Pacific Seafarer’s Net Assists in Rescue of Sailors from a Sinking Sailboat

So, it's OK to be careless, because if you need to be rescued, it won't cost as much as a hurricane hitting the coast?

 

Aid to a land-based community after a disaster accomplishes far more then saving individuals. It recovers an entire economy, which in turn paid in advance (insurance, taxes) and / or re-pays for the action through continued commerce. The cost of marine or other SAR is disproportionately far higher per captita.

That's not an argument against SAR services; they are a necessary and moral tradition well worth keeping up. But they shouldn't be carelessly exploited for ego gratification.

Happy safe sailing and 73 de John - WØPV

 

Sorry, either you misinterpreted my posts, or you need to work on your comprehension skills. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since I don't know you.

 

Apples and oranges. We are talking about individual boats. Not entire towns.

The flip side of your argument would logically imply that no safety standards should apply to boaters.

 

Sure...the "flip side" of any argument is always a logically sound argument; and sure, that's exactly what I imply.

OK...now that my nefarious motives are out of the way, can we move on to discussions about this HOBBY please.

 

I have just discovered this thread, while researching the USCG and media reports concerning my rescue in Alaska.
I thought it might be of interest to those who voiced an opinion on the subject in this forum to learn what really happened, from the person on the ground.. er.. in the water.

I have been amazed by the misreporting done by the media.
One could easily believe that it was a reckless voyage undertaken on an ill equipped vessel.
Hence the ready criticism made by many. Reporters rarely let the facts get in the way of a
dramatic story.

Yes I am a licensed ham, call sign VK3LAA.
Yes I had an epirb. Yes I had a satphone. Yes I had all the safety equipment available.
Yes I reported daily on Pacseanet on 14300. Visit shiptrak.org enter vk3laa and
see my position reports.

Rafiki was a 35 foot cutter-rigged steel sloop made in NZ by a Dutch boat builder for Tasman Sea racing.
I bought her in 2010 in Vancouver from a chap who had single handed her there via Hawaii.
I further modified her for single handed sailing, and ended up in Mazatlan to wait out the
storm season in the South Pacific before crossing alone to Sydney.

In Sydney I added an AIS transponder, and outfitted for a circumnavigation.
My first attempt was aborted after a week when I had to return for medical reasons.. a scalding.

I waited 2 years and left in May 2016 for my second attempt.
Due to weather, and a broken waterpump, I missed my chance to cross via the NWP and headed for Canada
instead. Nearing the Aleutians, I got to within 5 miles of land near Dutch Harbor, where the winds
failed me. I was offered assistance from the USCG to get into Dutch Harbor, resulting in a story that I
was 'rescued'" after rigging a solar panel to power my radio, and was found dehydrated
and revived with a hot chocolate.. after USCG cutter Morgenthau rushed to my aid through narrow channels and rough seas." I was towed in by a cutter who happened to be passing., but a 'rescue' is a more dramatic tale.

I then replaced the waterpump, found a 5 day window between storms, and headed out.
5 days out, I had an accident, I was thrown into the cockpit in a heavy sea, hitting my head on the binacle,
which later required brain surgery.

At this time the boat started taking on water, but the bilge pump coped with it. I was unable to
stem the flow.
I reported in on PacSeaNet, advising my situation. A relay station assisted, all parties felt it was wise
to advise the CG, and they went into action, taking myself and a passenger off about 1:30 a.m.
I realized that I could not continue and reluctantly shut off the bilge pump.
The CG advised that Rafiki's epirb stopped transmitting the following morning, and she is now 2o thousand feet down.

The Mexico incident was also a tow into harbor, due to the loss of the prop
from a crap install by a diver in San Francisco... but labelled a 'rescue'.

No I did not have survival suits. I never expected to get in the water.
Having previously solo-ed roughly a third of the way around the world..
I felt that I and the boat were fit for going all the way.

Most reports said that my emergency call for help was picked up by a ham in Hawaii.
I did not make any such call. I calmly discussed my options with net operators, and then
agreed that I could not save the boat.