What would you do if you found a yacht adrift?

[sail sail]

Saw this and it got me thinking how I'd react. Might just call it in to the coastguard and stay well away.

 

[Poignard]

My first thought (after determining that it was abandoned) would be 'Can I make some money out of this by getting it into port and selling it?'

That would depend on the circumstances , eg

• Would it be worth the trouble of salving it?
• 
  
• Have I got spare crew to man it? Are they willing to do it?
• 
  
• With the resources I have, can it be made fit to make a port in safety?
• 
  
• What is the weather doing?
• 
  
• Where is the best port to send it to?

... and so on.

 

[LittleSister]

I would be extremely wary in much of the Med and many other places abroad, but generally I would want to board if possible without inordinate danger to myself or crew. I would want to notify the authorities in any case.

What looks like an abandoned yacht might have someone aboard in urgent need of e.g. medical attention. If there is a deceased person aboard, or it appears the skipper has been lost over the side, then their next of kin will want to know. If there are signs of foul play then the authorities will want to know.

There may be an opportunity for me to claim salvage. Whether I would want to avail myself of such an opportunity would depend on circumstances.

 

[johnalison]

Many years ago a club mate had a sailing holiday in the Med, I think with a charterer. They came upon a drifting boat and approached until within hailing distance, when someone appeared. I don’t remember the details but in essence there had been an altercation between the German skipper and his crew and one or other had tried to murder the other with a winch handle, resulting in a lot of blood, so my friend and his lot kept well away. I suspect that a near approach and taking plenty of time to assess the situation would be necessary. I think that I would only board if I thought it safe to do so, weather and circumstances permitting.

 

[Slowboat35]

I wonder who "the authorities" might be with regard to an abandoned boat in international waters. Who would be intrested?

 

[RivalRedwing]

If offshore, nobody onboard and unfeasible to tow it: then take pictures for a record and then safely scuttle it... its a navigation hazard at night.

 

[capnsensible]

On a transatlantic passage, we spotted a bright orange dinghy in the distance. I sent one of my crew up to the bow. An ex army bloke. I asked him to call back if there was a corpse in the boat as he had seen them before...... It was empty. So we recovered it, cleaned it and put it to use in the Windies.

Any yacht, I would certainly investigate, would feel duty bound to do so. But perhaps that's old fashioned now.,

 

[Davy_S]

The person who took the video should be told to use landscape mode, not portrait, i can never understand why people do it, they should be forced to stand their tv on its end.

 

[Stemar]

My safety and that of my crew comes first which, as that's likely to be Madame and me, both of a certain age, puts a significant limit on the possibilities. The nearer I am to the African coast in the Med, the more likely I'd be to just stand off and call for assistance.

That aside, if there's no response to a few toots on the foghorn, I'd try to board to have a look round. What I find would determine the next steps. Tow to a port? Mayday Relay? Apologise and back off, red faced?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

… use landscape mode, not portrait, i can never understand why people do it …

It works well on mobile phone screens when held normally, portrait mode, full screen. Now you know, no need to fret anymore. Curious, did you watch this on your television set?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

No idea what I would do beyond noting the event in my log book. It would depend on the circumstances. I would be wary of threats to my boat and crew.

 

[Roberto]

Most likely, the "CP 326" sprayed on deck is not CheckPoint326 as it says on the video but "Capitanerie di Porto 326", CPxyz are the identification numbers of Italian CG SAR units.

This dates from the following day, it indicates three rescue missions by the same CP326, sailboats (one 16m long, possibly not the one on the video), with a total of 55 migrants.
Terzo sbarco di migranti in 36 ore Crotone - Notizie - Ansa.it

 

[davidej]

That would be my guess - used by illegals. No proper skipper would allow a yacht to turn into a rubbish dump.

 

[Sea Change]

You'd think 'how hard can it be' to take an abandoned yacht in tow.

A few years back Matt Rutherford (famous for singlehandeding his Albin Vega around north and south America) encountered a drifting yacht in the Caribbean. It didn't go well. He tells the story very well on Andy Schell's podcast. I'll see if I can find a link.

 

[MisterBaxter]

The person who took the video should be told to use landscape mode, not portrait, i can never understand why people do it, they should be forced to stand their tv on its end.

People film with phones and watch on phones. Portrait is the best mode for that. Ideally square should be used for widespread consumption but certainly not landscape, which looks awful on a phone.

 

[fisherman]

One assumes there is an interested insurance co and the boat was nicked. They would treat for a deal if you get it in and save them from a likely total loss. In the UK of course you have to get it to the receiver of wreck. No idea how this goes elsewhere, but you would have a lien on it.

 

[RupertW]

The person who took the video should be told to use landscape mode, not portrait, i can never understand why people do it, they should be forced to stand their tv on its end.

I can understand why they do it now, though. Over the last couple of years on my iPhone almost every landscape mode video will no longer play landscape if you turn the phone and even if you full screen as well it’s just blank top, blank bottom and tiny landscape in the middle.

 

[Davy_S]

People film with phones and watch on phones. Portrait is the best mode for that. Ideally square should be used for widespread consumption but certainly not landscape, which looks awful on a phone.

No they don't! they film on phones hoping people will view it when posted, the tv news use them and we view them on a laptop, they look terrible with two thick Black stripes either side, it is sheer laziness and lack of knowledge.

 

[Davy_S]

I can understand why they do it now, though. Over the last couple of years on my iPhone almost every landscape mode video will no longer play landscape if you turn the phone and even if you full screen as well it’s just blank top, blank bottom and tiny landscape in the middle.

Seems strange, i use Android and my cheapo phone will video either way with no problems, i have no idea about iphones, i simply click the rotate screen on my pull down menu and it works..

 

[Biggles Wader]

I'd start to worry when I tried that locked door and the freaky music started!