Norfolk Virgina BULLYING

Ross · Sep 1, 2011

You can get drunk and fall down stairs and be disabled while on active duty and become a disabled veteran. Being disabled isn't a free pass for being uncivil. He divorced in '04 and lost custody of his kids now he has wreaked his boat and is about to lose custody of that. I think that I can see a pattern here.

Benjamin Disralei · Sep 1, 2011

Was the owner of a tree jailed for allowing there property to fall on a neighbors house, no. Bloody hell USA, Im pleased I live in Australia, we help our neighbours in times of need an desperation.

This sailor has made a decision based on information available at the time, it may not have been the best decision of his life but hey, you do what you need to do to save your life's possessions. I am sure fellow sailors will relly to help out a fellow sailor with an efficient and effective mechanism to move the yacht off the beach to safe waters.

As for the trouble maker Cynthia Hall, well all I can say is thank God shes not in my electorate.

Judge and be judged

I wish all yachtsmen and woman the very best and hope they have not lost to much with the wild weather Irene has thrown State Side.

Merlin Clark · Sep 1, 2011

Donalex said:
One of the respondents to the newspaper articles pointed out that this was a legitimate shipwreck and that there were laws controlling this. Any sea lawyers out there like to contribute? In the UK we have a "Receiver of Wreck" - normally a member of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency and he/she would normally take charge of such things.

In US Navy vernacular, a "Sea Lawyer" is someone that is normally found standing around in a passageway (with the appropriate digit stuck in the appropriate orifice) giving bad advice on subjects he knows nothing about. The advice is generally along the lines of "write your congressman" about any infraction of a sailor rights by a senior. Usually these infractions were imagined. Sea Lawyers spend a lot of time cleaning toilets.
I like the "Receiver of Wreck" plan. That makes sense. Here it may be the young USCG Petty Officer mentioned in the article that may not know which end of the boat is the bow.

Old Skool Neil · Sep 1, 2011

If it was Cynthia Hall's boat on the beach what are the chances she'd be treated the same way? In this country we're taught from childhood that we are all treated equally but reality is very different, isn't it?

Norfolk must have a strong boating community. Do they have anything to say about their city's actions?

Kermit · Sep 1, 2011

I have to admit that I faulted the boat owner when I first saw the video and pictures. But the more I read, the more I realize there is WAY more to this story than either side is presenting. Whether this guy was at fault or not, he seems to be getting a raw deal from "the other side." Lots of people try to ride out hurricanes and then become victims. This guy seems to have made a mistake. We all make them. I find it hard to believe "the other side" would treat people who stayed in their homes, ignoring evacuation orders, would treat them this way.

Again, there is WAY more to both sides of this story than we are being told. I'm looking forward to finding out the "WAY more."

RichLan · Sep 1, 2011

The Gift of Time

Give the guy a few weeks to try to resolve the matter.
There is not much he can do from jail.
If a home were damaged, would the community demand that it be chopped up and hauled away within a week?
Besides, right now, the boat is a tourist attraction.

sailaway78 · Sep 1, 2011

I think there is more to this than the info we have. But it seems sorta unfair that if your home gets damaged or destroyed, and it's on land, there is all kind of government money out there to help you. I guess if your home is on the water, you don't count. After Katrina, there was so much FEMA money floating around it was hard to even name all the different programs. There were the FEMA trailers, the instant 2K from FEMA if you just lived in the area. There was an additiional 2300 for some. There was the road home program. The government bought outright a lot of homes that were not repairable, and the occupants had no insurance. There is even now a program to raise houses, and most home owners who were flooded can get a grant for up to 150K to raise their home. No one was cited for drinking during the storm. No one had their past history put out there by the press. No one was jailed because they made bad decisions. If I were this guy I wouldn't hire me a sea lawyer, I would find one of the ambulance chasers we see daily on TV commercials, and scream discrimination.

tommays · Sep 1, 2011

Boats Grounding happens all the time up and down the east coast on ocean beaches and i have never seen a happy outcome UNLESS a savor happened to get there almost instantly as the boat is already filling up with sand and being beaten relentlessly by the waves

Gunni · Sep 1, 2011

I'm with the boater.

Ok, the guy is a fool who did just about everything wrong, lost his girlfriend, and likely his boat. He's a boater and if the City of Norfolk bureaucrats want to hardball him, I'm with the boater. Where do I send my donation to salvage "Maybe Tomorrow"?

Gary_H · Sep 1, 2011

The guy may have made bad decisions and he may not have the sweetest personality in the would but this boat represents everything he has in the world. The city is being unreasonable and for some reason vindictive. Even with full resources it will take some time to arrange salvage. This is not like calling Seatow for a soft grounding. The city may very well end up chopping the boat up but why do they seem to be chomping at the bit to destroy this sailors dreams and property. It should be chopped up only after all efforts have been made to refloat or salvage the vessel. IMHO anyway.

Gunni · Sep 1, 2011

Sent a courteous request to help the guy care of the DA, Cynthia Hall. Also copied the Mayor of Norfolk and the City Manager:

Norfolk Mayor, Paul Fraim mayor@norfolk.gov

Norfolk City Manager, Marcus D. Jones, city.manager@norfolk.gov

Next step is to call the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce president, John Hornbeck (757-664-2500) and let him know that the boating community is watching how the City treats the least fortunate of it's many hurricane victims.

Phil Herring · Sep 1, 2011

That's a great idea, Gunni. The Chamber usually has some clout in these towns and they won't like the bad press.

Joe Diver · Sep 1, 2011

There's too much more to this story not being told by either side.

I "suspect" this guy probably put everything he had into the boat, probably with the help of his girlfriend as well...He can't come up with $50 for bail? His girlfriend split with the cat? Yeah, something tells me this guy probably isn't the sharpest tool in the shed or the best catch of the day....he drinks and causes trouble....made a stupid decision that could have killed him and his girlfriend....destroyed a very valuable asset....may or may not have insurance.....I don't know, but have to think the girlfriend may have very good reason to bail...

You can bet the city is being driven by the property owners of the condos and beach houses. They've got way too many other things to deal with more important than a stupid beached boat that poses no real threat or danger....but I bet there's some very influential self centered a$$wipes who could care less for someone else's misfortune and just want their beach to be cleaned up...their beach is so much more important than anyone else's problems ya know.....

Don't know any of this for sure....just saying....I bet there's alot more going on with both sides of this story.

JohnS · Sep 1, 2011

Regardless of how this guy ended up in this situation, it reads like the boat and it's cargo are all he possesses in this world. If the city chops his boat up, they are creating a homeless person, who'll possibly end up on public assistance living in one of their shelters. Is that the business the city government should be in?

justsomeguy · Sep 1, 2011

Good point, JohnS. It may be more cost-effective to be lenient.

justsomeguy · Sep 1, 2011

"To reduce them to coinage, and hollow exchange" Tim Hodgkinson "Living in the Heart of the Beast"

MrBill_FLL · Sep 1, 2011

Not a Maritime Attorney, but seen a few boats on shore after hurricanes...

This appears to be a salvage operation. and he's screwed.... how screwed is sort of up to him...

I see 2 outcomes, it gets re floated, or its cutup and hauled off. nether will be good for him.

if he doesn't have the resources to have it re-floated, then some salvage operator can do that, but will want a % of the value of the boat, (25-50%).

if its cut up, well that's even less value back to him.

either way, he's lost his home, or a large amount of value.

I have mixed emotions on this one... he made some bad decisions and now its going to cost him.

I did talk to a guy living on his valant 6 weeks after Andrew tore up miami. he was 30' into the mangroves high and dry, sitting on elliot key.

he was living on the boat, waiting for the government to lift him out. since he was still aboard it couldn't be considered abandoned, and salvage couldn't begin. (he said). Since it was environmental sensitive area, he was just waiting them out.... must have worked, since the boat was gone a 2 wks later when we when back...

-I think if I were him, I go stay on the boat, and not leave... and wait them out... plus find a maritime atty, asap.

ps: msg sent.

zeehag · Sep 1, 2011

could the salvage company have any bearing on this-- is possibly the salvor pushing the community fathers into making these standards for this alcoholic to be pushed into----can these salvage rights be discontinued for a happening from a disaster of major proportions--
yes, folks who drink cause more trouble than they are worth-- BUT is not against the law to be alcoholic, yet. and is very bad publicity to render a publicized disaster victim homeless.
the town has a lot to consider----

justsomeguy · Sep 1, 2011

MrBill_FLL said:
snip

-I think if I were him, I go stay on the boat, and not leave... and wait them out... plus find a maritime atty, asap.

ps: msg sent.

Remember that roadside attraction, where you walked through a room listing about 30 degrees? "Mystery Spot"?

Norfolk Virgina BULLYING

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