[QUOTE=LI_Domer;131224]How do sailboats keep a proper lookout anyway. Seems they’re awfully undermanned. I’d imagine a logical solution to prevent unnecessary rescues at sea would be manning requirements on ocean going recreational vessels.[/QUOTE]
You’ve actually hit on a very tender subject in the sailing world. Many, many sailboats out there do not follow the COLREGS in terms of maintaining a proper lookout. A great deal of them are being singlehanded - which makes that impossible. Of course, no one wants to talk about that really.
On the other hand, with the small handful of stories of lit sailboats being run down at night, or the larger handful of stories about ships passing liferafts at night and not seeing flares, or even more prevalent not answering VHF calls from sailboats, etc. - there’s a suspicion in the sailing community that they are not really seen anyway by the ships - so why bother?
Some of that may be true, some of it not, I don’t know. It’s just an interesting dynamic.
Again, what matters most to me is what happens when things go seriously pear-shaped.
BTW - the article I wrote is now online here:
Feel free to comment on that site. It would be great to get a mix of captains/mates putting their two cents in with the sailors that read it.