I dont want to sound like an A-Hole commercial guy, but I have to take BW's side on this... watch the forecast carefully, plan accordingly and if weather deteriorates get Home....
Shiite does happen out there, and thats what the CG's are there for in the extreme. My bigger problem is that they actually came and got you; that ventures a guess that either
A. you were anchored in a navigation channel or traffic sep. scheme areas, or
B. they were feeling charitable (usually would tell you to call a commercial salver)
My problem is more in venturing out in an ill equiped boat and running into problems, which may or may not have been you guys... I run a variety of boats, mainly a 60ft commercial pax. vessel, along with a small r/v and several small fishing boats. My personal boat is a 13ft whaler, and I would never leave the dock w/o a compass, flares, fog horn, vhf and cell phone. On nights with Fog in the forescast I wont even leave my side of the bay, at worst I can pick my way along the shore and get home.
I spend weekends listening on the radio to people F'ing up and then expecting to get bailed out. The CG's rarly come out unless it is life threatening, otherwise the call a comm. salver (seatow etc) or the HM's. This incluedes the twice a year warriors in boats that break down, run out of fuel etc.. or the people who get lost in the fog, or run into the fish traps, or the people who run outside the bay then want to go home to warwick and oops it came up NW 20knots, etc. etc. etc..
The bottom line;
1. My Shiite stinks to, stuff happens, the best you can do is be prepared and plan more carefully
2. Dont be a statistic, but dont sit on your tail and hope to be bailed out you are really lucky the CG's didnt leave you to a commercial salver or to wait it out.
3. If you knew where you were at all times then with a chart, compass, depth sounder, fog horn, the proper running lights and a vhf (to monitor commercial traffic) you could have gotten home. Just go slow and steady and use your head out there.
4. This isnt meant to flame you BJS, I just spend too many days working hearing BS on the water.... including the guy complaining on Sun of a car ship disrupting his sail race... he misquoted the rules of the road and issued a 'warning' to watch out for the really big boat coming down the bay.. sorry but BW's right again, if you cant see a Friggin Carship coming down the bay on a clear day and plan a corrdingly, you deserve to get hit...
Besides I cant agree with BW too much; he's a yuppie from an island
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