On Saturday I had an interesting river experience. I was cruising at 8 mph following a barge tow with 3 barges down river in one of the narrow parts of the channel. As I was approaching to pass him I noticed another tow with barges passing him on his port side coming up river. This was an absolute first for me seeing two barge tows pass in opposite directions perhaps with no more than 50 feet between them. I could only imagine the angst between those two barge captains at that moment. I slowed down aborting my passing maneuver to match the speed of the down river barge tow. When the up river barge tow passed me on my port, 30 seconds or so later my boat started to veer to the port. I tried steering to the starboard but nothing happened. Then I put the starboard engine into reverse and left the port in forward and still nothing happened. Seeing that my efforts were of no avail, I simply went with the flow and turned back up river until conditions settled down. I then did a 180 and headed back down river.
I have passed single barge tows a number of times either with or against them and never had any problems with their wake affecting the steering of my boat. However, this time, I was amazed at how much of an eddy force two barge tows create when passing in close proximity to one another. Anyone else out there have something like this happen?
I have passed single barge tows a number of times either with or against them and never had any problems with their wake affecting the steering of my boat. However, this time, I was amazed at how much of an eddy force two barge tows create when passing in close proximity to one another. Anyone else out there have something like this happen?