Posted on 12/01/2010 4:33:12 PM PST by Cecily
A drunk cruise ship passenger has been arrested after dropping the anchor on a moving liner. Rick Ehlert, 44, went into a restricted area, put on work gloves and released the anchor of the 1,260-passenger ship in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, said the FBI. For good measure he also threw a life buoy overboard as the liner made its way from Costa Maya on the Caribbean coast of Mexico to Tampa, Florida. The sailing enthusiast is now in custody and faces charges of attempting to damage a vessel and endangering a ship's safe navigation. If found guilty he could have to pay a $250,000 (£160,000) fine and be imprisoned for up to 20 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Not at all. I recall a certain NY Terrorist that is facing a life time in jail for a car bomb that didn't go off the way he intended. The actions he took were intended to create injury, death and mayhem ... that was sufficient. I see no difference between the actions of this man, and a Jihadist.
If he was screaming 'Allah Ackbar' when he pulled the lever, would that make any difference to you? It makes none whatsoever to me. I judge a person by the actions he makes. He willingly did something that I could not be forced to do - and he should be rewarded for those actions. My hope is that he gets the full reward permitted by law.
I didn’t read the article, but I wonder if anyone noticed when it happened (other than warning lights, etc. that I imagine would be in place).
I know their have been expensive underwater searches for anchors and chains where they have been lost. So I imagine this was a costly drunken mistake by the guy.
This could be an expensive “Hold Muh Beer” moment....
Last few “sea stories” I heard, a dropping anchor and chain (in mid-ocean, where there is no slowing of the chain when the anchor hits bottom, tears out the windlass, chain locker, and a good bit of hull steel from the bow.
There has to be some sailors here!!!
Bad thing to do, yes. But ship designers have taken this into account because it happens time to time; it can even happen by itself in extremely bad weather.
If this drunk dropped the anchor, he knew enough to back off the mechanical brake, lift the “cat’s paw”, and hit the pelican hook latch link with a fair sized piece of something hard enough to get it to release. After that the anchor would fall and the chain would pay or run out of the windlass’ wildcat until all the chain ran out of the chain locker.
The bitter end of the chain is tied to a fitting in the chain locker with some sort of “weak link”; a shackle that is sawed halfway through or sometimes only a strong piece of rope.
So, in all likelihood, the anchor and all of the chain is on the bottom of the Gulf and little or no damage to the ship.
Still it’s hazarding of a vessel and the guy needs to pay the price for his act of idiocy! Just my $0.02.
It is certainly the case that about 5% of the population NEVER goes to work even during periods of "full employment". Don't you know anybody who would choose to collect $300 per week from the government rather than work 40 hours per week to get the same amount of money?
I would never accuse a genuine seaman of not liking booze.
I have no problem with him being taken to court and letting the facts be presented and a jury determine his state of mind. I just dont like knee jerk reactions, followed up by personal insults and asking if people know physics questions without even answering it themselves. That, followed by another poster calling someone a troll for disagreeing. Mainly, just the one poster.
I think wanting to kick his ass would be a normal reaction. I think claiming he had intent to hurt or kill everyone on board, followed by the rest of the posts, is a little overboard.
Of course you don't, and that is why were all laughing at you and your logic here...
You mean someone who doesn't drink the Freeper Kool Aid?
Yeah they have kool aid too...
Yes, yes, you’ve known me for all of 20 minutes and are ready to speak to my ethos. Your psychological prowess even trumps your mathematical prowess. Congrats.
David Allan Coe came to mind:
“I was drunk, the day my mom, got out of prison...”
This version:
“I was drunk, the day I dropped, the anchor on a cruise...”
OK - I am not a poet.
No one is saying he shouldn’t be punished.
The act was deliberate, the intent was pure speculation on your part.
“The bitter end of the chain is tied to a fitting in the chain locker with some sort of “weak link”; a shackle that is sawed halfway through or sometimes only a strong piece of rope.”
Thanks for the info. I just did a search, and on the USS Abe Lincoln carrier the length of anchor chain is 1,082 feet. Another search said “most of the Caribbean is over 6,000 feet deep”.
So - good news on not dragging bottom and pulling the innards out of the ship. Not so good news on ever finding the anchor.
How do you know that? Do you know when hiring will double? If you actually want a job, and jobs arent there, then how do you get it.
If you were a Whataburger manager, and someone came in with a college degree and prior office experience, there is no way you would hire them. They would leave in a heartbeat.
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