Restricted visibility question

Maggieiscrazy said:
A few years ago in the apostle islands we got caught in heavy fog. We couldn’t see much beyond our bow. I didn’t sound my horn as I didn’t know any better. I didn’t hear any other horns either even though boats were around. We would have been dead in the water without our chart plotter and compass.
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Some years ago, with our 280DA, I was leaving Isle Royale heading to Copper Harbor. The fog was really bad. I had left Rock Harbor and was just outside Raspberry Island when I hear the Isle Royale Queen call Rock Harbor. They asked about visibility in the harbor, they said they were just outside Raspberry Island, that they couldn't see it or anything else.

I stopped my boat dead in it's tracks, I knew we were about right where they were. We came to a stop and started listening for sound signals when there she was passing very close in front. We could just barely make her out, like a ghost ship silently slipping by. We didn't have radar and they must not have picked us up on theirs. Maybe they thought we were one of the small rock islands on the reef, I dunno. They went by and we kept going, a few miles farther out the wind took care of the fog.
 
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Woody said:
Some years ago, with our 280DA, I was leaving Isle Royale heading to Copper Harbor. The fog was really bad. I had left Rock Harbor and was just outside Raspberry Island when I hear the Isle Royale Queen call Rock Harbor. They asked about visibility in the harbor, they said they were just outside Raspberry Island, that they couldn't see it or anything else.

I stopped my boat dead in it's tracks, I knew we were about right where they were. We came to a stop and started listening for sound signals when there she was passing very close in front. We could just barely make her out, like a ghost ship silently slipping by. We didn't have radar and they must not have picked us up on theirs. Maybe they thought we were one of the small rock islands on the reef, I dunno. They went by and we kept going, a few miles farther out the wind took care of the fog.
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We had a similar experience running south off of Point Betsy years ago. The Chicago to Mac fleet was headed north for the Manitou Passage. We passed many sailboats that appeared out of nowhere without warning. Sailors maintain radio silence during the race so it was an interesting adventure.
 
techmitch said:
My bet is that he saw you on his radar and or your nav. lights and wanted to make sure you knew he was behind you. Did you have your VHF on?
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He may have saw us either on radar or saw our lights. And I always have our VHF on if we are away from the dock. Even when anchored I leave it on. Can't remember if it was with this boat or our 250DA but I had the 250DA radio set to scan all the appropriate channels but when we bought this boat I thought I had all the channels set in the scan list but found this past summer I only had a couple set. I have fixed that now. But I'm pretty sure we were in the 250DA that night since IIRC it was a couple years back
 
RollerCoastr said:
It might be time to start shopping for an AIS transceiver...
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Not sure I need that do I? We are rarely out after dark and boat on the Ohio River. Sure there is commercial traffic but when we anchor we are close to shore out of the way. Not sure what model radio this one is but it is a Standard Horizon. I bought a SH GX1700 for our 250DA but let it go with the boat. The current one says Quest and I know it is cheaper and older than the GX1700
 
Wouldn't you know it. I cruised from Beaufort, SC to St Simon, GA on ICW today. Most of the afternoon was in rain and some fog. I used the horn. Fortunately no one else was on the water today to hear it. I passed only three boats over the 140 winding grinding miles.
 
boatman37 said:
Never boated in heavy fog or heavy storms but at night no horn here. We have alot of commercial traffic on the Ohio River and I have never heard them sound their horn at night either. They do shine their spotlight every once in awhile. First time I saw it we were heading back in late at night cruising slow. Kept looking all around and suddenly saw a super bright light behind me. Scared the crap out of me. Here it was about 1/4 mile back but he was scanning the horizon with it. Mentioned it at the marina and they said they do that all the time.
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As big as they are 3 wide 6 long they sure are sneaky. When we would stay over night on the island at Shipping Port with the sound from the cooling towers you never hear them coming.
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I have never been that far down river. Montgomery Dam is the next one upriver from Shippingport. That is our pool. 2 of our anchor spots are about 1/2 mile upriver from the dam or another about 1 mile upriver from the dam. We don't sleep out on the river and rarely out after dark but yeah they can be pretty big.

The one I mentioned earlier I knew it was back there but as bright as that light was I thought it was another boat right behind me.
 
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