32 ft boat and 6 fishermen missing

[Hotrod]

Sounds like they had mechanical issues and were adrift. Chopper was staying on scene until a CG Cutter arrived. All aboard seem to be fine.

I'm thinking there will be some BIG lessons learned here...

[Capt. Carl]

like how the C.G. switched gears from 85 off Atlantic City to searching Martha's Vineyard?

[PeggyLee]

Awaiting the true story from the Capt and crew...
Thank God they are alive.

[IrishAyes]

CG up north heard a mayday call at 1 in the morning I believe it was. Don't know how they may have associated it with this vessel.

[bugmannj]

Prayers were answered.  Coast Guard

[BigAl13]

What we go through to catch fish wow. TG all aboard are fine

[Hotrod]

There are things here that have bothered me ALL DAY..

Epirb? Radio? back up radio.. Hand Held.. Float plan..

Guess I'll have to wait for the facts..

[Luna Sea 5]

good news

[Scott G.]

GREAT NEWS...THANK GOD...AND A SAFE RETURN..

[IrishAyes]

There are things here that have bothered me ALL DAY..

Epirb? Radio? back up radio.. Hand Held.. Float plan..

Guess I'll have to wait for the facts..

Ahhhhhhhhh, facts. I bet the media won't let facts get in the way of a good story. 

[SurfJockey]

Glad to see they found the crew safe!

[Andys Delight]

There are things here that have bothered me ALL DAY..

Epirb? Radio? back up radio.. Hand Held.. Float plan..

Guess I'll have to wait for the facts..

I didn't want to ask especially given that it looks like some people here might know at least one of the guys on the boat.  The reports said they had all of them onboard, I can't imagine why they weren't used.  I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt until we hear from those on the boat.

[Hotrod]

Those early reports were taken from the wrong Boats Web Site.  And they quoted " From the website it reads they have a life raft and an epirb"....etc.  But this was bad info.

I just know there will be lessons learned from this. and I'm sure the "WHAT IF" Policy wasn't thought out well enough for this crew.

and I think a lot of us don't use that "WHAT IF" Enough...

[Fishin Dude]

Glad everyone is alright. Anyone know if they caught any fish on the drift? <'((((><

[Hotrod]

 

[wb]

good ending, thankfully, but wtf either way:

perhaps they did not know how to test and/or operate the epirb? wtf, woulda saved a lot of time, money, and worry...
found this on a quick search- obviously even if not mandated these units must be regularly inspected and tested:
http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/EPIRB_inspecting.pdf

or perhaps they did not have an epirb? maybe go 15off w/no epirb but 50+? wtf were they thinking? Sounds like at least a few on board should have known what they were doing...

[WATSNEXT]

There are things here that have bothered me ALL DAY..

Epirb? Radio? back up radio.. Hand Held.. Float plan..

Guess I'll have to wait for the facts..

Epirb for sure would have worked if it was operational.

Hand held is useless beyond curvature of the earth ( 12 to 15 miles max )

As is the vhf . that far offshore you would need a really long extention pole for the antenna to carry a signal to land or another boat. But is better than handheld giving you a range of 50 to 85 miles.

Mind you VHF does not work Like AM (bouncing off of clouds and other antennas. VHF is direct antenna to antenna. the only thing you can do is increase the height of the antenna to get more signal distance

I'm kind of supprised most of you guys aren't familiar with the limitations of your equipment.

But I guess for our purpose and routine's the VHF is just fine cause we rarely stray beyond it's normal working distance.

Here we go.

This boat was at the limits of it's ability to communicate with any one. And the worse happened, they lost power and communications.
Then as if that was not bad enough, They were blown further out to sea far beyond ( some 50 miles) the working limits of there equipment
[/quote]

[Hotrod]

Still a hand held will help radio searchers..  even if it's only good for 5 miles or so.  passing airplanes and unseen boats may pick up a Mayday..

No Epirb..  

[WATSNEXT]

I agree 200%

I only posted the Radio information cause someone on Face Book sent me a message saying ,"Thats why I always take my cell phone with me on my boat"
But he never went further and lost sight of land and didn't know the phones don't work further out.
See , for his usefull need to communicate the phone is sufficient cause he never looses sight of land and a cell phone works just fine.
Point being if you don't have a need during normal conditions, no one ever thinks of the abnormal happening

[Hunter 2]

Boat U.S rents Epirbs for a very small fee. Just in case anybody needs to rent one for an offshore trip.  The price for similar devices are dropping every year. Good news that everyone is safe regardless of any equipment issues.