" wrote in
ups.com:

It is the Captain's
responsibility to know the limitations of the crew and to make
allowances for them.


I totally agree. But, alas, there's no "oversight" from anywhere to
prevent (force) that 62-year-old bank president to realize he CANNOT
safely operate his 44' CSY yacht in the open ocean with just his 59-year-
old wife as crew in that 40 knot squall and 8' seas.

You cannot fly a plane unless you are QUALIFIED to some standard, skill
and medical. You cannot drive a truck unless you are QUALIFIED to some
standard of skill and medical condition. Captain Jenkins cannot drive TO
the CSY 44 at Megayacht Marina unless he QUALIFIES to a skill level and
can READ THE EYE TEST at the DMV, either. But NOONE ANYWHERE stops him
from boarding that yacht, firing up that diesel, and killing himself and
his wife and kids sailing out of the harbor for the last time. All he
needs is M-O-N-E-Y. He doesn't even have to SEE, can be sitting on the
edge of a massive heart attack, and doesn't really need any skill at all
because....all he needs is M-O-N-E-Y.

I think that is wrong. I know it is really screwed up! We spend
millions making sure his Lincoln Navigator is safe, has certain required
safety equipment, whether he likes it or not, and makes sure he has the
skill to get to the parking lot without killing anyone from sheer
incompetence. We spend NOTHING making sure his boat is properly
equipped, he's actually WEARING proper safety gear, and knows how to use
it....and all his watchstanders are qualified, too. If Captain Jenkins
goes blind, he won't be allowed to drive the Navigator to the boat. But,
he'll still be able to sail off into oblivion.

How stupid, just to make a few boat dealers happy.

Larry
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