Speaking about blaming others....

[IRGuy]

The so called "Captain" of the Costa Concordia is blaming his Indonesian helmsman for not responding fast enough to turn the wheel and redirect the ship.

Apparently due to language difficulties he delayed responding for about 13 seconds. Somehow I can't imagine a ship that size responds fast enough for 13 seconds to make any difference.

We had an active discussion about the responsibilities of the captain in the operation of his vessel in another string I started a couple of weeks ago.. no need to repeat it here. I am just posting this link as another example of somebody refusing to take the responsibilities they accepted with their job.

This is the "captain" who was ashore directing the evacuation of 4,200 passengers and crew from the vessel he "commanded".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/2 ... 74845.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rawleigh]

I thought the Captain was responsible for everything that happened on a ship, including a slow helmsman. The helmsman was apparently charged with something too because it was reported that he took a plea deal, but I didn't see what the charges were.

[Carl]

IRGuy- I was the person requesting to hear the captains (officer in charge) side of the story and have it corroborated before lynching him.

As to the Cost Concordia...
The Captain of the Costa Concordia...we heard his side. It'd not his fault. The damn helmsman didn't turn fast enough, he floundered for 13 seconds. The pumps didn't seem to be working so it's not teh captains fault the water could not be pumped out fast enough, is it? Besides, the reef was uncharted, how could one possibly blame the Captain?....Then the Captain heroically took the lead in getting off the ship first, showing everyone the path to safety. What a Captain!!

Had this guy "the captain" run the course he was directed to, the entire incident would have been avoided. But seemingly he ran this course against company directives and because of that he put his ship, crew and passengers in peril. I truly believe this arrogant captain was showing off...not that it matters one way or the other. So whether the helmsman reacted 13 seconds too slow, or whether the reef was charted or uncharted the captain had no business being there. No need to be bringing a ship full of vacationing passengers within 13 seconds of peril. As to the pumps failing...they would never have been required had the captain stuck to the plotted course laid out for him.

Further, the helmsman had no business being there if he could not follow directives of the captain...and I'd rest that on the captains lap as well.

captain jumping ship before seeing all his passengers off safely...makes me sick.

his blaming everyone and anyone to save himself seems to play right into his character, or lack of one. I'd like to know how this guy became captain of that cruise ship. Personally I'd like to see the book thrown at him..and follow the chain up the line and go after the ones who put him in command of the ship. Character like that doesn't happen overnight...I wonder if other incidents are, were or should have been on his record...possibly washed over. You know this guy stepped on alot of people climbing his ladder.

[IRGuy]

Carl...

We agree.

If the helmsman had difficulty understanding he should not have been at the wheel.. period. The captain makes the ultimate crew selection, especially of the bridge watch. If the helmsman was slow to respond, the captain had other people on the bridge who he could have ordered to take the wheel.. better he should have taken the wheel himself if he was dissatisfied with the helmsman's performance so close to shore.

If the pumps did not work, when were they last tested? It is the function of the captain to make sure safety related equipment on his vessel is properly maintained and tested.. period.

As to the actual course the vessel was supposed to follow.. I imagine, but I am not sure, that the owners do not tell the captain exactly what course he must follow every leg of a voyage. I have to believe it is the responsibility of the captain to select his course.. since weather, mechanical malfunctions, and local conditions can all effect his course selection, on a moment by moment basis. I doubt that any qualified captain has to be told.. "Don't go so close to shore that you run the risk of going aground".

As far as the reef being chartered or not.. I have no comment, other than to say the course was so close to shore it would seem to be dangerous, but this one I give to the captain.

As to the captain being ashore while his crew and passengers were still on his vessel in distress.. all I can say is this man is a disgrace to every vessel captain that has ever assumed responsibility of a vessel.

We all own and operate vessels of various sizes, and as owners/captains I believe we have an absolute responsibility for the safety and well being of our crew. In 1988 I was watch captain on a 38' sloop in a race from Newport, RI, to Bermuda. During the race the owner threw out his back, and was unable to bring the boat back home. I was "volunteered" to be the captain for the return trip.. about 660 nm. My 12 year old daughter had flown to BDA with my wife, and was planning on making the return trip on the boat. When I became captain I sent her back home with my wife, because I was not sure if the shit hit the fan whether I could take care of the crew as well as her.. I feared I would be more concerned about her before them. This was in the days before chartplotters, but we did have Loran and GPS for position finding. I went with the captain to fill out the customs and immigration papers at the customs office. I had a crew of two men, two women, and myself. As we were returning to the boat the captain asked me how I felt.. I told him I was scared. He smiled, and told me.. "Now you know what responsibility really feels like!". It was a nasty trip weather wise.. a boat we were accompanying back home lost two sails off their deck, and one of their crew was badly hurt. The two women on board kept asking if we were going to be OK.. I told them we were OK as long as it doesn't get worse. It kept getting worse for 2 1/2 days. We did about half the trip with reefed sails, and one of the guys had some "issues", but we were OK.. when we sighted our first landfall.. the light on Nantucket, at about 02:00 6 days after departure, I went forward alone to the fordeck for a while and broke down and cried. I felt a mixture of pride, relief, and humbleness.