Germans Rescued by Coast Guard

[camaraderie]

Coast Guard Rescues Five

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - A Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk Rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., rescued five people from the German flagged 43-foot sailboat Born, approximately 170-miles east of Elizabeth City.
The Coast Guard was initially notified at 6:40 a.m. today by a 406 MHz distress signal from the sailboat. The distress signal was generated by an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) attached to the boat. A C-130 crew was the first Coast Guard asset to arrive on scene, and indicated that the boat was demasted and had fouled proppellers. The Coast Guard decided to conduct a hoist of all five people aboard the sailboat due to inclement weather.
The sailboat departed Washington, D.C., on Sunday enroute to the Azores.
**************



Gale Warnings were posted all weekend and these guys left the Chesapeake. About 1/3 of the way to Bermuda they have no mast and a failed prop, the Coast Guard risks their lives and we foot the bill. Any questions?

[soulesailor]

I couldn't care less about footing the bill for Coast Guard rescues. The war in Iraq costs BILLIONS AND BILLIONS, now that's something to complain about footing the bill for! I've met many coasties and auxiliarists and they all agree that rescues are something they all live for and if they feel their lives may be in danger than they simply won't go or they'll abort the rescue.

Dismasting is something that might happen to anyone, you can't necessarily blame them for that. Some people just have a higher tolerance for risk than others and I am perfectly fine with that. I certainly don't want anyone telling me when I can or can't go someplace. As long as they knew the risks involved and departed because they truly felt they could do it than that's OK.

[CharlieCobra]

Fouled prop huh? That might happen with the rigging hanging over the side if ya don't check it out prior to starting the freakin' engine.

[Plumper]

Or if you were motoring when the rig went over the side....

[sailingdog]

Soulesailor-

I'd have to agree with Cam... leaving while gale warnings are being broadcast all week means that their rescue was pretty much self-inflicted stupidity. A prudent sailor would have waited until the gale warnings were no longer an issue... If they had to leave due a trying to meet a schedule, I'm pretty sure that the rescue blew any chance of making it.

[bfdtpkt]

"Dismasting is something that can happen to anyone"??????

Yea, if you haven't done the proper maintenance on yer boat lately, or haven't had the "standing rigging" checked before you go on a long voyage in a GALE!

And with yer "standing rigging" in the water all around yer boat, wouldn't wanna check that !?!

And those boys on that CHOPPER were at RISK!

and I would assume they were sailing since they dismasted, then fouled the prop..... JMO.

[buckeyesailor]

The Good Lord knows we've spent many more tax dollars on MUCH less!

personally.....if I were in a similar situation off the coast of another country, I would HOPE they had the resources to haul my butt off a questionable vessel.

[T34C]

Originally Posted by soulesailor

I couldn't care less about footing the bill for Coast Guard rescues. The war in Iraq costs BILLIONS AND BILLIONS, now that's something to complain about footing the bill for!

So I guess you sent an extra check to the CG to aid with SAR operations this year????

[jimmyb116]

Dismasting can happen to anyone even if you rig is brand new. factory/material flaws design problems etc, deciding they weren't prepared based on that is ?????????????? Lots of race boats break masts are they not prepared or don't do proper maintenance. You don't know these people except one news report yet you attack them and criticize? this is the part of salient I don't like.

[soulesailor]

Dismasting CAN and DOES happen to people who are prepared. During Vega's sail from Hawaii to PNW his new standing rigging unraveled. He was able to deal with the situation by putting up some rope and continued his sail but the rigger's all agreed nobody could have predicted this without x-rays. I don't know why these guys we're talking about dismasted.

Nor do I know WHY they left. If it was simply to meet a schedule than that is surely poor seamanship. Accepting risk is not necessarily being dumb. Some people are used to taking risks on a regular basis and can analyze the situation, the dangers, probability of success, work to minimize exposure to the dangers, feel comfortable with what's left and proceed. Haven't you ever taken a risk before? Sailed in bad weather? Hiked in avalanche terrain? People who are adverse to risk may not understand but those who are used to taking risks are more comfortable with it than you think.