When to report a missing boat...?

[ausnp84]

So I got in touch with MRCC Falmouth who sent a very prompt email reply, asking for more info. Duly sent a reply back and will now leave it with them to do what they do best.

Thanks for your thoughts on this guys - update to follow..

n

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by ausnp84

Hey guys,

I've done a search for this and come up with nothing, but feel free to send me the thread if this has already been discussed.

We have a good friend who was single handing from Falmouth to La Coruna, departing 1st Nov and should have arrived three days ago. The weather hasn't been too bad in Biscay but there was some lumpy stuff moving through the area at the back end of last week. He advised the trip would take approx. 5 days (about 500 miles) and he'd contact us as soon as he arrived, so we knew he was in ok.

He's now 3 days overdue on a 5 day passage.... at what point should we be notifying someone, and who? He doesn't have an SSB or Satphone aboard so we can't contact him direct, and I'd hate to cause a panic if he's just simply taking his time through the lumpier stuff.

Thoughts?

n

If there is any question that a boat may be overdue or may have encountered trouble, call the coast guard.

They will broadcast for anyone seeing the missing vessel to call it in.

We had this happen once when the MIL misunderstood our planned arrival date. She got upset, called the coast guard, and we heard the call over the radio when we returned to the boat after a swim.

They did their job and put MIL's mind at ease. No muss, no fuss.

[ausnp84]

And an update:

====
Hello Nathan,

We have just recieved confirmation from Madrid that Grant S**** is safe and well, 35 miles North of La Coruna and expected into port this evening.

He experienced some bad weather and some problems with his vessel so has been delayed but is fine.

Kind regards,

Heidi Clevett
====

I can only praise the MRCC for their very professional service throughout.

n

[Neo]

Bravo!

[GordMay]

See the Instructions on Page 3 of the USCG Float Plan
➥ http://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/do...GFloatPlan.pdf

[tdoster]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

There's the crux of the issue -- let the professionals make the decisions, for they have the experience to do so, balancing the costs (fiscal and personnel) against the risk. Further, they have the advantage of emotional distance. It's not their friend, and they can make objective decisions regarding SAR.

I join in hoping that he is OK.

Jim

Here is an AMEN from the choir on that.

[Cheechako]

3 days on a 5 day voyage is overdue, but I don't know the area, could he have stopped elsewhere? We there arrangements for him to contact on arrival? If not, he may be there and just "hanging out" as sailors do

[barnakiel]

Glad they are fine!

They may have been involved in the same wx that capsized Hugo Boss.

b.

[JPA Cate]

Good to hear all's well, and it is what I would expect, because when you're out there, it is easy to slow down for any number of reasons--and no word of difficulties means that there are none.

People tend to get worried too soon. Remember all the hypothesizing when Boatie was doing slow days' runs, and most people thought something was terribly wrong, and all he was doing was stopping the boat at night to sleep?

It is best if the people on shore make the assumption that the skipper is okay, and would seek assistance if needed, imo. When you can't hang with that, then involve authorities, but be aware some of us would prefer you did not. It is really embarrassing to suddenly be the recipient of official concern. ymmv

Ann

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Good to hear all's well, and it is what I would expect, because when you're out there, it is easy to slow down for any number of reasons--and no word of difficulties means that there are none.

People tend to get worried too soon. Remember all the hypothesizing when Boatie was doing slow days' runs, and most people thought something was terribly wrong, and all he was doing was stopping the boat at night to sleep?

It is best if the people on shore make the assumption that the skipper is okay, and would seek assistance if needed, imo. When you can't hang with that, then involve authorities, but be aware some of us would prefer you did not. It is really embarrassing to suddenly be the recipient of official concern. ymmv

Ann

Up to a point and I think the OP picked that point about right.

For a planned 5 day passage, I would feel that once a solo sailor is more than a couple of days overdue it is time to at least warn the authorities of a potential problem.

[JPA Cate]

For a planned 5 day passage, I would feel that once a solo sailor is more than a couple of days overdue it is time to at least warn the authorities of a potential problem.
StuM is online now Report Post

No harm was done that we know of. But in this case, I disagree, Stu, because we know that there was a strong low in his way at the outset of his journey. In my thinking, I assume those 3 days represented very few miles made good or none. Then, I thought, if he persisted, breakage was a likely possibility, because that's when things break, when you're pushing the boat in strong weather. If you go back, to my original post, here, I wrote that he should be in later that day, or the next, and he was.

I am also sure that you are right insofar as the MRCCs would rather know sooner, rather than later, so as to manage their assets.

However, for this particular trip with this particular boat, given the initial strong depression, I felt that the skipper should be given more credit for being able to get his boat to harbor.