Callin' the Coasties

[cole]

Easy to armchair QB

Its real easy to sit at the computer and judge the USCG and the job they should be doing, as pointed out by the moderators two missed sorties. One in the Indian ocean? why would the UScg need to patrol the Indian Ocean? wouldnt you call the nepaleeze CG? And the charleston disaster. There isnt enough band width to explain, defend or complain about the USCG. You think they suck on the outside? try it on the inside. I dont feel the cg should have been sued for the screw up, from the charleston disaster. The cg is just like any other government entity. Under Paid, under staffed and under intelligent. Now look out for the past comandant Loy in his new position. I was a crewmember and a coxswain for the USCG stationed at great egg and Atlantic city.I have stories to tell about the cg and powerboaters. Not too many on sailboaters.As helpful as the cg is they sure screw up a lot of stuff.

 

[SailboatOwners.com]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 12/22/2002:The following best describes my interactions with the Coast Guard:68% I've never had to call on the Coast Guard for any reason23% I've called them on the VHF and they've helped me directly06% I've called them on the VHF and they referred me to a commercial service04% I've called them on the VHF and got no help or no answer

 

[Joe Passanisi]

A hundred jobs well done but one awe crap!!!!

I was in the coast guard for five years and loved it. I was involved in search and rescue in Boston, Rhode Island and in Key west, during the boat people invasion. The bottom line here is it's a law of averages. The Coast Guard does an outstanding job considering they have such a limited budget and so many different responsabilities. When I was in the CG. We were the fire dept, the police, paramedics, and AAA on the water at no cost. Not to mention all the public relation task we did.I was on watch radio watch at Cg station Point Judith Rhode Island and at about 2:30 am one day I heard a Pan Pan message about A fishing vessal that sank in Boston. I new the area where it went down because I was stationed there. I called my former room mate who was now the OD at the station. Yep it was my dad's boat. The boat caught on fire started taking on water. May day went out. Six Coast guard boats responded. They put out the fire pumped out the boat and took it in tow. My fathers boat still went down. The Coast Guard did all they could. All I know is I still have my father and his crew is still around. The boat is gone!! I knew most of the coasties who responded to the call. I know they did what they could. The bottom line is 99.9% adda boy and .1% Awe Shhhht. Just be thankful they do such an outstanding job with the money and equipment allotted to them. My suggestion: More Training, More Money, and just a little bit more respect for the young(18-24 year old) men and women in The Coast Guard. I suggest you read a book called Rugged Waters by Joseph C Lincoln. It's a book about the Coast Guard before it was the Coast Guard.

 

[John Schuch]

No Help At All

During a start in a NOOD regatta whil approaching the start line a boat to weather lost control as it turned to jibe and at about 12 knots hit us. A hole was punched near the transom and well below the water line.Damage control kept nearly all the water out and we were able to sail to shore (about 5 miles) on the same tack as the whole keeping it clear of nearly all water. Wind was 18 to 28 kts. all of the time.The afterguard decided to call the coasties to stand by with a pump (and it was very clearly explained to STAND BY ONLY) in case we needed some additioal pumping while powering in the last 1/4 mile or so with out the benifit of the wind to keep the hole well out of the water.They arrived and the lunatic in-charge demanded that half the crew immediately abandon ship for their safety. They, (the crew)of course were in no danger and the loss of half the crew would have likely sunk the boat.With life jackets on and the water temp at roughly 72 degrees AND recreational boat virtually everywhere, even a boat full of water presented no danger.The aformentioned lunatic was so put out at being told to leave well enough alone that after getting to the dock and hanging the boat in slings, he did everything he could to cite crew member with citations requiring court appearance.I could go into great detail on this, but suffice it to be said that unless you are in mortal danger, Never-Never-ever call the Coast Guard for help. The problem is that even though a coastie may have been "well trained" there is an overwealming possability that he/she has no practiclal experience or "street smarts" for on-the-water activities.This is a real story that really happend on Lake St. Claire and the Detroit River. I have had occasion to speak to other Coast Guardsmen of excellent experience about this incident and they defend to the end the justification of their comrad based his "decision to put life and limb ahead of everything". It is this theorom which attests to the assinine behavior the Coast Guard is capable of. OF COURSE we'd all agree to the necessity of putting life and limb ahead of all else, the problem is that few are so incredable stupid so as to suggest cutting off a hand to safeguard the rest of the body from infection -- if you get a scratch on the tip of a finger. That, however, is tantamont to this Coast Guardsman's idea of proper procedure in saving lives.The moral of the story is, don't deal with them unless it is ABSOLUTELY a matter of life and death....