RE: [Paddlewise] Paid rescues?

> That said, however, **by far** more money is spent
rescuing power boaters than
>is spent rescuing paddlers.  In fact the Coast Guard has a
mandate to make the
>waters safe for commercial and other traffic on marine
waterways and navigable
>rivers.  AFAIK, those funds come from my Federal taxes, and
as a paddler, I
>betcha I have contributed a lotta bucks over the years.  I
figure I am "owed" a
>rescue -- which I never plan to need!  I see funding of
rescues in a different
>light than the funding for launch facilities, etc.

Dave,

Bit of a correction there ... the Coast Guard is actually
part of the U.S. Customs Service
(is/was), part oof the U.S. Treasury Department ... and as
such, their primary job is/was to stop smugglers.  Somewhere
down the line .. the duties of 'nav aid maintenance' and
'rescue operations' was added to their agenda.

Rescues, per sie, is the sworn duty of all professional
seaman and mariner worldwide ... in every maritime law book
in the world ... you are 'obliged' to do your best to assist
in any manner possible .... (by the way, this actually
applies to the 'weekend warriors' ... anyone that is in
'command' of a vessel of any type) ... BUT, in that also
comes the 'law of salvage' or 'salvage rights' ... we can
really get this 'thread going' if you understand what that
implies .... technivally, if I throw you a line ... and you
accept a tow .... I've got the right to 'claim salvage' on
your vessel ... the actual monetary award depends on just
how much I do and how much I have to go out of my way to
assist you.  And how much trouble you were really in ...

Those that have ever been saved in emergency situations or
assisted by the Coast Guard certainly appreciate their
efforts ... as a professionl master with over 37 years at
sea ... I have myself been assisted by the U.S. Coast Guard
in a very serious situation several times ... in areas where
I would have never expected them ... once off the southern
coast of Cuba where our tow was sinking, once earlier in my
career (I was a yacht captain then) when one of our
pasengers has a severe heart attack, and last year when I
myself had a stroke on board the vessel.

The U.S. Parks Service is another supposed to be 'federally
funded' operation ...

Laws are made, budgets planned, etc. by politicians ... and
there is a lot to say about some of the stupid decisions
they make ... in order to please the voters ...

Most countries do not have a separate Coast Guard ... these
services are performed by their Navy or the Military.

I presently (since retired) serve on some Coast Guard
committees ...

Regards,

Capt. Donald R. Reid - Master Oceans not more than 1,600
Tons

Representative - Merchant Vessel Personnel Advisory
Committee (MERPAC)
STCW work group (U.S. Coast Guard Advisory Panel), as a
representative
of licensed Masters above 500 Gross Tons.   Gulf Coast
Mariners
Association **.  Master Marine Surveyor - U.S. Surveyors
Association -
Professional Mariners Association ..








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