Nice to know the CG is ready

[jdoe71]

Originally Posted by David M

Getting on my soapbox here...I think we need to go back to the licensing of radio stations and the licensing of operators. I hear way too much misuse and abuse of VHF radios. A simple exam you could take at your local DMV to let people know the VHF is not a CB radio for boats would go a long way.

Aye! Just a joke the way some people carry on with the VHF.

[senormechanico]

TEN FOUR GOOD BUDDY!
<sarc>

Steve B.

[S/V Elusive]

David M ... wow .. way to hijack the thread. This thread has absolutely nothing to do with radios or radio checks ... It is about a series of photos taken that show some of the training that the Coasties go through - which I thought interesting enough to post.

[jdoe71]

Originally Posted by S/V Elusive

David M ... wow .. way to hijack the thread. This thread has absolutely nothing to do with radios or radio checks ... It is about a series of photos taken that show some of the training that the Coasties go through - which I thought interesting enough to post.

It definitely is interesting. I am partly to blame I shouldn't have posted back, but David M's comment hit home...

What I want to know is how the guys on the bridge managed to ride through that without getting chucked off. Are they strapped in? Would being strapped in on an open bridge be better than being loose if the boat had rolled completely? From the photos it looks like the boat was knocked down but can't tell if it rolled over. Seems incredible that these boats can take a roll and come back up ready to go. And the people too, damn impressive no question.

[S/V Elusive]

Jdoe - reading some of the blog entries ... apparently some responders were the coasties that were on the boat .. and/or other coasties who had been there and done that ... they ARE strapped in ...

[MarkJ]

Its a bit difficult to see, but it appears the boat isn't going ahead. Theres not baw wave, and can't see the stern. It does, weirdly, look like its going astern, but that could be disturbed water from the wave before.

I, too, was amazed to see the little orange blobs still standing, the boat pop up and the engine still running after the wave.

I showed Nicolle the photos and she asked if we went over would we pop up like that? I quickly said emphatically Yes! I hope we are never in a position where she can prove me wrong!

Mark

[senormechanico]

Several years ago at a cruising club meeting we had the captain and a couple of his crew from of one of those CG boats as speakers. It was a very entertaining evening to say the least!

One of the crew said the captain always smoked a cigar. The captain was in a pedestal chair at the controls and each crew member was stationed standing at his side. I don't know if they were strapped in or not, but they had big hand holds. The crewmember said whenever he saw the captain really chomp down on his cigar he knew they were going upside down.

Steve B.

[spencer53]

Part of CG training. They take their boats out into some incredibly crazy stuff and frequently roll them over. They are strapped in and they do this stuff in training regularly. I can only say that I am VERY appreciative of them. I was on a powerboat as a kid with my father and a friend of his when we got boarded. It was scary to me at the time with all the guns strapped onto these guys sides but they were doing their job and all was well. As an adult and now cruiser, I had the good fortune of having them pick up their mooring at an island anchorage popular in my part of the world. After they got situated, I invited them all over for breakfast the following morning. They chucked and respectfully declined unless they smelled better food coming from my boat. Lets just say I was glad they were there. For us boaters, they are angels. Cheers to them!

[mdfixitman]

Yeah, those boats are something special, self-righting and self-bailing. The original design righted itself so fast it would cause injuries. They had to slow the righting time. Unlike the old surfboats, the crew can be inside. They do train in high seas but they aren’t supposed to roll them, it messes up the antennas.

[spencer53]

Makes sense about the antennas, never thought about that.