Lost at sea , Monterey CA

[Catigale]

Sailboat missing after reporting abandoning ship taking on water

http://www.montereyherald.com/state/ci_ ... -francisco


Please file a float plan when you sail......

[CFCassidy]

While I feel for those affected, what were they thinking? 60+ miles off shore with young children n a 29ft boat during small craft advisories with no GPS, EPIRB or life raft.

[Whipsyjac]

This situation is terrible...or a hoax(I hesitate to say that, but that guy seemed really calm for someone abandoning ship with a 8yo and 4yo kids). Also weird there was no GPS on board. I've got one on my phone, an old Garmin GPS 12 I got for free as a hand me down, a Garmin Map 60Cx, and the GPS in my DSC radio. They start at under $100 at Wal-Mart. They're so cheap and they're everywhere that it seems incredible if not impossible that someone would sail out of sight of land without one. I would think anyone 60M off shore would either have GPS or be an experienced navigator. Also Coastal Cali (correct me if I'm wrong) doesn't have much in the way of Islands or protection north of Santa Cruz which makes it basically Blue Water Sailing which begs the question where's the self inflating raft and Epirb.

OK I'm starting to do what I don't like...pointing fingers, so I'll stop with the cliche " this should be a warning to all of us"

BUT PLEASE get your radio operators certificate and PLEASE get a DSC radio and MMSI#.

I got a DSC radio with GPS built in for $250. Push the red button for 5 seconds and Coast Guard will receive a digital signal with our position, description of the vessel, nature of the distress, phone #'s of emergency contacts, our names, vessel name, and the max # of people on board. All DSC equipped vessels around you will receive your distress and location EVEN IF THEY'RE TALKING ON THEIR RADIO ON ANOTHER CHANNEL. DSC will alert all similarly equipped vessels even if they're not actively monitoring the distress channel. Vessels with their DSC linked to their chart plotter will immediately see your position on their Chartplotter screen. On my boat the distress vessel appears on a simple compass screen with distance and bearing, very easy to see if I would be close enough to offer assistance.

I'm praying for a miracle now,

Willy

[SENCMac26x]

I've been following it too, I'm praying its a sick joke...who would take a small boat like 65 miles offshore in that weather without a gps, EPIRB, life raft, survival suits....ANY safety equipment with 2 small kids and a wife on board.

I so hope this is a hoax

[yukonbob]

This does seem to happen this time every year. Except the last two hoaxes were east coast I believe? Sounds like the same scam as last year. Hope they catch them If it is.

[dlandersson]

I agree.

While I feel for those affected, what were they thinking? 60+ miles off shore with young children n a 29ft boat during small craft advisories with no GPS, EPIRB or life raft.

[CFCassidy]

Latest word is that the CG has suspended the search and now believes it to be a hoax. No details yet on how they came to that conclusion.

[Whipsyjac]

CF, I've been checking on this periodically. After 42hours and tons of publicity there had been no confirmation from family members or marina that anyone or any boat from San Diego to Seattle(on report said they were even checking as far North as Vancouver BC) was actually missing. They also had nearly 24hours of searching in favorable conditions. While a hoax is horrible and costly (into the hundreds of thousands of dollars) it's better than a family wiped out by the sea. The penalties here are pretty stiff for false distress(min $5000 fine and a year in jail).

Willy

[yukonbob]

They should be set adrift 60 miles out in a sinking boat with nothing but a life ring and a cooler and the CG drinking some cold ones in harbour wishing them the best.

[cptron]

They should be set adrift 60 miles out in a sinking boat with nothing but a life ring and a cooler and the CG drinking some cold ones in harbour wishing them the best.

I agree, this is nothing but pure evil. What is our world coming to. I just hope that these hoaxes don't make it harder for those that really need help. Like having to prove that you are really a boat in distress before they will come and help.