Skipper!!!! Gilligan!!!!! Man overboard!!!!!!

[CatWoman]

Men Saved After 8 Days Adrift

(AP) When their vessel began to take on water, the five sailors issued a series of distress calls, fired flares into the air and burned tires on deck to attract attention.

When nobody came, they even set fire to their craft, the 60-foot ketch Inis Mil. But still nobody came, and they were forced to take refuge in an inflatable life raft.

On Wednesday, eight days later, the life raft finally drifted into an area with cell phone reception off the southwest English coast, and the group — two Britons, an Australian, a German and a Frenchwoman — was able to call coast guards, who sent a helicopter to airlift them to a hospital.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/15/world/main643730.shtml

[underpants]

1. Okay I'm not really a sailor but DON'T BURN THE BOAT!

I'm pretty sure that is a standard rule.

[LisaLynne]

6. Non-sailor me ...

... would have to agree. Burning the boat can't be your best option ...

[2Design]

2. cell phone didn't need charging ?????

[Maine-i-acs]

3. Add to my marine survival kit: One Frenchwoman (nt)

[One_Life_To_Give]

4. No EPIRB?

A 60 ft Ketch and no EPIRB on board. Probably no SSB (longer range) radio either. They got lucky.

[underpants]

5. God I am glad SOMEONE finally mentioned that

In English please?

[One_Life_To_Give]

7. Re: In English Please

Epirb - Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
Several variants available on the world market. The 406MHz ones, available in US (Boat US, Westmarine etc. ) retail for about $1000. Are detected by satelite anywhere in the world. Will fix your position to within a few miles or less, with GPS to a few feet. Monitored by the rescue services of the SOLAS (Safety of Lives at Sea) conventions which cover the safety of mariners on the high seas.

SSB - Single SideBand Radio
The Marine Single Sideband Radio is a 150W transciever, good for 100 miles during the day and 1000 miles at night. Used by many sailors traveling between the Eastern US and Canada and the Islands of Bermuda nad the Bahamas for routine comunication with shore operators.

FYI
VHF Marine - A FM Radio transceiver system used for short range, less than 25 miles (some units will have trouble at more than 5 miles)

Cell Phones for Maritime Distress - Range and Coverage depend upon service provider. Require operator to know where they are as many agencies cannot readily direction find the transmission.

[underpants]

8. Thanks

that is what I figured.

One of best friends lived on the water and the whole family sailed extensively. We went sailing several times but only in and around the rivers of the Va. Peninsula, never lost sight of land. With THAT crew onboard I wouldn't have either.

:beer: