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limagnoliayesterday at 3:04 PM4 repliesview on HN

Reading the facts of this incident, it seems like much to do about nothing. The crew are saying that the request came in on a frequency they weren't monitoring (and apparently were not required to monitor.) The Coast Guard determined it was not an emergency. The criticism lies with those who failed to properly fuel their boat, not the crew who didn't respond to a request that came over a frequency they were not on. They can't monitor every frequency. I am open to new facts being discovered that changes this assessment.


Replies

sailingparrotyesterday at 11:18 PM

> The crew are saying that the request came in on a frequency they weren't monitoring

There is only one channel you are supposed to monitor, it’s 16. That’s also where the coast guards make all their announcement/requests for help and whatnot. The reason there is a single channel to monitor is precisely to avoid the situation of different vessels being on standby on different frequencies and thus being unable to hear each others.

So that means they weren’t monitoring 16. Which is unacceptable.

I know I need to have 16 on at all times, and i am not a professional super yacht captain.

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detourdogyesterday at 3:11 PM

Where did you find these facts you read. In the USA a good Captain monitors VHF channel 16. This channel is used for establishing communication. To not monitor this channel is a dereliction of duty.

I really doubt the USCG labeled a disabled vessel as a non-emergency. An immediate threat to life may not have existed but that is the difference between a pan pan and a mayday call.

A disabled vessel close to land can easily wind up on the rocks and sinking.

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gorgoileryesterday at 10:22 PM

When I finally buy myself a $300m yacht you can bet it will have a full spectrum software radio that captures and transcribes all calls on all frequencies, not just the one I happen to be tuned to right now.

xXSLAYERXxyesterday at 10:09 PM

Click through rate is what drives the headline.