Friday Night Catamaran in Cattle Landing

Mink Islander · 08-11-2014, 02:40 PM

So I'm coming back to the island Friday night at about 10:30PM from Sheps and came upon an essentially dead in the water catamaran in the Cattle Landing channel between the mainland and Bear Island. He was facing east (his stern to me), and was not only essentially stationary, but his nav lights were completely obstructed as he was facing away from me. His mast light was lit, but with the cat not moving (no wind to speak of), a light that high can easily be lost with the other lights on the mountains and shoreline. I came off plane long before I was on top of him, but couldn't believe a kid would be out on the lake in a narrow passage area on a calm windless night. Truly an accident waiting to happen. I honestly thought he was broken down and trolled by him close enough to ask. He was fine, he said.

While he was "legal" with all his lights, to be out on the lake in that area at 10:30 on a calm night in a small catamaran is anything but intelligent.

Stark reminder of how we all must expect the unexpected on the lake -- particularly at night. And why a 25 mph nightime speed limit makes all the sense in the world.

08-11-2014, 02:40 PM	#1
Mink Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 753 Thanks: 59 Thanked 271 Times in 129 Posts	Friday Night Catamaran in Cattle Landing So I'm coming back to the island Friday night at about 10:30PM from Sheps and came upon an essentially dead in the water catamaran in the Cattle Landing channel between the mainland and Bear Island. He was facing east (his stern to me), and was not only essentially stationary, but his nav lights were completely obstructed as he was facing away from me. His mast light was lit, but with the cat not moving (no wind to speak of), a light that high can easily be lost with the other lights on the mountains and shoreline. I came off plane long before I was on top of him, but couldn't believe a kid would be out on the lake in a narrow passage area on a calm windless night. Truly an accident waiting to happen. I honestly thought he was broken down and trolled by him close enough to ask. He was fine, he said. While he was "legal" with all his lights, to be out on the lake in that area at 10:30 on a calm night in a small catamaran is anything but intelligent. Stark reminder of how we all must expect the unexpected on the lake -- particularly at night. And why a 25 mph nightime speed limit makes all the sense in the world.