Vancouver dragon boaters concerned about safety after 'reckless' charter encounter
Captain of Golden Eagle IV says paddlers are in the wrong on right-of-way issue
Organizers of the Pacific Concord Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival are asking participants to contact Vancouver police to submit victim impact statements after they said a chartered vessel entered the race course on Saturday and endangered paddlers.
An online video appears to show the Golden Eagle IV enter the race course as organizers say they waved and called for the captain to turn away.
"He did turn around but then he turned again and went back on the course," said Anita Webster with the festival. "It's a safety concern, it's a real safety concern for us and we believe he was behaving in a reckless way."
Webster says the vessel was breaking the law.
"Human-powered vessels have the right of way over motorized vessels, that's a well known thing," she said. "Obviously the dragon boats were the human-powered vessels in this situation, so that's one thing this boat owner was not respecting."
Transport Canada does says on its website that "if one vessel is unable to maneuver as it normally would, the most maneuverable vessel gives way," and the chief officer of Golden Eagle Charters says his company was following rules when it comes to narrow channels.
"A vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or fairway shall keep ... as near to the outer limit of the channel of fairway which lies on her starboard or right-hand side as safe and practicable," said Ryan Hoy reading Rule 9 from Justice Canada's Collision Regulations as part of the Canadian Shipping Act.
But at least one maritime expert CBC News spoke with says that rule would only come into play in an emergency situation like if an oil rig was in your way, not an annual boat race, which has clear signs on the water.
This is the notice letting all boaters know that the dragon boat races are going on and to move and make way. <a href="https://t.co/oitk6xs8Mt">pic.twitter.com/oitk6xs8Mt</a>
—@AngelaSterrittWitnesses on the water told CBC News that it appeared that the skipper was impatient, while Andre Filimonov, the Golden Eagle IV's captain would only say the company is busy.
"We are usually very tight on the schedule, because at some point we have three or four charters a day, and we are very busy, small boat ... and we have a short gap between the charter, and we have to stay on schedule," said Filimonov.
Filimonov says the VPD has told him they are investigating and are looking for witnesses.