Years ago we came across a sailboat in a similar situation.
We eventually dropped the sails and were motoring closer and making as much noise as possible. I was feeling worse and worse as the time went buy. So next thing was too launch the tender and go and have a look.
Then an old boy popped up out of the companion way and told us to f off he was having a nap! We were in the middle of the Atlantic ocean.
In this situation once he new the boat was up for salvage he couldn't have been that far away. They must have a dinghy onboard. Go back and have a look at least.
Did they say 8 people were lifted off the boat! In bad weather! Lots of sail up?
You never know the real story.
How can you just abandon a boat and say its not my responsibility any more?

Disagree!

He made the right call, established it was abandon and then sailed away.

There was only him and his wife/girlfriend and that spelled trouble if they tried to claim it.

Now if they had two more crew, well game on!

I think they could have done a bit more. Difficult to tell how long they spent in the vid.

I agree, Someone could have been below with a broken leg.

gary

You cant get an idea of time from the vid it has been edited.
They notified the coastguard and weren't asked to standby. They thought it too risky to try and board, they called when in cell phone range,so legally they have done what is right.
Always difficult to tell sea state in vids. I think there is a reasonable swell.
Don't know the experience of the couple. Big risk getting of a boat and going onto another one in the ocean. So much to consider.

samsturdy said..
A couple of days ago there was a report of a yacht on the rocks with a dead 90 year old on board. It was somewhere in NSW but I've heard nothing since.

Yep- see Bundeenabouys post a few days ago:

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/Cruiser-on-Rocks-at-Bundeena?page=1#lastpost

samsturdy said..
A couple of days ago there was a report of a yacht on the rocks with a dead 90 year old on board. It was somewhere in NSW but I've heard nothing since. Now this boat wasn't 'abandoned' but under the circumstances could you have towed it it off the rocks with the body in it and claimed salvage ?.

No. Claiming salvage is a bit more complicated than that.

Someone has to do it

Datawiz said..
Here's a thought.....assuming you're capable, take the boat in tow and return it to the owner with compliments.
If he offers a reward, say "that's ok mate, happy to help. I don't think I should capitalise on another persons misfortune"
Of course, if you incurred significant expenses by helping out, accepting repayment of those expenses would be acceptable.

Datawiz said..
Here's a thought.....assuming you're capable, take the boat in tow and return it to the owner with compliments.
If he offers a reward, say "that's ok mate, happy to help. I don't think I should capitalise on another persons misfortune"
Of course, if you incurred significant expenses by helping out, accepting repayment of those expenses would be acceptable.

Mate, I agree with you, the right thing to do if possible but you have to remember that it happened in Merica, where that attitude appears to be virtually unheard of.