Yacht Abandoned - Crew Rescued

Aside from the insurance issue...
Why did she not stay on board? Was she capable of sailing the boat?
How did he get caught in the line? Can we learn from his mistakes?
Did they really need rescue? Could she have stablized him long enough to get to the closest port?
What first aid supplies did they have on board? Was it sufficient for a voyage of that distance?
I believe we can learn more from answering these questions than we possibly could by scrutinizing the couple's choice to buy insurance or not.

[Ex-Calif]

It's not the boat, it's not the gear, it's not the navigation, it's not crew.

More than any single item it is the weather.

Study, study, study as much as you can about the weather. What makes it, how it behaves throughout the year, how to avoid the bad weather and how to get weather planning info before you start and en-route weather after you launch.

[clausont]

Originally Posted by Kai Nui

Aside from the insurance issue...
Why did she not stay on board? Was she capable of sailing the boat?
How did he get caught in the line? Can we learn from his mistakes?
Did they really need rescue? Could she have stablized him long enough to get to the closest port?
What first aid supplies did they have on board? Was it sufficient for a voyage of that distance?
I believe we can learn more from answering these questions than we possibly could by scrutinizing the couple's choice to buy insurance or not.

All excellent questions Kai Nui - These are questions I had been wondering about.
Thanks for bringing these up. I will look forward to more information on this situation. Hopefully there will be some more information that I can learn from here coming up.

[desertmonk]

What are the rules for recovering an abandoned boat at sea? Do the previous owner's get it back?

The person who saves property at sea is entitled to a reward is generously computed in light of the fundamental public policy involved. Public policy which has been formulated to encourage mariners to provide prompt service in case of emergencies and also to award compensation much greater than the value of the actual labor involved.

Quoted from The Complexities Of Maritime Salvage Law
This does not give up the rights of the owners of the property (vessel), but it does leave a wide definition of what can be collected by the salver. This often results in forfeiting the vessel to cover the expense.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

More than any single item it is the weather.

Study, study, study as much as you can about the weather. What makes it, how it behaves throughout the year, how to avoid the bad weather and how to get weather planning info before you start and en-route weather after you launch.

Great advice Dan

[Soft Air]

Dan, superb advice. I myself still fly for the airlines and learning about weather and proper interpretation have kept me out of trouble. I think the same is for sailing.

[john connell]

Originally Posted by Morgan Paul

That's cold and so insensitive.

Couldn't agree more -even if I am an Aussie living down the road from these poor souls.If it ever happens to you I hope you dont feel like the goose you just made yourself out to be.

Go outside-stat.
Stand facing the setting sun.
Give yourself a triple uppercut and wake up to the real world of compassion -not criticism.

JC.

PS Dont care if you pull this one either.

[meridian@]

I got this today from friends (Jim and Ann on Insatiable II) who just arrived in Noumea.
meridian


Last night, Jim and I met Ann and Chris Robinson, the folks who own Illusion, here in Noumea. The vessel was cast adrift when they were rescued from it after he was injured, the engine was left running, but there was only a little fuel in it, so it wouldn't have gone far before running out. It was sealed up as best they could and it is a steel boat. It was abandoned about 390 nautical miles NE of Bundaberg. They have two serious concerns: 1) that no one gets hurt by their boat and 2) they dream of getting her back and rescuing her.
Chris thinks it's possible that it will be Australian Customs Service COASTWATCH aircraft that will spot her, that overall her course will be northwestish. His leg is doing well enough that he has been cleared to fly home to Bundy tomorrow.
I'm not sure what any of us can really do to help, aside from normal watch-keeping, and informing people who are inbound and outbound towards and from Australia to try to keep an eye out for the vessel, and if spotted, notify the Robinsons at this e-mail address:
<illusionrobinson@hotmail.com>
or at this phone number:
(61) 407 141 513 (cell)
or their home phone: (61 7) 4159 0156
I'm hoping that enough folks will be looking for the boat, that she will turn up, and in good nick. So few stories have a happy ending, I hope this one does.

[Alondra]

yes, it is. Sorry for that but it is a fact that it takes extra stress (in which case this would have not been said) not to have insurance. But yes, it was cold and I am sorry for that.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

It's not the boat, it's not the gear, it's not the navigation, it's not crew.

More than any single item it is the weather.

Study, study, study as much as you can about the weather. What makes it, how it behaves throughout the year, how to avoid the bad weather and how to get weather planning info before you start and en-route weather after you launch.

And practice, practice, practice as many heavy weather techniques as you can.

Yes, I know this is often very difficult and you just have to do the best you can.

I know from experience that when sailing home and the wind pipes up to say 30+ kts, the crew is looking towards the bar only a hour or so away, the last thing I want to do is some heavy weather exercise like setting the trisail or some such. Or the rare times that I have been on the water at say 35 to 40 kts, I just don't want to spend an hour or so hove to trying out a para anchor but this is really the best way to learn to be more stormproof.

At least they are safe and perhaps we can learn something from their experiences.

[jzk]

Originally Posted by Alondra

yes, it is. Sorry for that but it is a fact that it takes extra stress (in which case this would have not been said) not to have insurance. But yes, it was cold and I am sorry for that.

I didn't think your comment innapropriate in the least regard. In the US, some 35,000 people die each ear in auto accidents. Would it be innapropriate to say "if you aren't going to wear your seatbelt, then you have no business riding in a car?" I mean, yes, it would be innapropriate at someone's funeral that died in such a manner, but not on an internet discussion board about driving cars.

BTW, I don't agree with your premise, but there was nothing offensive about it.

The insurance issue stays dead in this thread. Right or wrong decision, it is not productive to this topic. Please let sleeping dogs lie.
meridian@, It sounds like the owners are in good spirits. Since you have an in with the owners, it will be great to follow the progress of the location and recovery efforts. This, in it's self would be very informative. I have a close friend who went through something similar in Mexico. Taking on water, bad decisions, scared crew, and abandoned ship to a cruise ship, hoping to find the boat later. This did not happen, but debri sightings were later reported. In contrast, his boat was wood. Steel may have a better chance of surviving. I can only imagine the celebration if she is located intact.

[jzk]

The issue being discussed isn't really about insurance. It is about making critical comments about what someone that experienced a disaster could have done differently.

So, we close the door on that issue as well in this thread. Simple solution. Way too much other information to discuss.