Conception Captain Found Guilty of Manslaughter

[NAUI Wowie]

The fire-alert system would be insanely cheap, from a business-cost perspective. You might want something better than these off-the-shelf systems, but even still, one of these systems would have been better than nothing.

Amazon.com : integrated fire alarm

The sprinkler system would be a little more expensive, but it's absolutely insane they didn't have the integrated alert system.

I'd be curious about what it was like on the boat, from people who have been on it.

I've been hammering on this point over-and-over. While the captain certainly seems to have a strong case for neglect, in terms of whose actions can be directly traced to the deaths, only the owner could have installed the escape hatches, fire-alert, and fire-safety systems. Even the presence of safety-drill, negligent crew, and inadequate crew can be pointed back at the owner.

The captain's negligence, I'd say was the lack of safety procedures and briefings. The patrols probably wouldn't have caught the fire. The captain couldn't have put out the fire by the time it was discovered.

That's my read as well. Maybe he's a coward, etc, but once the crew discovers the fire, there's little they can do to save the passengers. Maybe if they were better trained, drilled, etc, and there was a patrol there might have been a chance. (Though I think only an actual fire-alert and escape-route could have actually saved the passengers).

A close friend and dive-buddy, had 2 close friends die on that boat. It still hits him hard.

Same with many scuba safety and redundancy procedures and training.

I'm sure some people would say that's a good thing.

I think the investments which could easily be recovered are more (a) escape-hatches (b) an integrated fire-alert system, (c) more fire-extinguishers (d) safety procedures and briefings for passengers.

I wouldn't be surprised if one of the reasons (d) safety briefings never happened, is because they (including the owner) knew in case of a fire or sinking, the lower-bunk area was a death-trap.

Fire-suppression systems or using different materials would be far more expensive

I think ive posted too many replies in a short while lol but I just saw this comment from you. To answer your question i was on the Conception recently before this. It was a very fun trip. Well run. Boylan the captain was EXTREMELY likeable. You met him you would like the guy.

Below decks at night I did not feel claustrophobic or in danger. I had no idea of the real threat. Our diveshop employees thought they had roving watches. A friend of mine an employee of the diveshop said so and thought so.

He was mistaken obviously and no fault to him as its a standard practice and hes been on dive boat liveaboards for 30 years or so.

And I was I guess mistaken in my trust of Captain Boylan in that I thought he was protecting us. Again really likeable guy you would love to have a beer with. But obviously he was not worried about fire danger it seems.

As for the dives themselves you go out in groups of two or three divers with no oversight. and none needed honestly. Zero chance of being swept out to sea etc on channel island dives.

Overall it was a liveaboard experience I was looking to do again soon . Within about a year to 18 months later I planned to do the trip again on the Conception. Before I could it sank of course.

 

[Tripp]

Has the sentencing been delayed? It was scheduled for February?
Thanks.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Per Wikipedia:

"Boylan is free on $75,000 bond, with sentencing scheduled for May 2, 2024."