Beach Fishermen conflict

I agree with many other posters in that its a big sea with room enough for different people to enjoy their sports. Thus, I think that maybe more consideration should have been given to avoiding the fishermen. Not that I agree with the throwing of lead weights. Technically and legally I not sure but I would think they (fishermen) would have a strong case.

I've never been a member of a club where sailing so close to the beach is possible but what does surprise me is that the club does not have any special rules or guidance. One of my current clubs (a lake) has certain areas where boats must keep at least 30m from the shore to give the fishermen room. That is not the entire shore, just about 30% of the shore. They can fish happily, we can sail happily - we all go home happy without arguments. Surprising that the OPs club does not have similar rules but maybe they should now think about introducing some to avoid similar situations (e.g. all racing boats to stay at least xx distance from the shore). You might not be able to dodge as much tide but everybody would be in the same boat (sorry - I could not resist that one).

Ian

Edited by Deimos

You have to avoid this confrontation, if you antagonise each other you will both suffer. 

Perhaps it would have been possible to lay a bouy offshore so that all boats had to pas to seaward of it, or perhaps lay a different course altogether.  At Bough Beech reservior we have made a particular effort to get on with the fishermen and it has paid dividends.  We have a rule to sail no closer than 50m to a fisherman.  The fisher men know this and if a boat capsises and drifts onto their area they are most tolerant.  Its the only way.

Incidentaly I used to fish on a canal, often just before a canal boat arrived the fish would make a hasty bite - so don't assume a boat will put the fish off.  However you can assume sailing over somebody's tackle will anoy them.

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by Harry44981! ... the sailors are RACING, so therefore need the optimum route. The fishermen are just (presumably, I know there are competitions) doing it for fun. Mate, if you're not racing for fun I suggest you stop right now!

Hence the JUST, implying that racing is fun due to the sailing being good and the competition entertaining, and the additional component of wanting to win. Fihsing beiing along the lines of the former- merely for the entertainment of catching fish, not in addition to catching more fish than the other guy.

I can be equally pedantic

It is very easy to consider all fishermen enemies, they can't all be, even though it sometimes seems like it. On our reservior they often cast next to the marks and then swear at us for going round them (the marks that is). They also leave an incredible amount of litter and there is no one official to clear it up. The reservoir belongs to British Waterways but no fishing club has taken on the fishing rights and so it is a free for all. We lease the water to sail on and pay boat fees. I have complained recently to British Waterways who have accepted my comments and will, they say, respond within three weeks. I await there action.

Originally posted by Medway Maniac People causing distress or suffering to other creatures for sport deserve all they get. And I've found that towing around 30 metres of fishing line and a hook after an 'incident' doesn't slow you down as much as you might expect . Can wear a groove in the front of your board though...

Never a truer word was spoken

What everyone has missed so far is that the sailors are RACING, so therefore need the optimum route. The fishermen are just (presumably, I know there are competitions) doing it for fun.