Numpties in the South China Sea

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The clue is in the surname?

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Exactly what I thought, Is it an abbreviation for St**id Pr**k, /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I have to say that I find this 'holier than thou attitude" expressed by forum members rather distasteful.

These guys, in an area none of us are likely to sail in, attempted something very adventurous for charity and were unlucky. One of them then decided there was an outside chance that they could salvage the boat, took a risk, and got it wrong. Then, here on the forum he suddenly becomes (by implication) a dickhead, a plonker and a stupid prick.

Given some of the risks taken by Moitessier and his ilk I believe that they too would be likely to become victims of the current H&S obsession which is infiltrating our pastime.

Frankly I would rather have a beer or two with this dickhead/plonker/stupid prick than any of the sanctimonious, H&S obsessed respondents to this posting.
 
Now, Morgana, you know I didn't say that. I didn't say I agree with his action in getting back his boat. That was his decision based on the facts he had at the time, including a seriously grim weather forecast. I just don't think that someone who had the balls to go for the charity row deserves nothing but derision.

Anyway, who would you rather have a beer with?
 
Well not this guy.... his first attempt was indeed admirable.... and hit with bad luck weather wise....

To go out again into the same weather was dumb at best and down right irresponsible in reality...

I don't think people were being sanctimonious at all... I think they were (quite rightly) stating that the guy was stupid beyond belief...... nowt to do with H&S... many of the respondents above would give H&S spin very short shrift.... but would equally, I suspect, exercise better judgment in not setting out with that forecast.
 
I wonder if the fact that it is "only" 600 miles and that they have crossed it (in an hour or two) by air many times that has lead them to think it wil be easy? The Atlantic is 3,000 and the Pacific is more, so it is clear you will be at risk for a long time. 600 miles is about a week at 3-4kts - say 2 weeks at rowing boat speeds.
 
The £64,000 question is would he have gone out to salvage the boat if an Invoice for the actual cost of the 1st rescue had landed through his letterbox.

May have focused his mind a little!

This and other posts on Liferafts all come down to a sensible risk assessment and the current trend is a decline in peoples ability to realistically view the risks combined with an attitude that if it all goes wrong there must be someone else that I can blame.

A lot of H & S is sensible but really just plain common sense and the more we legislate it appears the more people refuse to take responsibility for their own actions
 
Saying on their website that they were happy that conditions were "in their favour" (!!!!!!!) as most of the Philippine fishing boats were snugged up tight (and therefore unlikely to salvage their rowing boat) was what did it for me.

If fishermen are at home, you have no business going out rowing-boat hunting.

For goodness sakes, a typhoon was building. They KNEW it.

I've sailed between HK and the Philippines. Was a mixed bag over. Had downright scary conditions a couple of days later following the coast down from San Fernando to Manila.

My friend had his captain lost on the same trip two years earlier.

Not a matter for argument. Typhoons can be very weak sometimes, but they are not to be trivialised. These people were hugely reckless, very lucky, and I'm happy they are alive.
 
Some responsibility and therefore blame must rest with the skipper of the charter boat. Question is, was he being greedy, going out with a grim forcast, did he research the forcast, did he think he was invincible? He lost his boat for his effort.
 
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