What do the stinkpot sailors say to you?

[leong]

While in my kayak I get some strange and funny comments and questions from people in powerboats. Just the other day someone saw me practicing rolls at cocktail cove of Big Misery Island. He asked, “Are you sick or something, you keep going over?” Here are some of the other common ones that I’ve heard:

1. “Slow down, this is a wake-free zone?”

2. Referring to my two hatches, “Are those seats for two other passengers?”

3. “Is your canoe very tippy?”

4. “How far can you row that?”

5. “Wow, are those carbon oars?”

6. “Have you ever capsized?” Actually, a reasonable question.

7. “Does your boat right itself when you capsize?”

8. After returning from a 25-mile round-trip and about a mile from home they’ll ask, “Where did you paddle from?” When I point to the put-in they’ll say, “You paddled all the ways here from there?”

9. “Hey, go back to the lake where you belong.”

10. “You don’t go out on the ocean with that skinny boat, do you?”

11. My all time favorite: I was fishing near Halibut Point when I saw a party fishing boat anchored about a mile out. So I paddled out to take a closer look. They were catching small mackerel and I was trolling for bluefish. Some redneck yelled out, “Hey, what you gonna do if you catch a big fish?” A few seconds later the gods took pity on me. I hooked a large blue (almost 40 inches long) and landed it after a ten-minute fight. The redneck’s jaw dropped as I held up the fish to show it off.

Anyone have personal favorites to add to this list?

[Pintail]

Leon, I think you are wrong: you forgot to include the co-sine of the ferry angle and its effect when considered with sum of wind and tide, when rolling in a narrow channel -- as opposed to...oh, never mind! ;^)

[Pintail]

BTW: I <did>, once, have two little old ladies lean over the railing and call down to me, when I was playing at The Cut in Gloucester harbour: "Are you alright? We are worried about you!" (I was having such fun, that day, too!)

[brambor]

I was paddling.between two small islets while a lobster boat pulled in from the side. As he sad hauling in the.trap on that motorized line I figured I had time to cross while he was hauling.

As I crossed I saw the guy and misinterpreted his body language for a greeting. I yelled back smiling:

Good morning! How are you doing!?

He shouts back:

Im doing fuc$@&+g great! Now get the f##k out of my way before I f$$g run you over!!!

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

[Gcosloy]

Rene-Read the "Lobster Gangs of Maine" and understand that their subculture is similar to that of a criminal organization. They have no legal right to the exclusive use of the areas they control for their traps. Neither Federal, nor State, nor local laws apply. Hence these areas are controlled through force and intimidation. (Or euphemistically by tradition!) Based upon this enthusiastic acceptance of renegade status it is no surprise that many will be hostile to kayaks considered to be within their domain.

We tend to celebrate their putative spirit of independence but overlook the essential hostility directed towards outsiders. Many are bullies and followers pure and simple.

Of course my eating Lobster can be interpreted as either hypocrisy or self-hatred! Mea culpa!

[leong]

Leon, I think you are wrong: you forgot to include the co-sine of the ferry angle and its effect when considered with sum of wind and tide, when rolling in a narrow channel -- as opposed to...oh, never mind! ;^)

Herr Doktor Christopher,

The cosine function, at least on this side of the great pond, doesn’t have a hyphen like this <co-sine>. That aside, I really think you mean the haversine (not the cosine). As you probably know, the haversine formula is an equation important in navigation, giving great-circle distances between two points on a sphere from their longitudes and latitudes. Of course, it’s a special case of a more general formula in spherical trigonometry, the law of haversines, relating the sides and angles of spherical "triangles".

Unless, of course, you really meant to say the hyperbolic cosine usually denoted by “cosh”.

I’ll probably be “mellow” paddling from Lanes tomorrow if you want to discuss any of this in more detail. Yes, mellow paddling! Today was my last high-speed circumnavigation of Cape Ann before next Saturday’s Blackburn Challenge.

-- Leon

[lhunt]

I was doing a timed run on the Concord River once, and encountered a cheering section on the Old North Bridge, which is where I normally turn around. As it happened, I had a strong need to use the facilities there at the park, so I waved enthusiastically at my well-wishers, pulled in to shore, hopped out and separated my paddle into two pieces so I could carry it with me. When I returned to my boat a couple of smiling ladies asked: "Why did you stop? Was it to get a new paddle?". When I looked confused, she pointed to my 2-piece paddle: "It's broken, isn't it?"

...

One other incident happened at the same place. I had stopped for water and was half listening to a tour guide on the bridge. Someone asked the guide "Where does this river go?". I turned to watch, thinking "this is going to be good". With no hesitation or even a second thought, the tour guide gestured upstream (South) and answered (something like): "It runs into the Charles River, which goes into Boston. After the battle here [at the Old North Bridge], the British marched along the river back to Bunker Hill". For those who are not local, the Concord River flows North to join the Merrimack in Lowell, which then flows into the ocean North of Plum Island. OK, that he didn't know isn't all that surprising, but the ease with which he made up the story was pretty breathtaking.

[leong]

I was paddling.between two small islets while a lobster boat pulled in from the side. As he sad hauling in the.trap on that motorized line I figured I had time to cross while he was hauling.

As I crossed I saw the guy and misinterpreted his body language for a greeting. I yelled back smiling:

Good morning! How are you doing!?

He shouts back:

Im doing fuc$@&+g great! Now get the f##k out of my way before I f$$g run you over!!!

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

Oh, don’t get me started with the damn lobstermen (at least some of them). Came close to a fistfight once in my beloved Lanes Cove. I backed off for two reasons: If I won (almost certainly) I’d end up in jail. If I lost (a small, but non-zero possibility) I’d end up in the local hospital.

My offense was paddling behind a moored lobster boat in the cove, on my way to the ramp. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, the lobster-man was thinking of starting his engines and backing up. I had already passed him when his foul mouth began screaming.

Leon

PS

Watch those guys. Some of them are psychos.

[Cath]

For another perspective on lobstermen, read "The Secret Life of Lobsters: How Fishermen and Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of Our Favorite Crustacean" by Trevor Corson.

[Lallen]

Our favorite comment came from a 4 year old when we were launching at Walden Pond for some rolling practice one evening. She pointed at our boats and said, "Look Mom, big kids.". Out of the mouths of babes...

[Pintail]

Oh, learned LeonG (I think Leong might even sound better?): never have I heard of this one before: haversine! In my days we employed sine, tangent and secant (and their converses) for solving nav problems (yes, great circles, etc) -- and I still have my old tables for them -- computers were not allowed, back then...

Yes, we do tend to use more hyphens than you lot: please do not blame me for my ejjication; but abandon it (or betray it) I shall not!

;^)

[JohnHuth]

I have three, but I'll share my first one. Yes, the Lobster Gangs book is really a good read. I should add that this was based on work contracted out to a sociologist by the State of Maine, which was working in conjunction with the Lobsterman's Union to figure out ways to get a sustainable catch. Despite the mafia-style way that the gangs run their territory, the work really had to be informed by what is more or less accepted as the 'way of doing things' in lobstering off the coast of Maine. It's a tough business, particularly when they have to go offshore during the autumn months, and I've heard of a bunch who have died. Still....one story

I was kayaking solo around the islands off of Mt. Desert - Sutton, the Cranberries. I kept my VHF tuned to the channel the lobstermen use for chatter. This was mainly for my own entertainment, but it was enlightening to hear the chatter.

One day when there was some chop on the water...

Guy A, a relatively young one: "I can't get my pots when the waves are this bad, I'm heading back to harbor and wait."

Guy B, also relatively young: "I don't know who the f* has been f*ing with my f*ing gear, but I'm f*ing going to find out who the f* it was and you're going to be sorry..." (dead silence ensued for some minutes...)

Next day, a heavy fog

Guy A, again, "This fog is too thick, I can't find my pots, I'm heading back to the harbor and wait..."

Guy C, an older guy, "What?"

Guy A, "I said the fog is too thick, I can't find my pots, I'm heading in."

Guy C, "You're just a pessimist."

Guy A, "A what?"

Guy C, "A pessimist, look it up in the dictionary."

[EEL]

It's a tough business, particularly when they have to go offshore during the autumn months, and I've heard of a bunch who have died.

And the price is so low this season that many in Stonington have stopped fishing for a week or two. That has to hurt big time.

Ed Lawson

[scamlin]

Been paddling in Maine for 15 years, often close by lobstermen and have never had a bad experience with them. On the other hand, I've had several bad experiences with recreational boaters who have ignored no wake zones, backed into us and in one memorable incident deliberately altered course in the channel just outside of Hull Gut to play chicken with nine paddlers in a tight formation trying to cross back to Hull. And I've seen kayakers without count wander mindlessly down the middle of channels, box lobster boats in against the shore and cross right behind lobster boats who are actively fishing.

I'm real clear they are trying to make a living in a tough business and I'm strictly on the water for recreation. So I stay strictly out of their way, wait until they are through pulling pots or getting underway--and always wave. Many ignore me, some wave back. Besides they are bigger than me and have the right of way. Are there some rough customers among them? Sure. Do they think they own the waters? Maybe. But the vast majority of them live and let live.

Actually, I'm glad they are out there, because if I ever need help, chances are a lobsterman will be the one to pull me out of the drink.

Scott

[leong]

Actually, I'm glad they are out there, because if I ever need help, chances are a lobsterman will be the one to pull me out of the drink.

Scott

Scott,

You're quite right. Even the few obnoxious ones would do that.

Leon

[Cath]

I agree with Scott. My grandfather was a Portland fisherman and life for his family was tough. During all the years I waited tables in a South Portland coffee shop, the lobsterman were my favorite customers.

[Cath]

oops, meant lobstermen. Their wives were all very sweet too.

[Suz]

Just back from across the border in Canada and found the working fisherman to be quite helpful. We had from some suggestions of where to camp, warnings about the local rodents (muskrats), info about the fishing pens, and from one working boat with his family traveling back to Beaver Harbor and offer of a "lift" for any of us that might have desired. I guess they thought that our paddle to the distant island was a hardship, only something someone would do for a reason other than simply the journey.

Truly I have never really had any unpleasant encounters with the working waterfront.

[bob budd]

Recreational boaters in all states suck. Were moderately harassed in Me a few years ago until another boater essentially inserted themselves in the situation. Also had words with a recreational fisherman who thought he owned the waters off of Gerrish. Can't say I've had any bad experiences with working boats, one boat in Salem Sound thought Brad Gwynn and I were brave to be kayaking in the deep of winter. I daresay that fishermen appear to be a bit more polite and helpful to the fairer sex.

[leong]

Recreational boaters in all states suck. Were moderately harassed in Me a few years ago until another boater essentially inserted themselves in the situation. Also had words with a recreational fisherman who thought he owned the waters off of Gerrish. Can't say I've had any bad experiences with working boats, one boat in Salem Sound thought Brad Gwynn and I were brave to be kayaking in the deep of winter. I daresay that fishermen appear to be a bit more polite and helpful to the fairer sex.

Hmm, this topic has morphed from funny comments by non-kayakers to serious issues. It that vein, there ought to be a law: 1) When a stinkpot is coming at you and you wave to get his attention he should be required to wave back to acknowledge that he sees you, or 2) he should immediately change course.

[Suz]

Hmm, this topic has morphed from funny comments by non-kayakers to serious issues. It that vein, there ought to be a law: 1) When a stinkpot is coming at you and you wave to get his attention he should be required to wave back to acknowledge that he sees you, or 2) he should immediately change course.

You just can't mandate what other people do, can you? All you can do is control your own actions.

What I find is that many times boats look like they are heading straight for you because they are. I think what is happening is that when they see something in the distance, they look at it trying to decipher what it is and that causes them to head towards the object. Just natural human curiousity. They stay headed for you for a period of time before they turn off. This causes indecision on the part of paddlers who either stop or change direction. Neither is a good idea because when a paddler is stopped, from a distance the boater has no clue what they are looking at then and then they head towards the stopped paddler even longer. Changing directions is confusing to the boater as they now have no clue which way you are going. This is especially true in groups of paddlers - some people stop, others disperse when the group should be acting cohesively and remaining on course.

Next time you see kayakers in the distance, figure out how far away they are and note how tiny they look and how you can barely see them when they are not paddling. Or try it in a group - take 8 people and then paddle off in two groups noting that you don't have to get too far before it is really hard to see them unless they are paddling. Especially hard when you are looking towards a rocky coastline from the ocean. Much easier to see a silouette out in the open ocean but that isn't where kayakers usually are.

Of course all normal rules apply... stay out of channels and ferry lanes or cross carefully and quickly, be mindful of the group.

[leong]

You just can't mandate what other people do, can you?

Why not, the law already mandates what people can do (but I do agree with the rest of what you stated). For example:

Massachusetts Cell phone restrictions are:

* All drivers younger than 18 are banned from all cell phone usage.

Texting restrictions:

* All drivers, regardless of age or license status, are banned from texting while behind the wheel.

There probably won't ever be a law like I've suggested. But I know from many years of experience that stinkpots that can see you usually don't wave back or change course until they're too close for comfort. Furthermore, those cats don't always monitor VHF 16, as the law requires them to do. I've yelled out repeatedly on 16 "hey, look in front of you, you're heading towards me in a kayak on the north side of island X". Almost never works. Methinks a shotgun would be better than a whistle (just kidding!).

CAM-able Leon

[EEL]

What I find is that many times boats look like they are heading straight for you because they are. I think what is happening is that when they see something in the distance, they look at it trying to decipher what it is and that causes them to head towards the object.

I agree working boats coming home often seem to bear down on you. However, they tend to bear off in plenty of time. Another possible reason is they want to keep you on the bow so they can more easily keep track of you until they need to turn away.

Sometimes things are not simple and easy to think someone is out to get you. For example, recently three of us where entering a relatively narrow channel between Harbor I. and Naskeag Pt. at the end of a long day. There was a small schooner under sail in light winds coming out in the center to catch air. We were on his starboard coming in on the left side of channel. A lobster man was hurrying in (apprently trying to make it in time to meet a off load truck) and running up directly on our stern perhaps to give the schooner plenty of room in case of windshifts coming out of land shadows. To us it seemed as if the lobsterman was running full bore with us in his crosshairs.

To make room for the lobsterman by changing course to starboard we would have had to cross the schooner or at least pinch him which might have caused him to turn starboard toward the lobsterman. To change course to port to give the lobsterman room would have run the risk of his having to change course toward the schooner to clear us. Also, if our course change was not obvious and clear, everyone would have gotten confused as to who was going where which is never a good thing. Under the Rules, we were obligated to hold course and the lobsteman was obligated to overtake cleanly and since there was no collision risk with the schooner we had no obligation to change course for it. Lobsterman never slowed down that much, but he gave enough room, we held course, and the schooner wafted along on course too. Everyone waved once past abeam. At the time we were upset at the lobsterman for running in fast and directly on our stern (hearing one of those big diesels running hard behind you is disconcerting), but actually it was all OK and according to the Rules..

Ed Lawson

[brambor]

I just wanted to add that my post was not really intended to highlight a serious issue. I just thought it was a funny episode.

Hmm, this topic has morphed from funny comments by non-kayakers to serious issues. It that vein, there ought to be a law: 1) When a stinkpot is coming at you and you wave to get his attention he should be required to wave back to acknowledge that he sees you, or 2) he should immediately change course.

[djlewis]

... there ought to be a law: 1) When a stinkpot is coming at you and you wave to get his attention he should be required to wave back to acknowledge that he sees you...

Would that be the law of co-signs?

--David <ducking under a dock>