BandB, you have admitted here regularly that until not long ago you had very limited experience with various type boats and boating in general.
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That's a bit wrong. I had an extreme high amount of lake boating prior to 2012. As to this situation probably more experience with and observing bowriders in the size range of this one than anyone here. Ignoring completely the hundreds of days of boating an hour or two I had over 1000 days of "sea time" at that point. I had never done coastal boating.
Since then I have over trained through courses and practical training with very experienced captains and been surrounded by great engineers. I've covered over 80,000 nm, accumulated another 1400 days of sea time, obtained my 200 Ton including STCW endorsement and about 50 days short of 500 Ton. This has been on many boats from 39' to 130'.
I don't profess to know everything about every boat and I respect your experience a great deal. On the other hand I don't like you diminishing any of my knowledge or experience. I have knowledge in areas you don't, both boating and otherwise.
I've not done salvage, towing or rescue and admire those who have, such as you. I also have full right to opinions.
I can say without hesitation I would not load that 23' bowrider with 3 adults and 9 children. Others are free to say they would. I can also knowledgeably address what I know goes on in the shipping world and with TOTE and similar companies and their ships and crews even though I've never crewed one of their boats. I have close friends in the commercial world. Regardless I can and will say that the boat shouldn't have taken the route it did and I hold TOTE more responsible than the captain. Now, holding them responsible is a business philosophy of mine that you don't put your employees at risk. I also followed the forecasts of Joaquin very closely from it's outset and observed the actions of others as I was on the East Coast heading south at the same time. I can give my opinion on the Bounty and I believe the owner working through his non-profit should have been held more accountable. I made no observations on the navy destroyer because I had no idea until it unfolded further what was going on nor how they work. I did understand the limitations of the other boat.
I don't profess on any of this that mine is the only opinion. However, i will continue to freely offer it and if you don't like it, that's fine.
There isn't anything wrong with me saying I wouldn't do things that others have done. I wouldn't jump out of an airplane but know those who love it. I'm sure I've done things that others wouldn't do. I have read the stories of those with no experience setting out and circumnavigating on a small sailboat. I wouldn't do that. That's not a debatable subject as I know I wouldn't. I boat at speeds others here wouldn't and many make it clear they have no interest in speed. I don't take offense to them not sharing all my interests.
I respect everyone here and their experiences but also their opinions. They've probably never owned jet Rib's but they can freely say they never would. Unlike you I don't attribute every comment I disagree with to someone else having limited experience. I also often speak personally to others with great experience in other areas for their opinions but when I come and express them here I don't say "my source who is an experience engineer and expert in exhausts" says. I respect your source's knowledge in certain areas, but I also respect the knowledge other engineers have.
So, back to the topic at hand. I wouldn't load a 23' bowrider with 3 adults and 9 children. I fully recognize the plate on the boat probably says that is ok. I would advise great care in the area of the accident especially with a small boat. I only had to go through there twice to say that, seeing it gentle and rough. People take chances I wouldn't. I'm not a risk taker, especially when it comes to children. If I was a parent, I'd probably be an overprotective one. The loading of the boat may have nothing to do with what happened, but doesn't change my view that I wouldn't load that boat like that and head out there. If you would that's fine, and I won't say you have no right to that opinion just because I have more days boating on bowriders than you do. (or I might, I don't know how many you've owned, i do know you've rescued more of them than I have).