More idiots on boats
- Thread starter Tim R.
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Tim—
I've noticed that as the average boat size has gone up, the average level of seamanship has gone down... Donna Lange made it around the world in a Southern Cross 28... these guys are tripping the EPIRB because they damaged their sails in heavy seas.... Maude Fontenoy, the French sailor/rower, was dismasted 200 miles from her destination during a circumnavigation, and all she did was radio in and say "she'd be a bit later than she had originally planned" and finished her voyage after jury-rigging the boat.
I hope the NZ SAR bills these guys for their rescue... An EPIRB is the equivalent of a MAYDAY...what their situation was, did not qualify as a MAYDAY IMHO—it was a PAN-PAN at best. A MAYDAY is an imminent threat to life or safety, or a medical emergency... not because you're uncomfortable and want to get off the boat because the sails are damaged.
I've noticed that as the average boat size has gone up, the average level of seamanship has gone down... Donna Lange made it around the world in a Southern Cross 28... these guys are tripping the EPIRB because they damaged their sails in heavy seas.... Maude Fontenoy, the French sailor/rower, was dismasted 200 miles from her destination during a circumnavigation, and all she did was radio in and say "she'd be a bit later than she had originally planned" and finished her voyage after jury-rigging the boat.
I hope the NZ SAR bills these guys for their rescue... An EPIRB is the equivalent of a MAYDAY...what their situation was, did not qualify as a MAYDAY IMHO—it was a PAN-PAN at best. A MAYDAY is an imminent threat to life or safety, or a medical emergency... not because you're uncomfortable and want to get off the boat because the sails are damaged.
There is an article in this months Sail magazine that just arrive yesterday regarding a boat that issued a MAYDAY and a couple answered the call after the Coast Guard didn't respond. Seas were building and they were able to make it to the boat. The boat was taking on water but didn't want Coast Guard assistance or a pump out boat to assist and then requested the other boat to follow them in to port. Completely going out of their way and having their headsail torn in relatively heavy seas, the couple obliged. Turned out that the "victims" were at fault and put themselves in that situation.... suprise.
Those folks don't deserve the boat. I hope someone finds it that appreciates it better.
druid
Taxes pay for the SAR
and it may be a very slippery slope to start trying to determine which rescues are "required" and which are initiated by fools.
That said, when I had my first, and only, automobile accident, in 1971, I managed to wrap my 1968 Olds Cutlass around a tree! On the way to the tree, we took out a wooden guard rail. After months, when all insurance claims were settled, we received a bill for $218.41 for the guard rail replacement! However, the police and ambulance services back then didn't charge, they were on call and got paid whether they sat in their cars or firehouses or not, and fuel was part of their budget.
I'm very torn on the concept of charging for tax funded services, recession or not.
I agree with Hermit that there's probably more to this than meets the eye from the first short story. Which sail? Conditions?
Gee, 200 miles off is like being there already...
and it may be a very slippery slope to start trying to determine which rescues are "required" and which are initiated by fools.
That said, when I had my first, and only, automobile accident, in 1971, I managed to wrap my 1968 Olds Cutlass around a tree! On the way to the tree, we took out a wooden guard rail. After months, when all insurance claims were settled, we received a bill for $218.41 for the guard rail replacement! However, the police and ambulance services back then didn't charge, they were on call and got paid whether they sat in their cars or firehouses or not, and fuel was part of their budget.
I'm very torn on the concept of charging for tax funded services, recession or not.
I agree with Hermit that there's probably more to this than meets the eye from the first short story. Which sail? Conditions?
Gee, 200 miles off is like being there already...
I don't think anyone is saying that the SAR people should determine when to go out or not... just that they might want to considering billing the ones who make them go out without just cause. 
SAR services are a finite resource, and if they're going out to rescue people who are merely uncomfortable on their boat, but in no real danger, they may miss going out on a call where lives are actually at risk.
SAR services are a finite resource, and if they're going out to rescue people who are merely uncomfortable on their boat, but in no real danger, they may miss going out on a call where lives are actually at risk.
Perhaps that is exactly my point, SD. Who decides? Sometimes it's black & white, sometimes, it's "nuanced"...
Making that decision is a bit more justifiable than deciding not to go out... in many cases though, it is pretty clear that a MAYDAY was not necessary or even remotely warranted. I think that they should decide on not billing except in the truly outrageous and egregious cases... like the idiots who were on a rather large, high-end sailboat that hit up a US Navy ship for more diesel... they had sails... but couldn't be bothered to sail the boat to their destination.
Another prime example is the Frenchman who was rescued twice in ONE WEEK in the same boat. He was attempting to row across the Atlantic, and the first rescue was due to his faulty design/construction of the boat, and it leaked like a sieve. The fact that he attempted repairs and left again in less than a week's time only to require rescuing again... should have earned him a Darwin IMHO.
Another prime example is the Frenchman who was rescued twice in ONE WEEK in the same boat. He was attempting to row across the Atlantic, and the first rescue was due to his faulty design/construction of the boat, and it leaked like a sieve. The fact that he attempted repairs and left again in less than a week's time only to require rescuing again... should have earned him a Darwin IMHO.
Perhaps that is exactly my point, SD. Who decides? Sometimes it's black & white, sometimes, it's "nuanced"...
Possible that they were out in some very heavy stuff, not surprising giving the location, and they felt they couldn't risk loosing control of the boat (no sails no fuel and not enough wind to run bare polls or no searoom) and taking the seas on the beam. They may have not had any idea how much fuel they had left (been there) due to bad guages and sounds like they were too far away for VHF contact, so setting off the epirb was the only logical option to get help. However, I wouldn't have wanted an air-lift, just more fuel unless of course I was worried the engine wouldn't make it either.
Very unlikely all those happened, but possible. In otherwords, don't jump to conclusions based on a short story from a possible biased writer.
Very unlikely all those happened, but possible. In otherwords, don't jump to conclusions based on a short story from a possible biased writer.
The story said they had lost ONE sail. Most all of us could sail home with the remaining other sail.
SD - again, to be clear, I'm NOT talking about the decision of not going or going "to the rescue," just about the decision to charge for it and $$$ involved.
SD - again, to be clear, I'm NOT talking about the decision of not going or going "to the rescue," just about the decision to charge for it and $$$ involved.
Never believe everything you read in the press. They mis-quote and turn stories around quite often.
In most cases the costs of the units are allready in place and there allways training anyway
Becasue it is a bit crazy the way the go out after the crab guys in Alaska when there droping traps in 60 MPH winds
Would the world end without King Crab legs ?
And i am pretty sure for example we spend MORE money dredgeing to keep the Shinnecock inlet open than could ever be recovered from the fishing fleets catch
Becasue it is a bit crazy the way the go out after the crab guys in Alaska when there droping traps in 60 MPH winds
Would the world end without King Crab legs ?
And i am pretty sure for example we spend MORE money dredgeing to keep the Shinnecock inlet open than could ever be recovered from the fishing fleets catch
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