French America's Cup boat "arrested"/saved??? (law of sea)

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by Squidly-Diddly, Oct 11, 2012.

  1. Squidly-Diddly
    Joined: Sep 2007
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    It supposedly slipped it's moorings and drifted off, then a PIER EMPLOYEE rescued it with his own boat and wants money, $200,000 to be exact.

    http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...ench-americas-cup-boat-seeks-huge-cash-award/

    Sounds like a Boss Hogg shake down in Hazard County.

    1)I can't believe they don't got 24 hour security, and lights, etc.

    2)Hard to believe of all the boats on the bay, THAT one slips moorings(although maybe it was like one of those 'race bikes' without kickstand).

    3)Does this "Law of the Sea" apply in cases where SOMEONE:rolleyes: seems to have maybe done something to allow a boat to drift off, then ANOTHER person;) shows up to rescue it and demand reward or "savage rights". Maybe having the event in Frisco not such a good idea after all, given our reputation for "aggressive pan-handling".
     
  2. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    One of the oldest tricks in the book.

    One good reason for always raising the dinghy at night on its davits or halyard.

    If not you get a fisherman towing your dinghy back to you supposedly done you a favour retrieving it from 10 miles out at sea.
     
  3. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    If someone lets a boat loose and then tries to collect salvage, he is breaking several laws. It isn't different from any other kind of fraud.
     
  4. bntii
    Joined: Jun 2006
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    bntii Senior Member

    Fairly underhanded to try and exact such a reward for a couple of hours work.
    Asking for reward for simple aid smacks of opportunism & paints a picture of a person who hasn't the wherewithal to support himself through honest labor.
     
  5. WestVanHan
    Joined: Aug 2009
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    WestVanHan Not a Senior Member

    You never know what may develop-ten years ago I was way up the coast, and saved a 70' yacht with a slipped anchor.
    No one on board,about to be pushed onto a reef by the 10 knot tide and scraped along a cliff for a mile.

    Owners came back from kayaking 2 hours later..offered me $1000 I said forget it.
    Turns out he was CEO of a large company..gave me stock tips many times over the years from which I did very well on.
    We're still friends today...
     
  6. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    Its theft first then fraud then blackmail. Sometimes they strip it before bringing it back. So your actually paying the thieves for robbing you under a guise of helping you.

    It very difficult to prove.


    I would just love to inspect that mooring bridle/ line what ever it had. These guys are racers and possibly are not very experienced in mooring and chave possibly thinking a 8mm nylon sufficient.

    I would be surprised if a boat like that actually had something to tie to.
     
  7. watchkeeper

    watchkeeper Previous Member

    Thats a big stretch of the imagination to assume that a team of guys selected to crew at America Cup entrant level with years of sea time racing & boat handling experience behind them at an America Cup event would fail to tie up correctly or use undersized/damaged lines.
     
  8. Ad Hoc
    Joined: Oct 2008
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    Ad Hoc Naval Architect

    It is ostensibly a case of either "Salvage law" or "Finders law".

    In Salvage law, under UNCLOS, the property must be "abandoned" in the legal sense. Clearly this is not the case. It is also worded to aid in giving assistance to people and property in distress...namely old wrecks, you find it, you preserve it.

    In finders law, this too must show clear and compelling evidence that said item has been abandoned, as a finders keepers type of thing to gain the 'title'.

    So the owner must be first sought, in both cases. Thus, if the owner is found, (i.e. not dead as in an old ancient wreck) it is not abandoned, it has merely come loose from its moorings. So it may be found, but not owned as such.
     
  9. Grey Ghost
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    Grey Ghost Senior Member

  10. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    John is correct and also the salvage must be "declared" which is likely going to be the technicality the guy will lose to, though he might be able to get compensated for a rescue or rendering aid, though these too, must be declared.
     
  11. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    It all matters if the boat was cut loose or chaffed loose.
     
  12. whitepointer23

    whitepointer23 Previous Member

    why not, a lot of those people have no idea about boats, they specialise in 1 thing each not running a whole boat.
     
  13. FMS
    Joined: Jul 2011
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    FMS Senior Member

    A security cam on the dock would have made the fault clear.
     

  14. Squidly-Diddly
    Joined: Sep 2007
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    Location: SF bay

    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    Yeah, I can't imagine a famously "concerned with security" type of guy like Larry

    Ellison wouldn't have a couple of rent-a-cops doing overnight watch at his big event.

    Larry is local and knows full well Frisco is full of all sorts of freaks and criminals.

    I'm local and heard he had armed guards prowling 24/7 on the grounds where he was building his house, armed check point for all construction personal and delivery, etc.

    Of course there would be not just "dockside" security 24/7 but "patrol boats" to deal with boat-borne goof-balls and tourists who might want to "go check it out" after a night of drinking.


    Something just doesn't add up.
     
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