GL: Buddy boats

[Rich Gano]

Randy's cautions about open-water buddy boating are well considered.  From a
strictly personal point of view, I would never consider seeking a buddy boat
for open-ocean transit safety reasons because if the transit were so
daunting that I was concerned for safety reasons, I shouldn't be going in my
coastal trawler.  If approached by another (especially a stranger) to become
their buddy for an open-ocean trip, I'd have to place some restrictions on
the other vessel's expectations of me at a pre-sail conference during which
the definition of buddy boat would be hashed out.  My definition would be 1)
the boats travel within VHF range, 2) in the event of fire/flooding, the
buddy boat would standby and notify authorities, rescuing if possible, and
3) for a breakdown with no lives hanging in the balance, the buddy boat
would only be obligated to hang around (weather and my own vessel's safety
being considered) only until a tow could be arranged.

A companionship cruise across open waters with well-known friends in another
vessel would attach me in other more binding ways to the other vessel and
might complicate decisions in a crisis, but the right of self-preservation
in a dangerous sea has to be understood by all parties.  I imagine the
cross-ocean trawler rally organizers have worked out modus operandi for this
kind of thing.

In more confined waters of the inland cruising areas I, like most folks I
have known on the water, definitely enjoy cruising along with others and
have met some wonderful folks who we were with for only a day or so.  In
these safer waters, where I can readily be of service, I enjoy poking along
with vessels of similar speed and loose schedule.  As an example of a great
but short association, I remember finding ourselves running the same stretch
of water with another couple one day having a great radio conversation in
the middle of nowhere.  We anchored in a well-protected cove and had them
raft alongside for the night (something I will NOT do where protection is
not complete).  I worked on one of their balky radios, and they fed us
dinner.  Next day we cruised ahead of them while they used their AIS to warn
us of approaching tows.  We went our separate ways later on and never saw
them again.  I remember the completely unofficial association with pleasure,
and although nothing was ever agreed to or expected of each other, I would
have been in a position (in those calm and confined waters) to assist them
with towing or firefighting or whatever within our meager capabilities.

Rich Gano
CALYPSO (GB-42 #295)
Southport, FL