Ethics of the Big Delivery Companies

[goboatingnow]

What I'd write about reliance would probably be libel, so I'll shut my mouth. Delivery skippers are under ferocious pressure to complete and reputations can be damaged by been seen to "bail" out even though it's the right thing. Couple that with often poorly equipped boats and out of season ocean crossings and you get a recipe for trouble.

Small boat deliveries are a muggs game ( I know) unless you can pick and choose carefully

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

What I'd write about reliance would probably be libel, so I'll shut my mouth. Delivery skippers are under ferocious pressure to complete and reputations can be damaged by been seen to "bail" out even though it's the right thing. Couple that with often poorly equipped boats and out of season ocean crossings and you get a recipe for trouble.

Small boat deliveries are a muggs game ( I know) unless you can pick and choose carefully

But great fun for us irriuts.................
that said... these days I sail to MY route and timing... even if some boats are still on the 'dodgey side'.. once bitten and all that..

[atoll]

who needs a working compass anyway!!!!!!

[Southern Star]

Jimbo, there are other cats that have, to use your term, 'flipped', but trying to remain within the parameters of this thread I specifically referred to "cats being delivered ...." My point was that this particular company has been found liable for pressuring their delivery crews into taking vessels, ill-equipped for offshore passages, into harms way. The results should not be surprising - and it is noteworthy that the court found liability against the company for its irresponsible behavior, rather than rendering an indictment against multihulls - which of course, is the aim of some members. My point was that I am not aware of other similar disasters during deliveries of catamarans since - even though the boats being delivered are still not equipped for offshore passages.

Yes, catamarans can 'flip'. Hardly news to anyone, although each incident (even the rehashing of old ones, such as these) always seems to bring out gleeful, or insulting comments from some of the monohull contingent. This thread was directed towards the 'ethics of the big delivery companies' - and that issue was a very live one in both of these unfortunate incidents. Its too bad that many members have once again chosen to deviate from that issue in order to turn this, once again, into an opportunity for cat bashing.

Brad

[Capt Phil]

bobconnie, I remember that storm well. While not doing a delivery, I was aboard the Scotch Fir, a 70 foot towboat bringing a black oil barge from Tofino/Uculet on Vancouver Islands west coast back to Burrard Inlet. We had plenty of warning and pulled into Sooke on the Straits of Juan de Fuca for several days until she blew out. I recall walking out to the point west of the harbor entrance and watching the sea put on quite a show... probably about 40 foot breakers. Biggest problem as I recall was the damage from downed trees cutting off road access. I think that across the Straits on the Olympic Peninsula there were hugh areas of timber blown down on the Crown Zellerbach lands. Mother nature was in an ugly mood that day! Capt Phil

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

bobconnie, I remember that storm well. While not doing a delivery, I was aboard the Scotch Fir, a 70 foot towboat bringing a black oil barge from Tofino/Uculet on Vancouver Islands west coast back to Burrard Inlet. We had plenty of warning and pulled into Sooke on the Straits of Juan de Fuca for several days until she blew out. I recall walking out to the point west of the harbor entrance and watching the sea put on quite a show... probably about 40 foot breakers. Biggest problem as I recall was the damage from downed trees cutting off road access. I think that across the Straits on the Olympic Peninsula there were hugh areas of timber blown down on the Crown Zellerbach lands. Mother nature was in an ugly mood that day! Capt Phil

looks like there are a few nasty storms heading that way at the moment according to gcaptain,time to batten down the hatches

[Triggerfish23]

Originally Posted by boatman61
Every delivery skipper is under pressure to 'Get There...'

Seems like speed and efficiency are always the demand and safety takes a back seat until someone gets hurt. This really holds true when the boat isn't equipped or ready to do so.

It's definitely nice when you get to the point in your career where you can pick and choose what jobs you take and which ones you pass on. You have to remember that it's your (and your crew's) life and career at stake.

Glad to hear that the folks out there that have had bad experiences made it through with minimal injury.