (Also, the more basic the 
technology, the more likely it is to work. My whistle is always more 
likely to work than my radio, especially if all I have is the whistle...)

Is there some acceptable whistle pattern that kayakers may use when 
navigating around ferries, both docked and on the move? I agree that 
visibility can sometimes be a problem, so whistles could be an extremely 
useful tool. I would like to be able to blow a whistle pattern and wait 
for a response from the ferry before continuing, whenever practical. 
This would alert the ferry of kayakers' presence and also let the 
paddlers know that the ferry is aware of their presence.

I would defer to the working boats' knowledge and opinion on this 
question. If there are some system of signals that already exist, I'd be 
happy to use my whistle for signaling. What I would love to see is some 
simple signals for non-commercial crafts to use, and the possible 
expected responses from the commercial vessel. Ideally, the paddler 
signals and the commercial vessel responds in kind, so both parties 
agree. However, if the commercial vessel requires some other action, 
there needs to be some understanding from the paddler's perspective for 
what to expect. The paddler simply cannot expect the commercial vessel 
to simply follow their lead, the paddler should defer to the working 
craft whenever possible, as a courtesy. (When I say "paddler" I mean 
that  in a general way; this obviously would hold for all vessels, 
commercial and otherwise...)

Rules of the road are just that, but we all need to understand what they 
are before we can use them consistently.

-- Geoff
> On Thursday about dozen kayakers, mostly from the Hudson River Paddlers
> Guide and the Downtown Boathouse, met at the NY Waterway tour terminal with
> Alan Warren (safety officer of NY Waterway), two of their captains, Mike and
> Rick, and Coast Guard PO Paul Church.  Here's what we learned that all
> kayakers should be aware of:
>
> 1. When transiting the NY Waterway terminals at 38th St. on the Hudson River
> during sunset and perhaps an hour or two before, there is substantial glare
> on the water.  As we left and returned to the terminal in their ferry boat,
> a kayaker and outrigger were paddling by.  These paddlers were impossible to
> see in the glare.  On a sunny day with the sun getting ready to set in the
> west, do not assume you are visible to boats coming from the east.
>
> 2. While NY Waterway does monitor channel 13, they pay closer attention to
> the following channels, because the NY Waterway captains communicate with
> each other on these channels:
>
> Channel 69 on the Hudson north of  Chelsea Piers
> Channel 71 on the Hudson south of Chelsea Piers
> Channel 72 on the East River
>
> You may have a better chance reaching them on these channels than on 13.
>
> 3. When NY Waterway boats leave the terminal at 38th St. they are
> particularly concerned about their blind spot at Pier 76, the pier that juts
> out just south of their terminal.  Pay special attention when transiting
> their terminal from the south.  When their southbound boats launch they are
> supposed to go fairly close to Pier 76, and this presents a particular
> hazard to kayakers.  They suggest if paddling at night always carry a radio
> and call the "NY Waterways captain going to Lincoln Marina" on channel 69 to
> announce your intentions.
>
> Their northbound boats are supposed to go straight out of the terminal at
> 38th St and then veer north.
>
> 4. The ferry boats are affected by tides & wind at least as much as we are,
> so give them plenty of room to deal with conditions.  This is especially
> important when they launch or land at their terminals.
>
> 5. We had a lengthy discussion about the radio chatter where captains refer
> to kayakers as "speed bumps" and use other charming expressions.  The
> management of NY Waterways is aware of this problem, promised to discuss
> this with the captains, but says this attitude is deeply entrenched in the
> commercial maritime culture.  Don't expect much change.
>
> Dan
>   
>