Mandatory dockside exams

[FV_Wild_Card]

I couldn't get a dockside exam last year in Petersburg. The examiner (CG Aux.) had some kind of falling out with the Coast Guard and quit, leaving the town without a resident examiner for months (probably still). An at sea boarding (welcome anytime) by the crew of cutter Liberty deemed my CG compliance efforts to be "above and beyond" (it says it on the pink copy). The same dockside exam issues post 2015 would be catastophic to my business, stranding me in Petersburg until the CG worked out its personel issues. I like the dockside exam. On the seiner/crabber I crew on it's a good shake down for any new crew members and a good double check of the equipment. But mandatory... no thanks.

All exams are apparently not equal either. The CG still wants to board you (even with a current sticker) if it's "been a while" since your last at sea inspection.

I agree with yak2you2. Especially here, "solely for the purpose of keeping up the momentum of a rapidly growing snowball of bureaucratic redtape". F%$#ing A.

[Salty]

Well, well, some spice has stirred things up. I agree with both Yak and Wild Card. The post I deleted had a similar story of failure and frustration as theirs. And I am pretty adept at both paper work and work details, having worked as a teacher, planner, and executive director in my life in addition to a lifetime on fishing boats. I see the point on "mandatory" inspections. Nevertheless, in part because of the posts here, and an experience of a friend who lost a boat this fall after he had updated survival suits, EPIRB, and raft which all worked, thank god, I will go get another voluntary exam and probably spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on recommended upgrades to safety equipment.
In response to the post from Norway, the land of my father. So, after years of working to rebuild North Atlantic Cod stocks, it appears they and Russian stocks are so healthy that the market is flooded reducing Alaska cod prices to about 25 cents per lb. Tough for the small boat cod jiggers. Perhaps the small boat fishermen are doomed, along with Puget Sound salmon. Take a look at this article: http://seattletimes.com/html/othersport ... sh06m.html

[Trnaround]

Salty I am in favor of anything that will save the lives of fishermen and the rescuers period. These changes are uncomfortable but they will save lives, I am all for it mandatory or voluntary although I prefer voluntary. We fish the same waters so I want you as prepared as you want me and I get that you feel strongly about it which is good. The Coast Guard are true professionals and I think they want us to step up to a higher level, many already have. Not a bad thing. Hope your inspection goes well.
Dan

[FV_Wild_Card]

Here is a handy dandy interactive "what I need" generator. Way easy.

http://www.uscg.mil/d13/cfvs/

[Abundance]

Thanks, Wild Card. I have been looking for an easy way to figure out what I needed to do to get prepped for an inspection. I agree, fishermen in outlying areas get screwed on this. They usually come over to Craig for one week in late winter/early spring, always the week that my family has our annual vacation. If I miss it again this year, I might try to get one arranged when I buzz over to Ketchikan for the spring fishery. I believe they are delaying the deadline to give themselves time to hire more inspectors in SE. I don't have a real problem with the safety gear we are required to have, but I think that the expiration dates are nonsense. Why do they keep reducing the expiration dates for flares and other things? Have there been cases of people having flares or life rafts malfunction after a couple of years at sea? It looks to me like the manufacturers are using the Coast Guard to sell more gear faster, with us as a captive market. There really isn't anything we can do about it. As far as I know, there is nobody to complain to. We have to accept what they decree, and have no say in the matter. That actually annoys me more than anything else, that we aren't part of the decision making process in what is unnecessary and what isn't.

[Carol W]

Boy the last 2 posts I have started have stirred things up. Personally I don't have a problem with having liferafts survival suits, flares, alarms, horns, safety training, and fire extiguishers, but the goverment intrusion of mandatory inspections is pushing the envelope a little to far for a one man boat.
I will be getting an inspection soon as it is time for me to go cruise thru some of my wintertime drags after next weeks SSRAA meeting.
Keep your hand on it
Tom

[Salty]

Tom, what an agitator. Too bad we have never been on a board or task force together. Might be a better, or worse fishery, but wouldn't be the same.

[Carol W]

The staff of the coop considers me the biggest pain in the ass board member although I did pass the torch to Bert the last meeting.

Keep your hand on it
Tom

[Salty]

Tom,
As you noticed I sat through nearly the whole meeting. Bert has taken it up really well. Are you getting old, tired, or complacent?

[fvsedna]

I feel I need to chime in here with a few accounts of personal experiences with our mandated, expensive & lavish on-board safety/survival equipment. Short story first; The two winters ( 08-09),I was keeping the Sedna In Craig's south harbor I would load up my 4-man Coastal Pac Into my pickup & take It to Ketchikan to have repacked. I am a strong proponent of doing as much business locally...reasonably. I actually had It repacked three seasons there...07 being the first. In 2010 I relocated to Sitka, & In like manner used the fine fellows out @ Allen Marine (across from the Alaska ferry terminal), to repack my raft. It was during a January cold snap & the temps. were In the teens for several days. The two fine fellows @ Allen Marine we will call Bob1 & his partner Bob2. Great guys, really. I called out there first & spoke with Bob1 about what I needed...after a few questions he said to bring It out & we will see what we can do. I walked Into their shop & met Bob1 & Bob2 for the first time ...we walked outside to get a visual on my raft....both Bobs Inspected the dated stickers & stamped aluminum tag to get a jist of the raft's repack history. Both Bobs became suspicious @ the way the aluminum tag had been stamped, although they somewhat accounted for their suspicion as the raft had actually skipped two seasons maintenance prior to my ownership. None the less the raft was actually "outdated" or passed It's use full life. It should not of been repacked In 08-09, & I needed a new raft @ $3,400. So we ordered one, a nice 4 man Zodiac. I asked them what happens to rafts like these......the Bobs basically said anything I wanted. I had never actually witnessed a canister raft being deployed let alone yanking out all the painter line. So, Bob2 said lets set It out on the ground & see what happens. so, we did...& I yanked until I got out about 130' of painter line & It came taught...Bob2 said ..o.k. giver a good jerk!....& jerk I did...& again...like I had mentioned earlier It was cold out ....my hands are stinging & the white plastic canister Is skidding across the frozen dirt......the Bobs are silent...I stick my hands In my pockets...Bob2 looks @ Bob1 & says " Ah oh...I wonder.."..
while the Bobs are wondering, I am wondering about the large white plastic grenade we have laying on the ground with the pin pulled. Should we pick It up & shake It?...how a bout set the fork of that forklift over there on It and cut the bands with a knife taped to a stick.
I did not get to and still have not witnessed a raft auto-Inflate, other than video. Bob1 called me a day or so later & revealed what he & Bob2 discovered when they opened the raft. It was explained to me that when a raft Is repacked a "safety" pin Is Installed Into the trigger mechanism to keep the O2 bottle from Inadvertently discharging while being repacked....It Is then removed lastly just before positioning the top half of the case & banding shut. Bob2 showed me the one of only two they use In their shop, have a very long red ribbon attached. For now obvious reasoning...It does not get left In the bottle trigger actuator. The outfit In Ketchikan had left the ss pin still In place...my raft would of never auto-deployed, nor manually. It would of rested In Davey Jones locker a mystery. Garret, If you have read & lasted through this post thus far.....I felt just as you do at one time....until the winter of 2010. Unfortunately, I was told after the Coast Guard probe that the business In Ketchikan Is no longer repacking rafts...I guess It went clear to H.Q. West Virginia. You fellows from Ketchikan may know more about that....
I have probably as most of us either donated for training or stuffed In a Ziploc bag & marked "for training only" our outdated flares & smokes. & set off quite a number though training with Amsea & self, kids & family. I have been astonished @ the failure, either absolute or partial of my smokes & flares...mostly flares..hand & aireal...parachute Included.They were like cheap Chinese fireworks. These were 4-2 years past labeled expire date. Simply put, I now have the comfort ,(false or justified) that the powers that be have our's & our Industries best Interest In mind. To me If this Is the Gov's established protocols developed for my chosen Industry I am unjustified to resist...I have nothing to back any complaints ...no more than cost & Inconvenience...that Is not enough. I recall derby fishing out In the gulf 89-94.....both halibut & black cod...the seemingly daily mayday calls...."..Comsta Kodiak"....& reports leaking through the fleet of lost vessels & lives...that Is where I saw my first dead guy...In the Seward hospital...I was treated for a broken foot as a result of a buoy war on deck with fellow crewmen...the guy In the room I walked by with a sheet over him was a first year kid that caught the tip of a longline anchor In the forehead. I know IFQs greatly attribute to our less loss now than then...but does anyone think that the safety protocols we have now In place & the attention givin to them by us & the Gov. would have attributed to less loss then?....something to think about...
I still become exasperated with the high cost & frequency of maintaining safety equipment along with everything else...but I've learned being proactive & not reactive In my personal view & actions creates a comfort and establishes a meaning that does make sense.

I had the opportunity this afternoon to sit down with Jerry Dzugan, director @ AMSEA here In Sitka. AMSEA was awarded a federal grant by OSHA, to proliferate a program revealing the ergonomic hazards of our profession. I recall a thread not long ago forum members started & I cannot seem to locate to add to. So, for now In brief & In part, the crew @ AMSEA & others nationally are brainstorming solutions & Ideas among themselves & fishing Industry folks. And Eric, If you do no mind I mentioned your numbered step by step landing-killing-icing-etc....as an not unrealistic example of an example. AMSEA will be posting eventually, class/seminar as a result. I understand It may be Incorporated within normal AMSEA classes. I will shut down now @ the risk of saying much beyond my knowledge.

standing by..
Andrew

[Abundance]

Thanks, Andrew. I learned a lot from this.

[lone eagle]

Coast Guard said I needed a new life ring so I got one, it was clearly old and breaking down so that wasn't an issue. I now know that survival suits are no good beyond a certain age and that isn't in the regs either....I'm sure they don't come cheap anymore. The big ticket item is the sideband that I'll never use

[Salty]

I understand the CG inspection includes a survival suit pressure test now and most of the old ones won't pass it. Just replaced the hydrostatic release in my EPIRB today. Working my way through the checklist toward an inspection. One year I failed because I didn't have an auxillary battery dedicated solely to my VHF. Now I don't need that as my Sat phone has it's own battery. I still can't figure why my hand held VHF with it's own battery didn't fulfill that obligation, maybe I never brought it up.

I have had a work therapist on my boat and we have gone through all kinds of things to make it more ergonomic. Jerry should give me a call and come by the boat. In terms of fish handling for quality and ergonomics I share whatever I can. Going to bow poles and not having to wrestle float bags is one of the best moves I ever made for my wife. Brailer bags, slush tanks, and pulling the stabies in with power are a couple others. We even have a rope and block for pulling the aft hatch covers up to put fish in. Have not shoveled ice out of my hold in about 20 years now. Have not scrubbed a bin board in about 15.
Stainless chain sheds kelp way better than either cable or galvanized chain.

[lone eagle]

my dock neighbor went with s/s chain but had corrosion problems, believe it or not...cost$$ and I didn't get it- never thought of kelp.just goes to show. My friendly CG inspector told me 20 years on the survival suit and then you need profesional testing. I had heard that the handheld doesn't substitute for the VHF ..no range I guess. I had a couple of young CG guys give me an involuntary inspection and they were not up to scratch on the regs....stern light? Cat 1 vs Cat 2 epirbs!. They wrote me up but I never heard any more about it. The inspector I recently spoke to was very helpful, informative and professional. I too was a truck driver and can vouch for dreading the inspection...horrible attitudes from people hell bent on giving you a ticket for all and any petit paper errors.Truly hope we don't have to go that way

[Trnaround]

Just thought I would share a way to keep track of all of the expiration dates on an on going basis because as you go through the process you will find there will be many items and documents that have different dates. I have listed everything that has an expiration date in one column and in another column when it will come due and in another when it it was renewed. Every year you can see at a glance what you need to do. I heard a rumor that the CG wants to move away from the Epirb and go to the Gpirb does anyone have more information on that?

[Thorne Isl.]

GPIRB - The Smart EPIRB

This is the first of a new generation of emergency beacons. GPIRBs (Global Position Indicating Radio Beacon) combine the latest in GPS and 406MHz EPIRB (Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon) technology, and add extraordinary precision to your emergency distress signal. If you are a boater who operates offshore or in the Great Lakes, this could be the best "life insurance" policy you could own.

The GPIRB, with its built in GPS, determines and broadcasts its own location. This shortens the time required to get an accurate fix on the beacon location and saves valuable time at the beginning of an SAR (Search And Rescue) operation.

The unit comes with a float-free bracket that releases it if it is submersed as in a sinking. There is a manual mode to turn the unit on manually and a test mode which should be used on a frequent basis to test the operation. It has a minimum 48 hours operating life, 8-channel internal GPS and comes with a lithium battery.

[Salty]

Jerry came by the boat and took a lot of pictures and listened to my ideas, mostly which my son and wife suggested and implemented, for making the troll pit, gear and fish handling as ergonomic and safe as possible. As I was explaining things, and plans for more improvements, there was a moment when I realized how much I have benefited over the years from the tips of other fishermen and some of my crew. How much we take for granted, little things that have evolved that make our lives easier, that people have built in, or crew members set up that I hardly even think about.
While Jerry was there he asked me about a couple of things I have never even thought about, that somebody building something on my boat thought about. And other things that are so simple that I never even really think about but which make life so much easier for both me and my crew, whatever their height, like an adjustable clothesline for stringing leaders that moves down for the short ones and up and back for the tall ones.
So, still working on the list. Annual engine maintenance being a little more thorough this year and changing out cooling system hoses, replacing belts, etc. in part because of being shamed into it by this thread. I got an e-mail today from a reader who said he appreciated all the positive comments here about being safe. Lets hope the result of all our contributions makes a difference for somebody.

[latitudes]

Another way to look at the volunteer vs mandatory argument is that the Coast Guard doesn't have the option of only rescuing those who passed an inspection. Even when you fish alone you put others at risk by virtue of being there. The associations work with all sorts of boards, why not the Coast Guard. That way if issues of abuse of power do come up, they can be resolved. Also would make for a more consistent inspection between boats.

[Journey]

http://fishsafe.info/

Here's the link for the updated (1/16/13) requirement regulation and scheduling of dockside exams

[JYDPDX]

Thanks for this update.