NYCkayaker Kayak safety meeting with NY Waterway

[Dan Starer]

Having been in the wheelhouse of a NY Waterway ferry last week, and having
cruised around the the lower part of the Hudson, I can verify there is no
way a ferry captain could hear a whistle blown by a kayakers.  I doubt if
even a small air horn that kayakers might carry would be audible to a ferry
moving at full speed.

Dan


On Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 1:19 PM, Geoff K. <geoffk99 at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
> >
> >
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