Who was in the wrong? Right of way

Pilots are always right- not!
This is getting old. The map shows take off areas, not landing areas, unless that dotted line is it. There are no markers on the water. In my opinion, this is no freaking runway, it is water to be shared by boats and flying boats. In an uncontrolled, open access runway, it is the pilots responsibility to make sure it is safe to land. If there is cow or deer or bike in the area, pilot be warned. This harbor is busy and restricting any vessel movement because of air operations, just does not exist. I accept the fact that I could have been “dead” right. That is not an acceptable outcome. I feel I had every right to paddle, point-to-point… It just may have been in my best interest not to do so. Whether it be a paddler, sail boat under sail, or a 300 foot car ferry underway, you do not land on them. Nearly every vessel in the harbor, including the ferry has to manuever in this area.



And Agustus Dogmaticus, I generally like your posts, and you are correct about noisy Beavers, but there was a very strong wind I was paddling into and I did not hear that Beaver as it coasted down at almost idle. There is a BIG difference between take off noise and landing noise.

Double Dipper, when the wind is in your
ears it is good practice to turn your head around as much as possible, a lot more than you think you need to. It drowns out a lot of sound. If you are in a port you really need to do this. As far as paddling point to point, you may want to reconsider that. You are obliged to cross channels/lanes at right angles and keep 100 yards from the ferry. It is a port afterall. ; ) Kayaks are rather low on the food chain in the ocean. I appreciate your patience with all the browbeating you’ve been getting. This is Pnet afterall.



Dogmaticus

You’re dead right
Your statement, “I feel I had every right to paddle, point-to-point” may be enitirely correct but it points to an unsafe attitude.



In a kayak you are vertually invisible compared to all other craft, so you might want to keep that in mind.



To give you an idea of what it is like you might want to get in a plane and fly over the area that you are paddling. I guarrantee that the pilot doesn’t care about his right to fly point to point because most aviation collisions involve death.

Seems like you want it all ways
"I always wondered if they had a blind spot right in front of them"



“Yes, there is a designated landing area there, but as far as I know, there is no restriction on use by boats.”



“In my opinion, this is no freaking runway, it is water to be shared by boats and flying boats.”



Greyhawk’s link states that there is a strobe that can be activated by radio by pilots to advise boats that a plane is landing. It also says that this stobe is not working.



Did you know that? It seems to me that you went out there not really knowing the situation.



If there are no markers on the water then yes, you are correct. You have the right to be there.



You are also correct that the pilot is not supposed to land on you. It appears from this thread however that you did not know this before.



Did it occur to you that some pilots might be equally uninformed about the area and the rules?



"I accept the fact that I could have been “dead” right. That is not an acceptable outcome. I feel I had every right to paddle, point-to-point… It just may have been in my best interest not to do so. "



That pretty well sums it up, but I can’t resist adding one extra piece of advice.



When your ass is on the line, don’t count on someone else to do the right thing.



I’m glad you’re ok, and I’m glad you decided to take an alternate path the next time you are in the area. I agree with njkayaker that this has been a useful thread.

Take off area

– Last Updated: Sep-12-06 4:53 PM EST –

http://www.portfridayharbor.org/seaplane/seaplane.html

It seems that "restricted take-off area" in the chart in the above link means you can't take off in this area. That is, one should only be taxiing in this area.

It looks like you can take off starting at the line with the fat dots in the direction of the bold arrows.

I have no idea how they want you to land (the above chart doesn't say).

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/aviation/SeaplaneBases/SanJuan/FridayHarborSPBW33.htm

Water landing length.

"03-21 10,000 x 2000 12-30 6000 x 1,000"

Special operations.

"Take-off outside north of Brown Island. Key mike 5 times in 5 seconds on 122.2 to activate warning strobe 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. alerting boats of seaplane landing; extremely congested July - September. Taxi 1/4 mile NE of base before take-off. Overnight parking fee. Seaplane dock space scarce during summer because of airline operations."

"Strobe light system inoperative until further notice"

The PDF pointed to at the bottom (the link is below) shows the landing areas.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/C01BFDBE-50AE-4167-A642-93622891D125/0/DockingDetails_FridayHarbor.pdf

More information where the runways are (page 46) (note that the following is a -plan- document):

http://www.portfridayharbor.org/airport/two.pdf#search=%22friday%20harbor%20seaplane%20rules%22

"At Friday Harbor, the seaplane base is operated using a two-runway
configuration on the water at the edge of the harbor. Runway 03/21 is dimensioned at
10,000 feet in length and 2,000 feet in width. Runway 12/30 is dimensioned at 6,000
feet in length and 1,000 feet in width. Access between the designated runway areas and
the seaplane float is accomplished with a water taxi route through Friday Harbor.

Given the concentration of boat traffic within the harbor that must traverse the
designated seaplane lanes, the goal of the Port is to have a radio-controlled warning
strobe light system that can be pilot-controlled to alert water vessels of a pending aircraft
landing or takeoff. The Port installed a seaplane warning light system in the late 1980s;
however, the existing system didn’t worked well enough to remain operational. The Port
is currently investigating a new laser light technology to help delineate the seaplane lanes,
and thus assist with the separation of traffic. The laser light technology has been tested
extensively within the State of Alaska for use to delineate shipping lanes, seaplane lanes,
and runway holdlines on snow covered taxiways. The laser must be projected from a
fixed site on the ground with a 10 to 15-foot optimum installation height. The effective
projection range is approximately 1-mile and could be pilot controlled or activated with a
photocell. Pilots would be able to visually pick-up the signal about 2 miles out on their
approach and the FAA is currently working on an Advisory Circular or Order to specify
the application of the technology."


Call the Coast Guard and see what they say.

When we paddled Alaska

– Last Updated: Sep-13-06 8:01 AM EST –

several years ago, we paddled many places in lakes and the ocean inlets where there were float planes constantly coming and going.
We made it a point to hug the shore line when we were in the vicinity of their landing and take off paths, and never had a problem.
There were several times where we could have done a mile open crossing and saved paddling a five mile around route, but opted for the "defensive paddling" route.
I liken kayak paddling to car driving. I don't care who has the right of way, I am going to paddle defensively.

cheers,
JackL

Semantics.
Does it really matter who was in the right and who was in the wrong? I understand that maybe the question was purely for curiocity, it is a curious situation and worth discussing just for the heck of it, but when it comes down to it, it doesnt matter who was in the right. Everyone needs to stay out from in front of landing aircraft, even if it is your right to be there. Go around next time.

RayH
I think you put your post under the wrong post.

That is exactly the point I was making.



Cheers,

JackL

My apologies
I read through the thread and inadvertantly stuck it here. It wasnt directed at anyone in particular anyway, just a general observation.