A Rant . . . OK, a Moan

[Jim Cate]

G'Day Fishwife and all,

An interesting and terrifying story for sure! I've often told folks who worry about pirates, storms at sea, etc, that the two most dangerous things one can do on a yacht are to take on unknown crew, and to sign on with an unknown skipper.

I too think that you handled it with compassion and patience... perhaps too much... but I can appreciate how difficult it would be to carry out the eviction!. I don't know about the venues you sail in, but in many places the ship (I think that is you in this case) is responsible for repatriation of any crew that is discharged in a foreign port. Is this why you did the "ticket home" thing?

For various reasons Ann and I have never taken on crew -- your story reminds us of why! Thanks for sharing this unpleasant episode with us all.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Manly, Qld, Oz

[zeehag]

this is excellent reason for turning back and not starting with that person on board, friend be damned.

my boat is my home-i have to make sure i am not fouling up when i have crew come into my home. i cannot afford to lose my home. besides, the kat likes it.

[fishwife]

Originally Posted by AquatiCat

Snip...You have a camera recording everything in your engine room? Ooh, that is so cool!
~ACat

When I bought this boat it came with more cameras than I can shake a stick at. We only ever use the two in the engine room to monitor things whilst we are underway between the hourly checks but I tend to only look at them every 15 minutes or so. There's a forward looking, first generation FLIR camera as well, a more useless piece of junk I've yet to find. The previous owner must have had a fixation or something, there was even one in the saloon. I felt uncomfortable enough about that to remove it at the first opportunity.

P.

[Bash]

I have four rules for selecting crew:

1. No druggies.
2. No druggies.
3. No druggies.
4. No druggies.

[fishwife]

Me too Bash and before we left the UK I specifically asked her if she used cannabis or any other drug. I hate drugs with a passion, many years ago a favorite cousin died from an overdose of heroin and over the years I've seen other lives destroyed in the same way. We don't even have a single alcoholic drink when we are at sea. That's not to say we don't splice the main brace when we are safely tucked up in a marina.

p.

[ambloplites]

Hi - I'm new to the forums, just registered today - and this was the first post I've read. Wow ... quite a story! Amazing that you and your vessel were not harmed more.

I think I read a few posts back about an idea to chat with the mods about setting up a "blacklist", and the potential legal difficulties that might ensue. Perhaps it would be more helpful to post a "goldlist" of crew that actually come highly recommended from the community? Just a thought, and maybe that already exists?

[Adax]

I was reading this from the new posts search and while reading I thought I better check the section in case I had wandered into the jokes section. Unbelievable that madam ! Glad you are okay and on your way back to Blighty. Well deserved that drink when you get there. And don't beat yourself up . You did all that was required and with the recommendation from that "friend" you had no reason to distrust too much.

[Adelie]

I would drop a dime to her local constabulary.

Also, it seems to me the acquaintance is fairly responsible here.

If he was involved with her he was probably toking too. Between that and the infidelities you've got him over a barrel so hit him up for the cost of some of the damages.

It's true, I can be very Machiavelian.

On the other hand I am very impressed that you paid her way home.

I guess I am just Machiavelian-lite.

[Tempest245]

Did I read that right?... a perfect stranger... threw up on your instruments, turned your fuel supply off, Slept on watch, crashed your computer, set fire to your boat..left drugs on your boat and called customs on you.......and you gave her money and a plane ticket?

Captain...what were you thinking?

She should be "Sleeping with the Fishes"

[Ahnlaashock]

I hope your boat is not damaged too badly.
From your description, I would assume she was using other drugs on the trip when she was going to sleep and telling you she did not feel well.

[AquatiCat]

Originally Posted by fishwife

When I bought this boat it came with more cameras than I can shake a stick at. We only ever use the two in the engine room to monitor things whilst we are underway between the hourly checks but I tend to only look at them every 15 minutes or so. There's a forward looking, first generation FLIR camera as well, a more useless piece of junk I've yet to find. The previous owner must have had a fixation or something, there was even one in the saloon. I felt uncomfortable enough about that to remove it at the first opportunity.

P.

That saloon installation would bother me as well, but what a wonderful secure feeling, being able to check on things a bit in the engine room, from the cockpit! Let's see, maybe the FLIR cam was intended only to register something catching on fire? :-) May it remain unneeded forever! BTW, you sound like a happy, high-tech group, out there -- homeward bound, having survived Scylla, or was she Charybdis, you have both cruising stories and awesomely bad crew behavior stories to while away the cockpit visits. Silver lining, I guess, as you did survive her!

Sweet and gentle seas for your journey,

~ACat

[anjou]

Originally Posted by Intentional Drifter

In all seriousness to the Mod crew, the suggestion about some sort of crew vetting service/area is a very good one. It could be done in such a way that the database is not publicly available/accessible to the net at large, but a CF member who wants to check out someone could PM a mod who could then run the check and PM back to the requestor. This could be done for both positive and negative recommendations.

Sure it would be some trouble, but could be of major benefit, both for securing trusted crew and avoiding the big problems.
ID

Ive been thinking more about this. A persons reputation and integrity are, for me, two of the most important things. We cant always have the luxury of getting to know someone for years before we decide if they can be trusted. In the global village, we are constantly meeting strangers and wont ever know them completely. This goes for dating, cruising, business etc.
Untill now, vetting has been confined to top jobs and child care but in cases like this its not hard to see the risks and the need to reduce them.

So, in order to circumvent the data obligations, rather than have a black list of known trouble makers, why not have a place where applicants give permission to be approved and then offer their name forward for anyone with an objection to voice it. The trouble makers will be known to other individuals and therefore individuals hold the data, not CF, so no rules broken

Does and man (or woman) here present know any reason why this person shouldnt put to sea? Speak now or forever hold your peace.

Yeah it does sound like a wedding vow but at least it throws it open to a potential 32,000 other like minded sailors with a shared consensus.

Just a thought.

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by anjou

....rather than have a black list of known trouble makers, why not have a place where applicants give permission to be approved and then offer their name forward for anyone with an objection to voice it. ....

That is a much better idea than a black list. Running a black list would just get CF into trouble with somebody. After all, going round passing rumours about someone's good standing is grounds for a slander lawsuit (or libel if written). Unless the CF mods have definite, documented proof of "unsuitability" (and who decides what that is?) then anything they pass on is rumour or hearsay and neither will protect you if the law descends on you.

A "gold list" is a much better idea.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Putting folk on a list.........

..........anyone want to start a new thread? before I (later - no time at the mo ) derail this one

[s/v Beth]

Our messages, however important we think they are right now- are rather fleeting. What if someone (or someone on each continent) Made up a list on their computer-maybe watching more than just this forum- of excellent sailors that often crew. They could then ask the person, after two or three good recommendations, if they wanted to be on the gold list ( or whatever you wanted to call it).
This could either be a free service, or a service that would cost a minimal (say five dollars) fee every time a captain accessed it. Or it could go with subscriber fees.
Sounds like a pretty good Internet service to me. I would pay to get a crew that is experienced and recommended.