From the monthly archives:

June 2010

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Fabulous Float-Tech customer service

by Douglas Gould on June 29, 2010

I’ve owned a Float-Tech inflatable PFD for about 3 years, and while I don’t wear it all the time, I do prefer it in bad weather and rain. I find this PFD to be very comfortable to wear, and it’s USCG approved.

The Float-Tech idea is somewhat unique in that the outer shell is much like a good quality foul weather jacket, and the PFD part is all attached to a removable vest that zips inside the shell. This means  you can wear the outer shell as a stand alone foulie or as a PFD. Removing or installing the PFD vest takes 5 seconds.

I recently had some minor issues with my Float-Tech outer shell, and I emailed their customer service to see about repair or replacement. The reply was to send the shell to them (there was nothing wrong with the PFD/vest part), and they promptly shipped me a NEW ONE, free.

Red Right Returning gives the Float-Tech USCG approved self inflating PFD/jacket our highest recommendation.

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America’s Heavy Icebreakers Are Both Broken Down

by Douglas Gould on June 27, 2010

America’s Heavy Icebreakers Are Both Broken Down – Dot Earth Blog – NYTimes.com.

While not exactly related to our industry, this story is just another in a long line of failures coming from that bureaucracy known as the USCG.

Perhaps the funding would have been approved years ago if it was Afghanistan that needed ice breakers rather than Antarctica….

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Captain in 2003 S.I. Ferry Crash Is Called to Testify – NYTimes.com

A modern day pure salvage case deserves your attention. Many of the elements of a salvage yet to be argued as this case comes to a conclusion. The judge has already ruled that this was a salvage, not a tow. What was the value of the boat both before and after the salvage? What did [...]

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June 15, 2010 Read the full article →

Out of gas brings $2MM towboat to the “rescue”

Oh, boy. Don’t get me started….. Here is a story that might bite the USCG boys in NYC right in the transom. Gee, having some press tag along to promote these brand new (yawn… same twin jet technology I’ve been driving for 8 years) $2 million boats seemed like such a good idea. Yeah, give [...]

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June 2, 2010 Read the full article →