Cost of a rescue in your country

[Fanie]

How much does it cost you to get saved off a boat if you get into trouble in your country ?

[apex1]

Nothing...............
No matter which sort of equipment is involded (Heli, Patrol Planes, SAR boat), the German DGzRS does not charge their service. But maybe they inform you that they are financed completely by donations! If you have some $ :
http://www.dgzrs.de/index.php?id=265
and one for whoosh
http://www.dgzrs.de/index.php?id=321
Stability!
http://www.dgzrs.de/index.php?id=407
Regards
Richard

[Fanie]

Germany to NZ... how about everyone in between ? Seems no one wants to admit they got into trouble :D Use 3rd party like you know of someone... :rolleyes:

Interesting that the resque guys are all volunteers and rely on donations. It is the same here, a free service and they will probably charge you for ie fuel expenses.

One should think the gov / navy / air force should be involved directly in peace times.


So much for caring about their citizens

[CDK]

Here in Croatia there is a private rescue/towing service.
They charge a minimum of approx. $ 400 for a small rescue operation, like towing your boat to a nearby harbor. There are additional charges for night hours and the distances to be covered.
There is also a free governmental service, but their response time is not what you hope for if you are in real trouble.

[TeddyDiver]

Here the main principle is life saving being free but towing etc is charged. Volunteer services thou don't generally charge of "small" towing (i they even do that) but their main interest are the passangers..

[Guest62110524]

whe ISA Autissier went over in the Southern Ocean the Au navy mounted a rescue op that cost 100,s 000,s it was good training and did no end of good for Fr Au relations
When I got into strife, it was cos i was stressed from the build, I overlooked tightening one swage fitting
Of course, one can sit home and knit?

[apex1]

One should think the gov / navy / air force should be involved directly in peace times.
So much for caring about their citizens
They care here...
In Germany the navy (SAR Helicopters) and Army (long range naval patrol planes) and the Coast Guard (multi purpose salvage tugs) are massively involved. But the coordination is in the hands of the private association DGzRS. And they even assist you, if just your outboard fails, 700mtr from shore in nice weather. Although, if its just stupidity that was causing your trouble, they ask you straight forward how much you believe it´s worth to lengthen your bootless life.
The crew on the larger units (20 mtr upwards) are employed. Only the smaller boats are manned by volunteers (only skilled commercial marine personal). The biggest boats are usually given by our leaders of the industry and bear their names.
Regards
Richard

[masalai]

Still free in the Australian region as most coastal services are volunteer - and function as part of the State Emergency Service network....

[MikeJohns]

In Tasmania it's completley free. Police have the larger vessels and will tow back to port or even put your boat back on its mooring for free if it broke loose.

We aslo have the volunteer coastguard for smaller vessel assistance inshore that is free.

In the states east coast I noticed people subscribe to towing and assistance services similar to automotive societies on land. They seemed to do a roaring trade.

In the Carribbean distressed vessels can get charged a small fortune. When my 57 foot boat was distressed with steering failure the towing service initially wanted $20000 USD for the small tug to tow the boat 20Nm to the nearest haulout.

[Boston]

as a kid I got blown across buzzards bay from Fairhaven to Rode Island in a sunfish
got a radio after that one

( don't laugh it was a really strong squall and I had no way to reef my sail other than to just take it down, that or let it luff till it shredded )

old pops had to come get my sorry ass and he was none to happy about it
cost me a good solid thrashing

[Fanie]

cost me a good solid thrashing
He he... the ones I got didn't help much :D But I did learn early in life to find solutions for the troubles I get myself in ;)

[safewalrus]

British Military help anybody - even terrorists The RNLI mostly is crewed by volunteers who can claim salvage rights but the saving of life is of course free................and obligatory upon anyone who goes to sea! I's a legal right people, if somebody is in difficulties YOU MUST save his life (sensible really) even in wartime most navies after the battle save the people in the water no matter which side they fought on during the battle! OK you may end up in a prison camp but your alive. Saving of property is of course different.........but most military don't charge if they can avoid it (of course if they are off somewhere to blow the **** out of somebody they might just sink your boat and take you with them..............you ain't got no choice on that one)

[Boston]

dont they typically scuttle whats left of your boat after a rescue
as a hazard to shipping
and so generally forgo salvage operations

[marshmat]

I've never heard of the Canadian Coast Guard charging money for a rescue, no matter how many planes and choppers are involved. Likewise for the volunteer Coast Guard Auxiliary.

If a "Mayday" comes over the radio, though, generally everybody in range will aim for those co-ordinates, gun the throttle, and do what they can to help out. Often the Coasties aren't in range and will relay the call, asking the first boat there to bring the survivors to such-and-such port where an ambulance will be waiting. It's just part of what boaters do.

The majority of simple towing situations around here are taken care of by whatever other boats happen to be nearby. (In my cruising grounds, that's often the marine unit of the municipal police.) Unless it's the cops who pick you up, it's customary to use your own lines when being towed (to save wear on your rescuer's gear) and to buy them a drink when you get back, as well as contributing to the fuel costs if you pulled them way off their planned course. I'm sure we have commercial towing services, but I don't see them around much.

The issue of salvage rights in Canadian waters seems to be mainly the domain of the insurance companies.....

[RockLaker]

I've never heard of the Canadian Coast Guard charging money for a rescue, no matter how many planes and choppers are involved. Likewise for the volunteer Coast Guard Auxiliary.

If a "Mayday" comes over the radio, though, generally everybody in range will aim for those co-ordinates, gun the throttle, and do what they can to help out. It's just part of what boaters do.

The majority of simple towing situations around here are taken care of by whatever other boats happen to be nearby. (In my cruising grounds, that's often the marine unit of the municipal police.) Unless it's the cops who pick you up, it's customary to use your own lines when being towed (to save wear on your rescuer's gear) and to buy them a drink when you get back, as well as contributing to the fuel costs if you pulled them way off their planned course. I'm sure we have commercial towing services, but I don't see them around much.

The issue of salvage rights in Canadian waters seems to be mainly the domain of the insurance companies.....





^ Very well said. I've been on both ends of the tow line several times. Pretty well everyone is willing to help anyone out, especially on the water.






RL.

[Boston]

the part about hitting the pub was good to
very civilized

[Ike]

In the US you have a mixed situation. If you are not in imminent danger (ran out of gas, engine quit, that sort of thing) the US Coast Guard will send a towing company of your choice, like Seatow or TowboatUS, or such. They are private companies and charge you for the tow. If you have insurance some of the insurance companies include this in your policy so it costs whatever your premiums are. If you don't have insurance you should agree on a cost before they ever put a line on you.

If you are in imminent danger then the Coast Guard will rescue you or if a commercial or naval vessel or Coast Guard Auxiliary is closest, someone will be sent to rescue you. You do not get directly charged for this service. BUT it ain't free. It costs the US taxpayer thousands of dollars just to launch a helicopter, a plane or boat, even more if one of the big cutters is involved. I would hate to see the cost of the recent search and rescue operation for the football players off of Florida. (I am not saying it isn't worth it though. I put 34 years of my life with the US Coast Guard)

So although the cost of saving you may be free up front, it isn't cheap. Here's an article that gives some of the current figures. http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/coastguard/a/searchrescue.htm Even though this article is about hoax distress calls it gives a good sense of the cost.

As you can see it is over $4000 US dollars per hour to operate a plane or helicopter. About $1500 and hour for a ship, $300 to $400 per horu for a small boat. (by the way, just from my own experience, I think those figures do no include personnel costs, only the direct costs to operate the plane or boat.)


oh I might add this. The US Coast Guard is prohibited by law from charging for search and rescue. "Title 46 US Code, sec. 2110) (5) The Secretary may not collect a fee or charge under this subsection for any search or rescue service." Here's the link to the full section of the US Code http://vlex.com/vid/sec-fees-22512074 The secretary they are referring to is the Secretary of the Department under which the US Coast Guard is operating, right now the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. In reality the authority is delegated by the Secretary to the Commandant of the US Coast Guard.

This section does not apply to hoax distress calls which are a violation of Federal (and some states) law and can net you a fine and the charges for their services.