Sailing Follies: Pink Right Returning
The COLREGS address a lot of the circumstances for when vessels meet at sea, but even the most detailed guidelines can’t address everything. Returning to our slip at the Corinthian Yacht Club, under power, we were concerned about the right of way over a large inflatable pink flamingo. It apparently had no propulsion, no steerage, a potentially meaningful but unknown display of flags, and a clearly ‘not my problem’ attitude about the situation. Fortunately a nudge from the tender helped us all avoid an intense round of ‘harbor rage.’
We should know better by now.
In an earlier mishap, we were out at Berkeley Circle to watch ILCA and 420 dinghies in the West Marine US Sailing Open regatta. With just two aboard, we went to furl the flailing jib without keeping some tension on the jib sheets. Of course, it didn’t go well, or quickly, and the resulting macrame would have made a 1960s hippie proud.
All in all just another great day on the water.
And the speed with which those flailing jib sheets can tangle. I’m guessing about 3 seconds for this one.
That tangle is truly a thing of beauty John- and I know how hard your slip is to get into with your new boat ( Congrats !!! ) without the adventure of unmanned Pink Flamingos !