During Thurs night training, the Fraser L/B came across 2 vessels near S19 in apparent difficulty. The 44′ ferro cement sailboat Van Kam with one person on board had lost power and was being towed by a small vessel that was having difficulty with the tow. Fraser took over and brought the vessel into Steveston and alerted CG radio. The sailboat had sustained some damage caused by the other vessel, apparently, they struck some pilings. This was also a wonderful opportunity for Ron, our coxswain in training under the watchful eye of senior coxswain David.
The person on the sailboat indicated they didn’t want to call a PAN PAN and were afraid of being charged for rescue. This highlights a common misunderstanding amongst many pleasure boaters. SAR is never charged, and the damage sustained could have been avoided if an earlier response happened.