Thanks Judy,
IMHO USCG should bill them for the search. Imagine on a questionable vessel they only had one non-DSC VHF on board. The next step will be interesting. Pismo is still well south of the most hazardous conditions in their passage. The USCG can advise but I don't think they can compel them to wise up even though the boat has no CE rating. When my brother went south the other two skippers he was transiting with convinced him that the area off Big Sur was nothing special so he ignored my concerns. One skipper was relieved of his dingy off by way of the seas tearing the stern cleat out of is transom but everybody had a rough day of it. On the way north they called twice to confirm they had the route planned correctly. Phil Agur <http://www.catalina27.org/public_pages/profile270.htm> s/v Wing Tip C270 LE #184 MMSI 366901790
