Earthrace/Sea shepherd boat sinks...

[Channel Ribs]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1225814235696



Paul Watson, skipper of the main protest vessel Steve Irwin, said the laser had been a success in the increasingly high stakes game of cat and mouse.

"We used a photonic disruptor - a device designed to cause temporary blindness without causing permanent damage," Mr Watson said as the Steve Irwin approached Hobart for refueling.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by malthouse

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1225814235696



Paul Watson, skipper of the main protest vessel Steve Irwin, said the laser had been a success in the increasingly high stakes game of cat and mouse.

"We used a photonic disruptor - a device designed to cause temporary blindness without causing permanent damage," Mr Watson said as the Steve Irwin approached Hobart for refueling.

They deserve sinking for stunts like that, they've previously fired flares at the Japanese boats for no reason.
They should have stuck to sabotaging boats in port, at least that stopped the whaling.

[Poly]

Presumably you cant insure a million pound boat for use as an obstruction to whaling operations? So they have just wasted a million quid... or have they?

1. big publicity stunt
2. the boat probably wasn't that great for that job anyway
3. they believe they were in the right so will they now try to sue the Japanese for the damage? that would cleverly get them in court (potentially arguing about the legality of the Japanese boat being there in the first place) raising further PR.

those that believe that Sea Shepherd's approach is right will now be even more envigorated that the Japanese are wrong/beligerent etc.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Presumably you cant insure a million pound boat for use as an obstruction to whaling operations? So they have just wasted a million quid... or have they?

1. big publicity stunt
2. the boat probably wasn't that great for that job anyway
3. they believe they were in the right so will they now try to sue the Japanese for the damage? that would cleverly get them in court (potentially arguing about the legality of the Japanese boat being there in the first place) raising further PR.

those that believe that Sea Shepherd's approach is right will now be even more envigorated that the Japanese are wrong/beligerent etc.

Your probably right, they said from day one that Earth Race would be put between the harpoon ships and the whales.

The Japs will be happy as they'll continue as they were, just without a "Stealth" boat getting in the way.

[kitten]

If you see the vid taken from the big metal boat, the small plastic boat is stationary and being passed by the BMB untill the SPB drives under it's bows

[Matt]

Did I say that in post no. 9?

BTW, am I not rich enough for your mate to bother replying?

[Knot Yet]

Unbelievable - what a waste

[Steve_B]

It is quite possible, that the acceleration you see just before the collision, is when the smaller boat gets just behind the bow wave and is "sucked" into the larger vessel. Venturi effect, always a threat when two vessels are in close proximity.

Both were under way, so no one was blameless. Though I agree with previous comment about a waste of a good boat, but so inappropriate for the anti-whaling brigade.

[slimtim]

I read somewhere that apparently the Japanese vessel failed to respond to mayday calls, which if true is pretty disgusting, regardless of who's fault the collision was.

If a small dinghy got in the way of the 10m rib you were driving and you run them over, you would stop and help wouldn't you?!

[Dirk Diggler]

Originally Posted by slimtim

If a small dinghy got in the way of the 10m rib you were driving and you run them over, you would stop and help wouldn't you?!

If they were so called "eco warriors", I'd be disappointed if you didn't turn round and finish them off!

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by slimtim

I read somewhere that apparently the Japanese vessel failed to respond to mayday calls, which if true is pretty disgusting, regardless of who's fault the collision was.

If a small dinghy got in the way of the 10m rib you were driving and you run them over, you would stop and help wouldn't you?!

It would be ,except I'm fairly sure that taking people onboard who are likely to attempt to sink your boat with themselves aboard isn't a good idea unless you've got a brig and/or firearms aboard.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by slimtim

I read somewhere that apparently the Japanese vessel failed to respond to mayday calls, which if true is pretty disgusting, regardless of who's fault the collision was.

If a small dinghy got in the way of the 10m rib you were driving and you run them over, you would stop and help wouldn't you?!

Bear in mind that:

(1) those reports come from the sea shepherd people... ...so...
...a) are hardly reliable / unbiased
...b) are based on the competence they've shown elsewhere, quite likely not to have used the correct radio procedure / turned it on anyway

(2) there was another whale wars boat in close proximity who may have been better positioned to respond; would speak the same language etc.

(3) the boat wasn't actually sinking (immediately anyway), there were no casualties in the water and actually from the still photos there appears to be no immediate threat to life.

(4) in the immediate aftermath of the collision the crew of the Japanese vessel need to ensure the water tight integrity of their own vessel etc - before they can really start worrying about other vessels.

[stafs]

In the debate as to who was at fault I don't believe that the initial approach came from the Jap boat more likely the Sea Shepherd's STEALTH Boat put themselves in a position that was at least a bit dodgy in anyones idea of good seamanship.

[Nos4r2]

Just found this:-

South Park joins Sea Shepherd CC
Not exactly PC, but very very funny...

[Alan]

Given that there were two other Sea Shepherd boats nearby (where do you think the photo's came from?!), the Japanese whaling ship was hardly leaving them to drown in the cold cold ocean. IMHO the whole thing was a planned stunt to achieve the kind of publicity that Paul Watson revels in.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Just found this:-

South Park joins Sea Shepherd CC
Not exactly PC, but very very funny...

Passed 20mins, least someone knew what they were doing in that video!

[Channel Ribs]

"It's a $1.5 million loss for our organisation," he said.

"I think the Japanese deliberately took that vessel out; they saw it as a threat and they were under orders to take it out.

"It would be an act of war so there wouldn't be any insurance on it."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...08/2787921.htm

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Just found this:-

South Park joins Sea Shepherd CC
Not exactly PC, but very very funny...

Cheers that's just cheered me up no end

[Jizm]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Just found this:-

South Park joins Sea Shepherd CC
Not exactly PC, but very very funny...

pretty sick but made me laugh...