I am sorry but when you watch the tape YOU CAN SEE THE JAPANIES BOAT GUNNING FOR THE SEA SHEPARD, I am sorry but the Japanese are at fault here. Also if the Japanese want to wale it’s really none of my business or any other nations BUT WHEN THEY INVADE AUSTRALIAN WATERS TO KILL those lovely animals, well then they are the ones at fault and should be charged accordingly And what with this scientific research bull shit painted on the side of their ships? Really who do they think they are fooling.

Let's drop our personal biases here for a moment. I have no dog in this fight, have never watched the show so really have no prejudices in that respect. However this is not about whaling, or anti-whaling activities, but a collision at sea. For purposes of keeping this as objective as possible and saving space lets refer to the Shonan Maru as Vessel A or just A, The Ady Gil as Vessel B and the Bob Barker Vessel C.
We have two videos of the event, one from the Bob Barker and the Second fron the Shonan Maru.
From C you can see A make two distinct course changes, the first two starboard right at B, the second to port keeping her bow on B. At the last moment before impact B does make a quick move forward.
From A we see B sittng 10 deg. and about 30 yards off the starboard bow making no weigh. A's bow begins to drift to right indicating a starboard turn, we hear the helm's collision alarm, but no collision warning is sounded by A. We see a fire hose stream being directed at B and then at the last moment prop wash behind B a moment before impact and then the collision and the wreckage of B slipping down the starboard side. From C we see another hose being directed at the wreckage, but from A it looks like the stream is from a stationary hose that passes over the vessel.
Take your time and decide first if my conclusions are right, then decide about the collision. But for honesty's sake, keep your own biases about the Whale wars out of it.

so dont eat whale. then we can use the stealth boats to attack somali pirates. aaaahhhrrrrrr.

japanese have been whaling for centuries without depleting or endangering the numbers of whales in the oceans. Europeans and westernized fisherman slaughtered countless numbers of whales for the inside contents of stomachs for your perfume to cover the stink of barbarian flesh and the bones to make cheap skrimsaw trinkets to give to their friends back home. never using the rich meat for food. just fat for the candles so dickens could write a book about orphans. sic

Fail Wars is awesome… I mean Whale Wars. These guys suck so bad at what they do, and they fail so hilariously, I'm glued. Can't wait to see how they failed this one on the show!

I'm on the side of the Sea Sheperds. Point 1..Flash Bang grenades, sonic cannons and “Scientific Research” signs give the appearance of fascism. Point 2.. Don't they throw out the majority of the meat they get from the whales? Point 3.. Anyone seen “The Cove”? Get real Japan your imagine is on doo doo. PS I ain't no vegetarian

Does this mean my whale meat is about to get more expensive?

Can we all agree that the Japanese are crazy? I mean first it was the karaoke, then the anime, then the insane game shows, and now they're destroying the world's awesomest stealth boats? When will it stop???

An interesting debate, Jack, with strong points on both sides. I have to go with the greedy mercenaries. These brave men weather freezing temperatures, long months isolated at sea away from their families, and that constant fish stink to further our knowledge of the natural world. Whales remain an enigma to us. We would sit in the metaphorical cave of our ignorance from now until the sun goes supernova but for the selfless efforts of intrepid souls such as these. So bravo to you, mercenaries, and hail. To the meddling “activists” with their hot rod boats and Utne Readers, shame on you. Also, absolutely nobody should see the recent documentary called The Cove. It is full of lies. There is no dolphin slaughter in Japan. Everyone is happy and no one eats mercury-saturated dolphin meat unknowingly. Dolphins in captivity are very happy as can be noted by their constant cheery smiles. “Transformers 2” is a fine film with something for everyone. Why not rent that instead?

OLD… South Park did it.

The conservationists are living out some silly children's dream and are albatrossed from any real action (e.g. destruction of property and/or violence) by the Discovery channel.  On the flipside, that Japan won't get with the fucking program and patronizes the world by saying that they're conducting scientific research on whales is ludicrous. They should face some sort of retribution from other governments.