Boat fire

[jim rosenthal]

I've owned four boats, the last being my Hatteras which I've had for 20 years. I've never had a fire, and I hope not to, but I did see some overheated and burned shore inlets on her when I was a live-aboard and used too much juice. I've learnt me lesson on that one.

I've had one collision, with my first big boat- a "licensed captain" was running it and hit a fuel dock in Palm Coast. I did go over an oyster bar up here years ago and damaged the wheels- my own damn fault, I was running too fast and in a hurry to get somewhere. Learnt me lesson that time, too. When I don't know where I am, I go as slow as I can. I don't want to arrive early to a grounding.

Like he said, anyone can get the license. It's what you do before and after you get it that really counts. I have a number of friends with extensive boating experience, who are not licensed captains. But I'd rather head offshore with them than just about anyone else I know- because they are experienced, they are careful, and they can fix things. A certificate doesn't save your life. Another person might.

I used to be a board examiner for our emergency medicine board. Another doc pointed out one time, when we were agonizing over the fact that we were about to fail fifty percent of the people taking the oral exam, that these folks were probably as well prepared as they were ever going to be in their lives up to that point. So- did we want to give them a Mulligan and hope they'd study when they got home after we passed them?

No- we did not.

 

[saltshaker]

As one that has experienced this unpleasantry, 88 miles offshore of Panama City, FL, enroute to Mobile, Al, I will tell you it a key reason I always advise boaters to NOT operated single-handed. Fighting a fire in the genny room, checking for adjacent damage in other areas, maintaining course, talking with the USCG every 15 minutes on the VHF as they requested, maintaining active watch, etc., simultaneously is pretty tough to do. Of course no one expects to have an on-board fire, neither did I - but xxxt happens. You cannot be over-prepared. I carry 17 hand held extinguishers - only required to carry 2, in addition to two built-in CO2 systems. Ha Ha, carry all of them you can because - 88 miles offshore YOU are the fire department!

This is one of the best post I've seen here in a long time. It's not a question of whether or not you can single hand your boat, it's more a question of should you. My family wanted to come with me when we brought the boat up from the west coast of Fl to NC. I said no for several reasons. This was a delivery and not a cruise. I wanted an experienced boater with me who not only could handle the boat but who could handle an emergency if one arose. The smartest thing I did was hire HOFer captddis. I did this because not only is Dave an experienced capt who has run several big Hatts along that route, but he is a skilled marine technician and a friend as well. I knew if we ran into problems we could deal with most of it ourselves and not get held up or worse get into a dangerous situation. I also had all my fire extinguishing equipment inspected and serviced. Purchased new flares and safety equipment. I purchased a lot of just in case tools and had the engines and generators serviced before we left. We had a great trip and never needed the tools or the safety equipment. If I were doing it again, I would do the same.

 

[34Hatt]

Like he said, anyone can get the license. It's what you do before and after you get it that really counts. I have a number of friends with extensive boating experience, who are not licensed captains. But I'd rather head offshore with them than just about anyone else I know- because they are experienced, they are careful, and they can fix things. A certificate doesn't save your life. Another person might.

I have said this more then once here, I too have friends I would go anywhere on a boat with and they don't have a license then I know some with a License that scare the hell out of me!
One of them got a license to prove to his wife he knows what he is doing

Now like what Jack did with taking Dave that is just golden its like a Two for one deal

 

[Boatsb]

I have said this more then once here, I too have friends I would go anywhere on a boat with and they don't have a license then I know some with a License that scare the hell out of me!
One of them got a license to prove to his wife he knows what he is doing

Now like what Jack did with taking Dave that is just golden its like a Two for one deal

Come on Dan.

There is no way that our government would allow incompetent or illiterate people with no real experience to get a license. The system is so well monitored that you have to account for every one of your 5 minutes of actual sea time.

 

[Avenger]

I used to be a board examiner for our emergency medicine board. Another doc pointed out one time, when we were agonizing over the fact that we were about to fail fifty percent of the people taking the oral exam, that these folks were probably as well prepared as they were ever going to be in their lives up to that point. So- did we want to give them a Mulligan and hope they'd study when they got home after we passed them?

No- we did not.

Reminds me of an old expression....

What do they call the guy who graduates at the bottom of his class in Med school?

Doctor.

The same can be said of Captains.

When I got a driver's license I had to take a road test. A fairly pitiful test of my driving skill, I'll admit. But a practical test nonetheless. Do Captains have to prove actual competence, or just knowledge of the rules of the road? The only thing that document really does is legally allow you to charge money to run a boat.

 

[Freeebird]

Reminds me of an old expression....

What do they call the guy who graduates at the bottom of his class in Med school?

Doctor.

The same can be said of Captains.

When I got a driver's license I had to take a road test. A fairly pitiful test of my driving skill, I'll admit. But a practical test nonetheless. Do Captains have to prove actual competence, or just knowledge of the rules of the road? The only thing that document really does is legally allow you to charge money to run a boat.

There is no "road test" for Captains which I personally find to be rather amusing. As I understand it, the powers that be consider actual testing of skill to be impractical. How hard could it be to have to show up someplace with a boat and prove you can operate it? I've watched charter boat "captains" who couldn't even back their boat into a slip. Documenting sea time is pretty much a joke too as it's on the honor system, especially if all the experience you list is on your own boat. Otherwise you do have to list the names and contact info for the owners of other boats you've operated.

As for getting a driver's license and taking a road test, I'll never forget the procedure for getting my license to drive an 18 wheeler. It consisted of taking the same written test I had taken 5 years earlier when I was 16. Then came the road test... which I took in my '72 Blazer. That "test" consisted of making a left turn out of the highway patrol parking lot, driving one block, turning around, and going back to the highway patrol parking lot. That has since changed, and it's no piece of cake getting a CDL regardless of how much experience you have.

I'm going to reserve comment on the single handing issue.

 

[Boatsb]

There is no "road test" for Captains which I personally find to be rather amusing. As I understand it, the powers that be consider actual testing of skill to be impractical. How hard could it be to have to show up someplace with a boat and prove you can operate it? I've watched charter boat "captains" who couldn't even back their boat into a slip. Documenting sea time is pretty much a joke too as it's on the honor system, especially if all the experience you list is on your own boat. Otherwise you do have to list the names and contact info for the owners of other boats you've operated.

As for getting a driver's license and taking a road test, I'll never forget the procedure for getting my license to drive an 18 wheeler. It consisted of taking the same written test I had taken 5 years earlier when I was 16. Then came the road test... which I took in my '72 Blazer. That "test" consisted of making a left turn out of the highway patrol parking lot, driving one block, turning around, and going back to the highway patrol parking lot. That has since changed, and it's no piece of cake getting a CDL regardless of how much experience you have.

I'm going to reserve comment on the single handing issue.

Docking is not a real test of a captains skills. I actually have taken a 3 month course in navigation and seamanship and learned more in the hands on part (4 months at sea on an 85 ton gaff rigged schooner) than expected. I not only learned the modern ways but celestial navigation. taffrail logs and dead reckoning from the most basics to planning a course and adjusting for weather and other conditions. I can guarantee I have been through worse weather than most anyone here when we hit 25+ foot seas. I also know we ran through some interestingly tight channels for a vessel with a 9+ foot draft and we did this with a compass, a sextant and a lead line more than once. We learned how to make do with what we had in a situation. We had actual "fire station assignments", Ran man overboard drills with a real person in the water ( in a PFD of course) and did first aid drills on what I though to be exaggerations of situations at the time. I think back at how much we learned by doing and not by reading and have to question how passing a written test can qualify someone for the responsibility of Captain.

 

[Freeebird]

I never said docking was a real test of skill. That being said, if an operator can't dock a boat, it would stand to reason that other skills are lacking as well. It really boils down to experience and wheel time. You either have it, or you don't. Passing a written test is something any 12 year old could do given the time to study. No need to ever set foot on a boat to pass the test.

 

[34Hatt]

I never said docking was a real test of skill. That being said, if an operator can't dock a boat, it would stand to reason that other skills are lacking as well. It really boils down to experience and wheel time. You either have it, or you don't. Passing a written test is something any 12 year old could do given the time to study. No need to ever set foot on a boat to pass the test.

Like one in my marina can't run his boat or dock it!

Yes he is Licensed Captain!


And it gets better then that!!!



He teaches the Captain course !

 

[Boatsb]

Like one in my marina can't run his boat or dock it!

Yes he is Licensed Captain!


And it gets better then that!!!



He teaches the Captain course !

Does he also teach Gym?

 

[Freeebird]

Like one in my marina can't run his boat or dock it!

Yes he is Licensed Captain!


And it gets better then that!!!



He teaches the Captain course !

Brings whole new meaning the the old "do as I say, not as I do" thing huh?

 

[BUSTER]

Like one in my marina can't run his boat or dock it!

Yes he is Licensed Captain!


And it gets better then that!!!



He teaches the Captain course !

Some guys just don't get boat handling around a dock.I can think of three situations like that that are perfect examples. One is a friend who is an expert heavy equipment operator who could trim your toenails with an excavator bucket like the machine is an extension of his hand yet he absolutely has no clue when it comes to bringing his own boat to the dock. The other two are a retired US Navy high speed destroyer Captain and a lifetime,still employed and very respected New York Harbor tug boat Captain.Same thing,neither one can get their pleasure boats to the dock and are as bad at it as the worst Bay/Ray weekender.

On the other hand I have known a licensed Captain who is a broker all my life who is a superb boat handler,but hasn't a clue about navigation,weather or even how to properly set an anchor...A Captain? It takes all kinds.