Donal wrote:
Common sense tells me that doing 25 kts in fog is stupid.


http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...504230-07.hcsp

http://www.shipownersclub.com/losspr...asia/39495.htm


Its Joes license at stake, the acceptable risk is his to bear.

We have similar issues in the keys running tourists to the reef: if
the weather is borderline and we cancel we lose revenue to competion
who will accept the risk.

IF We don't run , we lose needed revenue to competition. Its the
captians responsibility to assess weather for Each and Every trip. I
have run plenty of trips where conditions were fine for sailing but
not snorkelling and I have been quite clear to all passengers about
the conditions and once I explain expected conditions its common for
some to drop out, I would rather lose them upfront than have them go
and not have a good time because it was too rough. People actually
show up at the dock with winds @25knots expecting to go snorkelling in
conditions reflected by postcard photographs....
I remember explaining to one family about the rough conditions over
the phone, THEY WANTED TO GO. THEY DIDN'T CARE. When they showed up
at the dock they hadn't mentioned their small kids or the pregnant
wife in her 8&1/2 month. I thought these people were absolutely nuts
and they were quite upset when I cancelled.