Re: [Paddlewise] Coast Guard & Mayday (Distress) Calls

From: <Bluecanoe2_at_aol.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 00:48:22 EST
In a message dated 1/26/1999 10:21:00 PM EST, rcc7_at_ix.netcom.com writes:

<< FYI:
 > Tuesday January 26 9:10 PM ET 
 > 
 > Coast Guard Recommend Mayday Change
 > 
 > By BRUCE SMITH Associated Press Writer 
 > 
 > CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - Coast Guard investigators recommended Tuesday that
all mayday
 > calls be considered legitimate until thoroughly checked.
 > 
 > The recommendation follows a 1997 sinking of a sailboat that claimed four
lives. A radio distress
 > call from the stricken vessel and a subsequent report of voices in the
water did not prompt a Coast
 > Guard search.
 >  >>

Not a pleasing thought, but this pretty much sums up what I postedseveral
months ago when I said that if in a real emergency, you would be better off
radioing another boat than the Coast Guard.  They have the responsibility, but
are spread very thin, much more thin than the plethora of private and
commercial boats plying the near shore waters.

I hope this is a wake uop call for them.  To their credit, I have monitored
several vessel distress calls they have responded to admirably.  But in all
cases, it was a long time from "first call" until the CG "arival" on scene.

John 
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Received on Tue Jan 26 1999 - 21:49:21 PST

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