Bridge openings

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Capt. Frank

NEITHER BOAT DOES. That current with/against rule is a Rule of Thumb not a COLREG. The party boat is NOT constrained by draft there and can certainly leave the channel. That's ludicrous its not Barnegat Bay. Nor is the party boat un-maneuverable or they would never get back into the slip without help.

NEITHER BOAT does. You'd be surprised how many licensed captains do not know rules they used to know 25 years ago.

As a practical matter the steel boat wins in a crash with a plastic boat. But it would be both boats at fault under COLREGS and the party boat captain is getting a piss test too.

Actually most Bridge operators adhere to sections of rule 9 intended for listed areas.
They hold the vessels based on tide flow to allow those with the tide on their stern to proceed first through the opening.
Problem in SR is half the guys dont even turn their radios on , nor pay attention to the bridge operators instructions