Missing Vessel (Northern California), 4 souls

[Dexterbase]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Yes. And if the boat is sinking, "mayday mayday".

Please.... we all know how the Coast Guard pronounces it.

[Red Sky]

It's spelled "pan pan", its pronounced " pon pon".

[shorebird]

No one has any business taking children out on a boat without a reasonable compliment of safety equipment, including digital VHF, GPS, and a liferaft or at least a dinghy. You can't drive them around in a car without a child seat and/or seatbelt, so why set out on a small boat without that kind of safety equipment? Make no mistake, I'm not insisting on any particular safety equipment for yourself, or your vessel, but, where small children are involved, you have a duty to provide maximum safety, minimum risk.

[Red Sky]

Just saw the latest report, CG is going to continue the search through the night. A USN ship has joined the search.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Dexterbase

Please.... we all know how the Coast Guard pronounces it.

Actually, no. I don't know how the US coast guard pronounces it. Never heard them on the radio.

In Aus "Pan Pan" is pronounced as spelt. And it's for non life-threatening emergencies. For a boat sinking 60 miles offshore with no liferaft? "Mayday mayday" .

Maybe it was a hoax. Hope so.

[Richard5]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I have two small kinds onboard we we venture pretty far from the coast. That family could have been killed on a freeway accident and there wouldn't be a thread about it on any forum; bad things happen sometimes, and sometimes children are involved.

If the few facts that we know are accurate, I can't knock the guy for not having a life raft as much as not having a well thought out plan for what to do when you abandon ship. Even a dinghy or some paddleboards, coupled with some wetsuits, you can triple or quadruple your life expectancy. Put an EPIRB and a $50 strobe in there, and snag the handheld vhf while bolting off the boat, and you're not in too bad of a situation as long as it's not a full on storm.

We'll probably never know.

I can't imagine what those parents must be feeling, or felt, whatever the case may be at this point. The idea of watching your children freeze to death or drown. Horrible beyond words.

Thank you for the 1st sensible post specific to this incident.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Red Sky

It's spelled "pan pan", its pronounced " pon pon".

Back to French class.

Here it is:

In radiotelephone communications, a call of three repetitions of pan-pan[1] (pron.: /ˈpɑːn ˈpɑːn/)[2][3] is used to signify that there is an urgency on board a boat, ship, aircraft, or other vehicle but that, for the time being at least, there is no immediate danger to anyone's life or to the vessel itself.

[Richard5]

Originally Posted by Guy

I guess if I start sinking I will have to remember there will be a bunch of jerks thinking it's a hoax.

I know, right?

[cuthbert]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Pretty much anything that floats and carries people. In Vic the limit is 2 nm offshore. Inside that an EPIRB is not required, outside that an EPIRB is required on PWCs (JetSkis), paddleboards, "beach-launched sailing vessels", power boats, and sailing yachts. About the only exception is tenders to another vessel, I guess they figure you can't be too far from the mother vessel that has the EPIRB.

If I were a inshore JetSki or windsurfer etc I would probably be happier with a handheld waterproof radio with DSC/GPS rather than an EPIRB. But if I understand the Australian law you don't get a choice? That is (in my mind) really the downside of legislating to such a degree.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Actually, no. I don't know how the US coast guard pronounces it. Never heard them on the radio.

In Aus "Pan Pan" is pronounced as spelt. And it's for non life-threatening emergencies. For a boat sinking 60 miles offshore with no liferaft? "Mayday mayday" .

Maybe it was a hoax. Hope so.

Agree, this was a Mayday situation. Other ships should have diverted to come to the rescue, not to stay well clear of the emergency.

[sww914]

You guys could debate the pros & cons of a sheet sandwich for a year.

[Richard5]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

The only thing supporting a non-hoax scenario is the report that the Coasties place the source of the distress call as well offshore. Even if that does turn out to be accurate (and remember, that report originated from non-sailing news media, not the most reliable of sources when it comes to sailing news) every other piece of information we have, IMHO, says that this could very well be a hoax.

I don't see where you get off calling anybody here a "jerk." In fact, we should all be praying to God that it is a hoax.

There is no limit on what people do. Whether you or I think they acted foolishly is not relevant to the probability there are lost souls. We may have dissenting opinions but in this case it is largely influenced by incomplete and/or inaccurate information as provided by so-called journalists. I myself know--in fact, have witnessed on these very same waters--acts which I would call false bravado perpetuated both by the sailor and the CG. As a 1st responder, the primary purpose, by definition is to respond to every distress. Let it be resolved in the aftermath.

The "jerk comment", which I agree with, is to point out that this thread has been so far heavily dominated by an attempt to ascertain whether this be a hoax or not. Now imagine if the CG or others were to sit at the dock until that time when they had made that determination in order to better articulate why they launched in response to a distress call. The time for dissent is later, not now.

And yes, unequivocally yes, we should be praying to God for the safe return of this family.

[DeepFrz]

Actually aircraft are fitted with an ELT, not an EPIRB, An ELT does not have a GPS signal but it is picked up by satellite

You are absolutely right. It's been a while...However, it serves basically the same purpose as an EPIRB.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Guy

I guess if I start sinking I will have to remember there will be a bunch of jerks thinking it's a hoax.

The only reason "jerks" would think the call could be a hoax is because sooo many JERKS pull these hoaxes to start with to the point where they are now common. Those caught doing so should be severely punished!

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by foggysail

The only reason "jerks" would think the call could be a hoax is because sooo many JERKS pull these hoaxes to start with to the point where they are now common. Those caught doing so should be severely punished!

I have never heard one. I did get false DSC alerts though.