Callin' the Coasties

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Jerry Spiro

No Help Available!

We were sailing in San Francisco Bay when the rudder post sheared off and thus no tiller either. Upon calling the coasties I was advised that unless it was life or death no assistance would be forthcoming as a "commercial vessel" was handling the area(even if response time would be an hour!!). We managed to flop back and forth,dragging an anchor, using a whisker pole with hatchboard lashed to it etc.) between Alcatraz and Angel Island until the private co arrived. All said and done(and a few hundred dollars and sick crew later) we were back in port. All this occuring mind you while the coast guard did take gas to a small boat that ran out fishing in 6 feet of water. Well I hope I never really need to rely upon them as it seems they are too busy with dumb stuff.
 
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Rick Webb

Should Also Mention

The Coast Guard is not allowed to take up a tow when there is a commercial service available. There have been lawsuits brought by some of the towing companies saying that the Coast Guard is interfering with their commercial interests. If there is no immediate danger to vessel or crew and a commercial service is available they will call for the stricken vessel and may even standby that vessel until the commercial service arrives. The Coast Guard is not a towing service and must be ready to respond to any number of other missions that may go unanswered if performing a service out of convenience to a vessel or crew not in danger.
 
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ron

4 contacts over the years

1)August '91: we were on a three week sailing vacation on our Pearson 26 and were sailing from Cranston, RI to Bar Harbor and return. As we approached Kenneybunkport, we noticed 3 CG boats that seemed to be in a large triangular formation where each boat was fairly far from the other. They also seemed to have some large orange buoys near there boats. We were intriqued so we decided to sail on over to find out what was happening. As soon as we broke into the triangle, one CG boat roared over to us. That's when we noticed the person standing behind the machine gun on the bow! It turns out that King Hussein was visiting President Bush *and* that Desert Storm had begun - and that *we* in our 26' Pearson was a potential threat! It also turns out that the other 2 CG boats were large communications heavy boats with all kinds of antennas and so forth. We were glad to know of the security and very saddened to hear of the war. 2) '90: We went day sailing off Gloucester Harbor looking for whales and were returning to the harbor on our 26' Pearson. Our outboard motor seized, no wind, night was approaching. We were making no progress and were a few miles out of the harbor. A CG boat motored over to us and asked if we were ok. We told them the situation; they tied us to their side and motored us right to our dock. They were very friendsly, courteous, and very professional. 3) '89: I motored to the local marina at Falmouth Foreside in our dinghy after a weekend of sailing. A CG person greeted me at the dock very courteously and asked where our lifejackets were. I said they were on our sailboat. He again quite courteouly told me the regulation requiring each person to have one life jacket or flotation device and quite courteously gave me a ticket for just one violation (rather than two) costing me $50! I am very grateful for the ticket and have never forgotten to carry the proper lifejackets in the dinghy again! 4) July 23, 1999: We had a near death occurence a mile offshore on Lake Ontario on our '91 Oceanis 370 (Beneteau). We got separated from our boat and from each other. My wife was in the water for 2 1/2 hours without a lifejacket and always swimming toward our sailboat but never catching up to it. Another boater saw her and rescued her and our dog. The boater instantly called the CG and they sent 8 boats out to search for me. The boats included an anphibious, a fast hardbottom, the marine sherriff's boat and other volunteer boats. They did a grid rescue operation for an hour *but* they failed to trust my wife that I was far from the sailboat. I was in fact a mile from them. After 3 1/2 hours, a non-rescue boat saw me floating and came to my rescue. (I cannot swim and God only knows how I was able to survive in the water without a lifejacket for 3 1/2 hours!) So, we appreciated the CG's efforts but they did not put together the wind and wave and time-in-the-water parameters to do a more realistic search. AS the years go by, July 23rd serves as a day we will always remember and during which we are forever grateful to be alive. Ron
 
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Jeff

to Dick and rick

I sincerely hope that people like Dick and Rick are never in a dangerous situation and run across some of the "coasties" that I have . As you can tell by some of the other posts your perfect angels can sometimes be less than perfect . The daughter of a very close friend has been a "coastie" stationed at Ponce Inlet for several years . Whenever I spend time with the men and women of that unit , who are mostly honest hardworking conciencous people , I am aghast at the attitudes and stories told by a couple of the "jerks" . As to the suggestion that I would lose my boat before I would ask for help , is assinine . The boat was beyond saving and my only concern was the safety of my crew . I'm guessing that Dick must get plenty of excercise with all his jumping to conclusions and blowing hot air . Jeff (the jerk) P.S. I am an exMarine that has found myself defending my service even tho I have personally experienced some of the horrible things that people can do at times . It would be wrong for me to blanketly defend all Marines , while I will always defend my service and my country .
 
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Rick Webb

To Jeff

It sounded to me like you were condemning all of the Coasties. Granted in any group you are going to get a few who are below par. I am glad to hear you think the majority are great folks. Wonder why you attract the others?
 
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Dick Horton

To Jeff - Last response

Jeff- No one claims that CG or any outfit is perfect. Obviously, there is room for improvement in any organization. But, I just re-read your post. People in the water - at night - several miles offshore...sorry, my original assessment stands! OUT
 
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MaySail

A Tree Story

Cruising northward in the Albermarle Sound, NC, on the ICW,we were deciding whether to go through the Virginia Cut route or the more scenic Dismal Swamp Canal. We called the Coasties to ask the prevailing depth of the Canal. They answered that it was 6 feet, period. It would have been oh so nice if they also informed us that a major tree had fallen the night before and was blocking the passage half way up. We made many futile (and laughable) tries (in the pouring rain) to get past including tying the tree to the boat and pulling, dinghying over and sawing it branch by branch,all the time calling Corps of Engineers, various nearby marinas, anybody! At the end of the day, a Corps "angel" showed up with his son in his wife's runabout and a chain saw. We looked real cute the rest of the trip with leaves and branches sticking out of our mast & rigging. Thanks Coasties!
 
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William S. Hale

Always on Duty

While sailing a bareboat chareter in the BVI we experinced a prop shaft seperation while holding position for a mooring on the Indians. Not knowing how extent the problem at first while we took apart the floor boards to look for leaks and damage.We hailed a passing US CG Cutter. They immediatley turned for us and and asked our condition. Upon inspection of the bilge and securing the loose prop shaft we advised we were ok. They hung awhile to make sure before leaving. We sailed back to a mooring with help from the charter company who has given us two days free on our next charter can't wait. Remeber the CG is not just for saving us fair weather sailors
 
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Tom

Jeff, Your story leaves a lot of information out

and at this juncture I have to agree with some other comments made. 1) You and your crew spent the night in the water several miles from shore than to. Were you in a dingy? in Life jackets? I know the water is warm down there but hypothermia can still occur. 2) What happened to cause you to lose your boat (sink !?) 3) How did you get out of your predicament, swim to shore? Row in a dingy? 4) What if the weather or conditions turned? What if there was a hidden physical problem with one of your crew and the added stress of "take our chances in the water at nite several miles out", caused someone harm (death)? It does happen even to great athletes, how would you feel? You say your only concern was the safety of my crew. It doesn't sound like it, it sounded like your first concern was your ego. Just like you said, you'd rather risk a night in the water than "risk the wrath of some pubecent punks on a power trip". I have no proof, but somehow I get a feeling that your aggressive style would possibly cause one or two of the "aggresive" Coasties to take issue and then it would escalate into a pissing match......
 
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Tom

Rich of SF Ca, I understand your concern

But what do you expect the Coast Guard to do? They already have a miniscule budget already. Do you expect them to clean it up? Isn't the EPA the correct agency to do something about an Oil Spill like this. They should be imposing fines and penalties and doing the clean up and billing the Oil Companies.
 
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William S. Hale

Always Ready

While chartering a sailboat in the BVI we experonced a prop shaft seperation while holding position for a mooring at the Indians. We immediatly set sail to maintain control and hailed a passing USCG cutter. They instantley turned for our position. We keep up communication with the cutter while we pick up our floor boards to inspect for leaks and damage. Upon finding no leaks and securing the broken shaft we notified the CG. The CG stayed in contack till we were secrure. On a good note the charter company is giving us two days on our next trip can't wait . Remeber th CG is not just there for us fair weather sailors. see www.laesser.org
 
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Jeff

Dick and Tom

I dont have the time or the space required to give the whole story so please consider that ther is a lot more to tell . The entire crew was made up of exmarine and exnavy amphibous assault specialists . When we left the boat we were in calm , warm water , in a dingy with food water two handheld VHF radios GPS and much more . If even one of the crew had requested coast guard assistance , they would have been called for immediately . My intent in responding in this forum was not to debate the merits of the Coast Guard . I am an avid supporter of this excellant organization . I only wanted to sumit my opinion and experience . Obviously there are closeminded and unenlightened individuals in every crowd , who are willing to start calling names and making judgements . I have long hair and a tatoo , so I'm sure the likes of Dick will have no problem depicting me as someone who deserves whatever treatment I get . As to one other accusation ; I ALWAYS keep my mouth shut when dealing with any authority . I politely answer any question put to me and offer no resistance to any request . I have been boarded over a dozen times and I have never been issued a citation . I obey all laws completely . (I have been threatened with arrest for carrying a "weapon" . A U.S.Divers knife in a sheath strapped to the pulpit ) Jeff
 
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Richard Elliott

Coast Guard Help

We had engine failure and no wind in the middle of shipping lanes. The Coast Guard was quite couteous, but did not offer to respond. However, a nearby sailboat responded quickly on the radio and towed us to a nearby marina.
 
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Mickey McHugh

Rich of S.F. Ca, my experience

Back in 1994, I spent a year starting up an offshore oil production platform near Point Conception CA. I flew in and out of the Santa Barbara airport every week and had a similar experience as Rich of S.F. did. I would always see a lot of oil in the water off the point near Santa Barbara. People on the plane would see it and complain about either leaks from ‘oil rigs’ or about oil tankers pumping their bilges in the Santa Barbara channel. In certain wind conditions, I also noticed it when I surfed near the USCSB campus. I asked the locals who said it was from natural oil seeps. They also said that Mobil Oil was actually trying to trap the oil rising to the surface. I checked the charts and they indicated these oil seeps. I’m glad to hear that Rich thought the CG was responsive to his report of a spill, as they should be. For them to also indicate that this is normal is ‘not unfortunate’ since even though the seeps do create a large brownish slick that smells like diesel for miles and gets oil all over my surfboard, and looks generally like a disaster, they believe, as I do, that it is natural, not licensed pollution.
 
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LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners.com

Only one personal CG experience

When my family cruised south, we got caught in some nasty fog off the CA coast. This was LOOOONG before radar was affordable for the average Joe so we called the CG to keep them informed of our situation. We were just outside of Morrow Bay (I believe) and they kindly came out & guided us in. Of course they then had to board us for an inspection but they were totally courteous (and cute!). When Rob got caught in an unforecast windstorm in Puget Sound & lost his engine, he kept the CG informed via pan pan. He was in no immediate danger but the seas were crazy and his crew was very sick. As much as he fought, he finally realized he wasn't going to be able crab off the lee shore and would soon run aground. He called the CG & let them know. It was far too dangerous for SeaTow to come out & they had a cutter nearby so they kindly towed him in. I talked directly to the CG station and they said he handled the situation perfectly & professionally, but more importantly, they did the same. LaDonna
 
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress

First hand report from a survivor of

the boat that sank recently off Bermuda--one of the crew members has posted his story on the CWBB (link below). "But in 1997 a Cal 34 just outside of Charleston (SC) harbor hit a jetty and sank. Their garbled VHF call to the Coast Guard went ignored, costing the lives of a crew of four. The Coast Guard has since lost a $19 million lawsuit over the case." There's a whole 'nother side to that story and none of what happened was due to CG neglect...the entire blame lies with the skipper of the vessel. As for "their" VFH call that went unanswered, the boat went onto the jetty around 9pm as I recall (definitely well before midnight)...around 2am the Coastie on watch THOUGHT he heard a single very faint Mayday call through a lot of static...the voice sounded like a child. He kept listening, but the call was never repeated. His only "crime" was in not attempting to raise the vessel again after he thought he heard something. When the extent of the disaster became known the next day, The widow of the skipper whose own actions killed her entire family couldn't bring herself to blame him, but she had to blame somebody (everything is somebody ELSE's fault now)...and with all-to-willing help of the media immediately began waging an all-out attack on the CG for not risking the lives of their own people by launching a SAR operation in force 10 gale conditions to look for a possible vessel in distress, location--even whether there really was a vessel in distress--unknown. The CG settled to end the attacks and the negative publicity at a time when their budget was under review.
 
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Jim McKirdy

USCG services

I own a 26X and have years of experience in the Coast Guard. Currently I am a member of the coast guard auxiliary. Calling the coast guard on channel 16 is a important function of any skipper regardless the size of a vessel. The coast guard will get underway for many reasons. The 3 main reasons why the coast guard gets underway are 1)Medical reasons 2)vessel burning 3)vessel taking on water. Commercial towing services are just that. They can't help much other than towing a vessel that is disabled. The commercial towing service will not get you if you are in seas over 5 feet. They can assist you if you run agound but they do not carry any pumps and in most cases the companys like sea tow or tow boat U.S. only are operated by one person. They will not leave their boat to pump water out of your boat. The commerical towing companys are supported by the coast guard to handle towing of vessels that are stopped due to mechanical failures, and lack of fuel. The Coast Guard is around 50,000 strong with another 60,000 auxiliary people. The auxiliary offers all types of boating classed to teach the general public. This is what reduces search and rescue calls to the coast guard. The Auxiliary follows all the functions of the coast guard except for law enforcement and military functions. The auxiliary does safty patrols and assist in a large amount of SAR (search and rescue). I have found that almost all SAR cases could have been avoided with knowledge of the skipper or crew and practical knowledge from experience. Inexperience and lack of knowedge is a good cause for sar cases.Jim McKirdy
 
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LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners.com

A couple more facts, Peggie

Although I agree with you that from the evidence I've read, I don't think the CG is at fault in that case, there were a few facts you left out. There was a commerical vessel that heard someone calling out for help near where the wreck was (they didn't see the wreck, just heard someone calling out). They stopped and called the CG who I believe ended up telling them not to bother searching. And the "crime" was actually that the inexperienced ensign on duty didn't tell anyone he *thought* he heard a mayday (which he was supposed to do). If he even *thought* he heard a mayday, he was supposed to have woken his commanding officer. He didn't and he didn't even tell the kid who relieved him. That said, I do agree with you that the loss of the vessel and subsequent loss of life was entirely the fault of the captain. It was a tragic situation but the CG shouldn't have been held liable for it. LaDonna
 
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Bruce Leidal

2000 Port Huron to Mackinaw Island Race

I have a Hunter 29.5, however, I sail the Port Huron to Mackinaw Island race on a friends Catilina 30. Being a 30 footer on a 204 KM race, we are in the slowest fleet and follow the Michigan coast. The 2000 race was blowing 15-20 knots from the NW for most of the race. There were 4-6 foot waves (which are short) and we were pounding into them for two days straight. It was about 5pm on Monday of the race and we were 21 KM from Mac Island in 4-6 footers when we began encountering waves coming at us from a more westerly direction. We tacked into the waves and within 15 minutes found outselves in 30-35 knots of wind and 15-18 foot waves. If you have sailed on the Great Lakes you know that 15-18 footers are HUGE. About an hour after encountering these conditions our mainsail blew out. It was a new sail cut for Jiffy Reefing. We had single-line reefing which caused the problem. Pounding into 15-18 foot waves without a main we were making about 1.5 knots. When we got our jury rig together, we listened to the weather report and heard that the conditions were to remain for the next 18 hours. Being early evening and still daylight, with a crew of 3 adults and 4 teens, and knowone being hurt or sick, we decided to call it a race. Under the race rules we had to call the Coast Guard. They have a cutter that escorts the race. We called them with our position, situation, destination and speed. They called us back every half hour to check on our progress. The only boats on the lake when this situation began were from our class of 16 boats. Of the 16, eight dropped out. One of them was attempting to motor into the waves towards Cheboygan harbor when their engine began to over-heat. The Coast Guard cutter went to their rescue. They positioned themselves to windward of the boat and blocked the wind and waves to allow the engine to settle down. All eight of us ended up in Cheboygan (about 20 miles from Macinac Island. One of the Old Goats(A Mac racer with 25+ years) said those were the worst winds in a race since 1955. We didn't the Coast Guard ourselves, however, we were glad they were there and monitoring our progress.
 
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress

I seem to recall the commercial vessel, LaDonna

But didn't CG tell 'em not to search because of the danger to it that close to shore and in those conditions? No need to beat this one to death, though. We agree that the CG should never have been held liable. Interesting story the crew from the "Bermuda" sinking had to tell, isn't it?
 
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