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I hate to say it but, in this case, I also hope it is a hoax and, if so, that the hoaxter is caught and strung up from a yard-arm. If not....I don't even want to think about it.
Curious why it may be a hoax? Insurance or?, lack of an EPIRB signal? The CG may be able to determine the general location of the transmission? If it is real they are in heap big trouble:
If it is not a hoax I hope they will be picked up in time. And after that I hope the authorities to persecute the fathers to endanger their children.
Going offshore in a 29ft boat in this time of the year with a warning of bad weather and without carrying an Epirp is criminal negligence in what regards the safety of the children.
1.- 65 miles offshore in a small boat with 2 little kids in rough conditions in the middle of winter with no EPIRB and no PFDs? Who does that?
2.- "Electronics" conveniently failing. No further response necessary on the part of the hoaxer.
3.- Nobody has reported a boat and crew overdue.
4.- The CG does not know the boat's departure point or destination.
BTW, MarkofSeaLife- for all we know the Coasties suspect this is a hoax as well. That doesn't mean they aren't going to make every effort. They are, of course. That's what they are there for.
Guess no one knows for sure, just some thoughts...
1- Rookies (it seems because the proper distress call is mayday, mayday, mayday. not cg, cg, cg. Then again the cg, cg, cg could have been because its a hoax)
2- Maybe their electronics got wet and stopped working
3- It could be that no one knew they had left since it sounds like they were not gone long
4- If they were rookies, chances are they never notified the CG
If someone done this as a hoax, shame on them and I hope they get caught. Maybe we will find out soon.
I did not even think hoax when I read about this today. I thought, "What a terrible tragedy!". That water is so cold, if you're not found immediately you cannot survive. But a number of you made some good supporting arguments for a hoax. A very selfish hoax if it is.
Water temp around 50°. Survival time for an adult is about 12 hours. About half that for a child. Not taking into account the rough sea state which could easily shorten those times.
I certainly hope it is a hoax. Last couple of days we have had some"nice" winter winds (gusting 20+); and that is inside the bay. Outside, with temperatures colder, waves bigger, gusts stronger, I would not be out in a boat that small unless I was well prepared.
While I too hope it's a hoax if only because if it's not, it's a potential tragedy, paragraph 3 in this article, paraphrasing Coast Guard RCC people estimating the position of the broadcast as 65 miles west of Monterey, sounds eerily like a genuine Mayday from sea:
4 people abandoning ship with "a life ring and a cooler to hang onto"; in that water, terrible. A very grim image. Please tell me at least they had a flare kit. Please let it be a hoax....
From the AP: The U.S. Coast Guard was searching Monday for four family members, including two young children, who sent distress calls saying their sailboat was sinking near San Francisco and they were trying to make a life raft out of a cooler and a life preserver.
I have read that the CG has some very sensitive VHF antennas mounted way up high on the Coast Range mountains and can at least receive signals from a long way out. Given a long enough signal I think they can get a pretty good fix on where the transmitter is. I hope I am wrong but it doesn't sound good.
And good for the Coast Guard, for being as hopeful as possible.... I just think that if most people realised how dangerous the water is in Northern California, they'd invest more in safety equipment... I'll certainly be thinking about it.
Seconded. Those of us who sail around here know how nasty it can get - big winds, big waves, cold. I sailed a bit in the UK, and NorCal reminds me of that - can be very nasty sometimes.
The distress call does not sound distressed to me. Not like someone who is about to jump into the cold Pacific and taking along two young children. Any other impressions?
I'm on the fence about a hoax or not. If it were a hoax and the call was triangulated to the place offshore, then it seems that the USCG would have at least spotted that vessel as well.
The distress call does not sound distressed to me. Not like someone who is about to jump into the cold Pacific and taking along two young children. Any other impressions?
This link says that the folks contacted the USCG "several times". Would a prankster do that? Seems like the more you call, then the more of a chance there is that you will be found, either by the USCG looking for the distressed boat or by the call triangulation.
I thought you were supposed to speak slow, clear, and calm on the radio? I didn't know that if I was acting in control, and not freaking out, people would say "eh, he doesn't sound distressed, must be a hoax".
I listened to the audio clip. He did sound calm in the very short transmission. But that is precisely the demeanor I would hope to have if conveying that crucial information to my potential rescuers when making such a dire decision.
Very little chance of a hoax in my mind. If the coast guard heard the signal (as they claim) rather than "received a report" then they know where the signal came from. They have good quality radio direction finding equipment. If the call came from SF bay, or from a marina, then it would be a different story.
As to the other reasons it may be a hoax, I would say that the same person who doesn't have a raft, and doesn't have a GPS IS the same person who might also might go out in the winter (not knowing better) and might be in a boat that may not be sound.
God be with them is right. This sport can be very safe, or very dangerous, and a few key elements separate the two.
I do apologize for bringing up the possibility that this may be a hoax. As bad as that would be, it would actually be preferable in this situation, considering the conditions out there and what little safety equipment these folks seem to have with them. Considering that no one has reported this family missing does make one wonder, especially since a member of another family (the cousin/nephew) was also on board. If they were making a longer trip, it would be more understandable since they may not be expected to arrive anywhere yet.
As for remaining calm during the radio call, I made the comment because I personally would not sound that calm when faced with getting into those seas with a cooler and a life ring and two small children. The offshore weather report for that day was seas 14-20 feet, subsiding to 9-15 feet, with a gale warning. I do admit that others may be calmer, including my husband -- who, like most good captains, keeps his head during stressful situations.
The fact that they have a bearing on the radio signal does make it seem more probable to this is unfortunately a bonafide tragedy and not a hoax. I do have a question about the bearing of the signal. Can the USCG determine the distance or just the bearing? I'm guessing only the bearing? Thanks for any clarification.
Fyi, just spoke with a guy here, who has been involved in the search effort. They seem to think it is a hoax, as well. As they checked with all the marinas in the area and haven't been able to identify the boat. He said they have to search in the event it is not a hoax, of course. He also said, if it is a hoax, they will be trying to locate the originator, as it's costing a lot for this search.
If it is a hoax giving the localization of the signal and the bad weather it will come probably from a ship or big trawler. It they have AIS maybe it is possible to nail the bastard...and I very much hope that is the case. If they get the guy and charge him the costs he is going to work the rest of his live to pay the bill
Yeah, they said the signal came from 45 miles out. Which didn't make sense, since none of the marinas know the boat, etc. That, and the claim they were using a cooler and a life ring to make a make-shift raft, makes it sound shady.
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