Mutany at Sea

[Bait O' Eggs]

Anybody ever been on a boat where the captain and crew had different opinions on what should be done to survive??

I have heard a story from an ifish member who was on board a boat as a passenger and the seas got bad, the fog rolled in, they decided to head in and the captain mid trip decided the compass quit working and was running 180 degrees off what it said to do, and was headed West (thinking he was headed East) to find land from Astoria. The ocean was getting worse and survival became a serious concern.

After a heated dispute that turned into this guy taking the key from the ignition and putting it in his pocket and stating he would have to be beaten unconcious before he would give the key back so they could continue on their current heading. :shocked: :shocked: After a calming down period and some joint decesions agreeing they were in trouble and they needed to work together it turns out this guy was right and they ended up watching the depthfinder and the depth was increasing on there west heading and they headed the other way and found land and got back in harbor.

I can see people who dont normally go to sea, end up in a bad situation and tempers rising in a hurry when they think they are doing the wrong thing to get home safely.


PS - Dont worry Ray, I wont take the over the wheel unless you are unable. :tongue: Though I cant guarantee something loose wont shift in the cabin, smacking you in the back of the head when your back is turned rendering you unable to captain (just kidding Ray)

Is the captain always right no matter what or does a good crew step in and take over if needed?

[corrirod]

That's why I carry a gun! :shocked:

Hehehehe......just kidding, just kidding! :tongue:

No firearms allowed on my boat!

[OceanBlue]

Crew needs to speak up and be a voice of reason sometimes.

Here's the key, though... a mind is like a parachute, it only works when it is open.

[Miss B Haven]

Remember the 2 rules on my boat:

1) You do anything the Captain says. :depressed:
2) Meet Toni- she's the Captain.


I think it depends on the particular situation. Experiance and confidence and numbers (as in- how outnumbered are you or the skipper)!

PS- The real answer to your question is NO. I have never gotten myself or anyone else in a situation where survival was in question. Not planning on it soon either.

[ 05-06-2003, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: Miss B Haven ]

[Pilar]

Wow! Everyone is in the worry mode today. If you mutiny on my boat be prepared to do some killing. Note: pack a lunch as I will require a great deal of killing.

Not funny when your captain is confused. Bad Star Trek reruns come to mind. As a passenger it is totally OK to ask questions and even to question decisions if you feel really threatened. Some of my friends do this and I bless them for it. After some reassurance they are usually ok.

But seriously now, there is more to being the skippy than making the decisions.

There is that whole liability thing. When I offer you a seat on my boat here is what I am telling you. And BTW there is a very long history of sea lore, court cases and law written to support this.

I am taking responsibility for your life. I am personally taking that on. When (if) the turds descend into the rotating blades and people die or suffer... the man who was driving the boat is held to that responsibility, legally and civilly. If you don't understand that relationship between the riders and the driver then think about it until you do.

As a rider your responsibility is to bestow that huge amount of trust on the right guy.

IMHO, if you ever feel like cold cocking the driver and taking all that responsibility on yourself then you probably did not do your job as a rider. It is not something to joke about.

BOE, was that incident the same one I witnessed off CR with he who shall remain nameless? [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] The guy who decided to make the CR bar his first ocean trip with a passenger who had never been in a small boat on the ocean before? [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] The same guy who drove up to me and began duking it out with his passenger and asking me which direction to get back to land between swinging and dodging blows? [img]graemlins/icon_argue.gif[/img] :shocked:

[ 05-07-2003, 10:42 AM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

[Miss B Haven]

I'm dyin' :grin: This - ye who shall remain nameless stuff is killin' me- second time today. :grin:
I gotta go read Lord of the rings again!

[Bait O' Eggs]

John I doubt you witnessed this as it was quite some time ago and this guy rarely goes to sea anymore.

I posted this partially in jest with halibut season upon us, and curious if anybody has ever been in a bad situation that took drastic measures to correct.

I wont get on a boat without feeling confident in who I am fishing with and the equipment. Even if I was confident in the crew and equipment, if the ocean didnt look good to me, and the rest of the crew thought it looked good, I would pay for my portion of gas and not get on board and let the rest of the crew go after fish without me.

I have been on several trips where we all didnt agree with what out best chances of catching fish were. It is usually so agreeable by all to fish my method (maybe backtrolling) for a while and their method (maybe anchor fishing) for a while and we all are happy.

It takes a very rare case before people 2 personalities clash to the point of violence.

[Mr. Fisherman]

If you mutiny on my boat be prepared to do some killing. Note: pack a lunch as I will require a great deal of killing.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Yea, that about sums it up.
I make no bones about my short time on the big pond but anybody who knows me understands that I am cautious. I have called trips before and I will do it again if the conditions are beyond my likings.
I am open to sugestions and comments but on my boat the ultimate decision is mine. I had a sign on my old boat that summed it up, "The Captains word is Law."
If you don't have faith in me and my ability to make the right decision when the poo hits the screw then you are on the wrong boat, help yourself to the nearest exit.
Maybe you will have an assist.

All kidding aside, the ocean is a dangerous place and you need to have confidence in yourself, your vessel and your crew.
Your captain knows his boat better than anybody, or should, and before you go second guessing him you better be durn sure about how you came to the conclusion. IMHO.

Roy, I sure am looking forward to having you on my boat. Guess how many buckets I'm gonna bring.

[ 05-06-2003, 02:57 PM: Message edited by: Mr. Fisherman ]

[Capin' Dan]

Yes, I can say that I have comitted that offense once. It was at bouy 10 a few years back. The skipper of the boat was working on his second bottle of vodka. It had been a terrible morning but I had put up with him. Finally the weather was really getting rough. People were fleeing the front lines of bouy 10 as it was really blowing and rough. That is when the skipper decided he would go out now that the crowds had cleared. Well I said no way you take me back to shore. His reply was nope we are going out. That is when I physically removed him from the captains chair and took the helm and headed for the launch. The skipper then made his second and largest mistake of the day. He slapped me, Yes slapped not punch like you would a man but slapped. that has to be lowest thing that one man could do to another I think. I went a little biserk for a few seconds as I was really laying into him. Then he grabbed is filet knife about the time I got is forearm in my hands. That is when I decided that he needed to be cooled in the nice cool seawater of the columbia. No not all of him just his head and about half of him I kept bringing him up and telling him to let go of the knife. Finally he let go and I brought him back to his boat and he just sat there until I got back to shore I just beached his boat and jumped from the bow and then called my wife to come get me. alcohol and idioits don't mix.

[Albacore Tuna Captain]

Capn' Dan, why did you get on the boat with that guy? Probably the same reason many who find themselves in a bad situation and only then learning what the captains capabilities are.

Under Maritime law, the captain is the king of the roost......as long as he maintains his mental capabilities. Mutany is the "Unlawful taking of a vessel by its crew." When a captain shows a lack of experience, knowledge or plain common sense to the point of endangering the crew, the crew can legally take control. However, the crew now is placed in the position of having to prove their point.

In the circumstances where a captain is confused, not believing in his compass and heading off shore into trouble, the crew that was able to reason it out was in the right to take control.

But remember, you must be able to justify your actions. ON a U.S. Documented vessel being captained by a licensed Master, you better be certain of your actions if you want to take control because if you were wrong, the consequences for you are pretty stiff! And I don't mean just in the money. You could be looking at some chill time. :shocked:

[Bait O' Eggs]

Yes, I can say that I have comitted that offense once

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Dan - In your case I am not sure I would call it an offense. Interesting story, and I am glad you told it. I knew there would be a story or 2 out there where things went South in cramped quarters on the water.

Not sure I would have been so nice when somebody tried to pull a knife. His ride might have been back to shore on a rope while in the water, via the scenic route

[DriftR]

First,
Know your Captain and his history.
Second,
Ask questions and be alert, Always.
Three,
Do some homework. Study up on how to operate a VHF radio, how to read a fishfinder, depth finder. You should know where all the safety equipment is located. How to deploy a drogue, tie some marine knots, know the tides in your area, know how to check weather reports in your area, know how to send a MAYDAY, Know your approximate position.
Four,
FLOAT PLAN,
Was it filed?
When the situation arises when the Captain is having problems, HELP THE GUY OUT. GIVE ASSISTANCE. WORK TOGETHER. SURVIVE THE DAY!!!!
Have enough personal abilities to offer help and aid when the situation warrants it.
JUST REMAIN CALM,COOPERATE AND THINK.

[blast and cast]

I had the pleasure of spending 20 days on an ocean going tug traveling up and down the Hawaiian Island chain last year. The captain had over 35 years of experience and was a excellent pilot. During one of our stops at one of the island, we blew off anchor and were stuck in the sand for a few hours. The captain and the crew did a great job of getting the boat off. During the beaching ordeal, one not to be named client on the boat was bad mouthing the captain and his actions ranting and raving "we should do this, or we should do that, and that is not how I would do it, etc." Once the boat was free, the captain informed this person (in no uncertain terms and not to nicely) that they could NOT enter any other portion of the vessel but the galley and their sleeping quarters the rest of the trip. The captain told this person that what the captain says on the boat was "law" and do not userp his authority.