# Need Help In Taking Action Against A Dangerous Captain



## SiamSailor (Mar 14, 2010)

> *MODERATOR'S NOTE:
> 
> Dear Readers,
> 
> ...


Dear All,

I KNOW THIS THREAD SOUNDS ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE BUT IT IS VERY TRUE

I have just returned from a charter trip to some amazing islands in the Andaman sea with Dieter Dongphrajan onboard his boat Nakamal.

The destination was great, but the captain was a real danger to our lives! As soon as we got far enough from port he started to drink openly and was drunk all of the time from beginning till we all (5 total) left via airplane in fear of going to jail or getting killed through his crazy attitude.

Since we were aboard he encouraged divers to go beyond their limits and think of Nitrogen Narcosis as an alternative to LSD.uke

Took an in experienced diver to over 40m+ and left him there alone!

Was drunk at thee helm with our 5 lives in his hands, the amount of times we nearly hit something was amazing. He was to drunk (and night blind) to see a huge marker buoy in a busy harbor, we missed it by a few feet!

He told us how he loves to Dive on LSD

He lied to the Authorities about his EPIRB giving false details and removing the "use by date" the EPIRB is 7 years out of date! We made a 450 mile crossing coming across only one other vessel with no EPIRB and no other safety devices other than 3$ life jackets and a ring on a rope. Dieter Dongphrajan claims to be a registered captain with a license but he doesn't know how to use an SSB, doesn't know how to use flares (which were also nearly a decade out of date), had never used the short wave before and told us that if the boat was to sink that all 7 of us could get in his tender. The tender was tied to the back of the boat and took nearly 10 minutes to release!

We all left the charter after only 3 days at our destination with this mad man, he was violent, rude, offensive and drunk the whole time. He broke a number of laws while we were onboard and we all decided that paying over 500 U.S.D to fly home and cut our charter short by over a week was the safest thing to do.

We are all in the process of doing what we can to bring this man to justice.

PLEASE help us to bring this man in front of the correct governing body responsible for issuing a captains license. He also claims to be a SCUBA course director and we have reported him to PADI for further investigation.

Dieter Dongphrajan and his boat Nakamal are based in Thailand, we will of course be talking to the police, immigration and coastguard here, but what we believe is that his license must be investigated as he is risking peoples lives at sea and is totally incapable and has almost no sailing ability.

Any assistance would be most appreciated by all of us.

Best Regards,


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Apart from having had a terrible experience and wanting to spread the bad news, what do you think an internet forum can actually do; what sort of assistance do you expect?


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## SiamSailor (Mar 14, 2010)

Dear Zanshin,

As mentioned I would like to know the name of the governing body or institution that is responsible for issuing a captains license. For example is it an international body or would it depend on the country that the captain is based out of?

I would also appreciate any feedback with regards to how one would reprimand such an individual by approaching the community, who
I am sure agree in that this kind of "captain" can not be allowed to risk others lives.

It is the collective responsibility of those of us who care enough about others to do something about people like this, as I am sure you would agree.

Regards


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## tager (Nov 21, 2008)

Personal attack in violation of forum rules


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## SiamSailor (Mar 14, 2010)

Tager you seem to think this is acceptable behavior, that it should go unpunished and that accepting a charter and risking guests lives is not a problem, am I right?

I asked for advise from professional sailors that care about their lifestyle and the negative impact that lunatics like Dieter Dongphrajan have on sailing in general.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Unfortunately, that is tager for you? 

Siam— Do you have any documentation or evidence of his behavior. In most cases, without some sort of corroboration, it will likely be your word against his. I'd also point out that Thailand, unlike say the United States or Europe, is far more likely to have enforcement and licensing issues. Corruption, nepotism, and the like are far more common in third world countries. Even with corroborating evidence, there is a good chance nothing will be done. 

I'd point out that if you paid for the charter via credit card, you might be able to do something about it financially by asking for a credit back. However, beyond that, unless you have far greater resources than just this internet forum, there is little else you're likely to be able to do.


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## PorFin (Sep 10, 2007)

Siam,

Easy there, buddy... Don't take it personally, it was just a little teasing to lighten things up a bit.  

To your questions -- it's hard to know how to answer the big ones with the info you provided. You never indicated:

A. What nationality the skipper was (I'm guessing that with a name like "Dieter" he's not Thai, but I could be wrong)? They might be interested in the non-martime behavior, though I'd bet against it.

B. Under what country's flag does the ship sail? They might be interested in hearing about the overall condition of the ship -- depending on the country.

C. Which country issued Dieter his Captain's license? They might be interested in the behavior of the Captain -- again depending on the country.

Take this for what its worth -- advice on an internet forum from a guy who's never been to Thailand: 

o Start with the Thai authorities. If you are not a local, begin with the Tourism folks. They will probably be more sympathetic to your stories than the local Police/Coast Guard/etc. Dead tourists make their jobs harder.

o Talk to your own government. If your country has a decent relathionship with Thailand, they may find some traction through their Embassy in Bangkok. Dead tourists are not a good thing for either side.

o As to the state of the safety gear aboard, I'm sure that the Thai equivalent of a Coast Guard or Maritime Police may be able to answer your questions better than any of us could. For all we know, the conditions you relate could be perfectly acceptable under local Thai laws/regulations/etc.

I wish you luck, but I'm not optimistic about your chances for a moral victory.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

contrary to the nattering nabobs of negativism who attacked you here, I think posting here is a good idea. Word of mouth can have an effect.

and do follow up with contacting the Thai authorities. He could be operating illegally and they will boot him out.

Did he supply a certificate of insurance for you? Contact the insur co.

Definitely follow up with his flagged country


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## LandLocked66c (Dec 5, 2009)

Capt. Ron from Hell!


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

It appears you have had issues in the past.

Prices For The Andaman Safari - Spearboard Spearfishing Community

Spearboard Spearfishing Community - View Single Post - Prices For The Andaman Safari

how do I delete my ACC? - Spearboard Spearfishing Community


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

Siam. Just out of curiosity was your first bad expierence talked about in this post: Spearboard Spearfishing Community - View Single Post - Prices For The Andaman Safari
the same captain and boat ?


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## n0w0rries (May 17, 2009)

How did you find the crazy captain? What made your decision to go with him? Remember, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys!


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Just curious, why do you think Siam Spearo is the same person as Siam Sailor???



MorganPaul said:


> It appears you have had issues in the past.
> 
> Prices For The Andaman Safari - Spearboard Spearfishing Community
> 
> ...


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## Fstbttms (Feb 25, 2003)

I question the veracity of anybody joining the forum specifically for the purpose of defaming another person. SiamSailor has 3 posts on the board, all in this thread. For all anybody knows, this guy could be a competitor of the captain in question and trying to damage the guy's business.

Plus, his opening of, "I know this sounds impossible, but it's 100% true" is straight out of Penthouse Forum and reeks of bullsh*t.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

xort said:


> contrary to the nattering nabobs of negativism who attacked you here....


Heh-heh. I haven't heard that one in a while.

Siam - I for one will not be chartering with this sordid gentleman.

Phuket. Not for me.


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> Just curious, why do you think Siam Spearo is the same person as Siam Sailor???


Check it out :

Sy Nakamal Catamaran Saing Cruise - Reviews, Photos - Dangerous & Drunken illegal opperation that ruined our holiday. Beware of Dieter Dongphrajan and Nakamal - TripAdvisor


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Wow - MoPaul - you're good!


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## charlottea (Apr 29, 2006)

Here's the web site. Looks nice...

Catamaran Sailing Adventures around Phuket with the Sailing Yacht Nakamal


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

Fstbttms said:


> Plus, his opening of, "I know this sounds impossible, but it's 100% true" is straight out of Penthouse Forum and reeks of bullsh*t.


I agree.


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## imagine2frolic (Aug 7, 2008)

MorganPaul said:


> It appears you have had issues in the past.
> 
> Prices For The Andaman Safari - Spearboard Spearfishing Community
> 
> ...


OOH.. ..As the propeller turns?.. .....*i2f*


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## CharlieCobra (May 23, 2006)

Uh huh, I see the OP ain't been back....


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## Architeuthis (Mar 3, 2008)

Actually that doesn't sound all that bad except maybe the diving part. Is it normal to do that kind of dangerous diving with people you do not know? 

As for sailing, hey when you charter you are like the owner. You decide where the boat is going and if you don't like it you can always fire the captian. 

I know that "drunk all the time" often means a couple of drinks in the evening so that is relative. Come close to a few bouys myself, hey close doesn't count. 

And safety equipment, hey if you don't have it or know it wouldn't work then you are less likely to have to use it. Any Capt Ron knows that!

Sounds like it might have been a great trip or maybe it was a trip from hell, hard to tell.


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## blackjenner (Feb 5, 2010)

tager said:


> Do you want some cheese?


Wow. What a casual dismissal of what seem some valid concerns by a sailor who is willing to do something about a captain who could put the lives of innocent people at risk.

Yeah...it could be axe grinding but, let's say the account is mostly accurate.

Would you stay on a boat like that?

Would you let your family members on a boat like that?

If you found out they were on a boat like that and expressed their concerns to you, would you serve swiss or cheddar?


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

Here is another opinion of the captain and his yacht.



> We have just come back from a sailing vacation in Thailand on a catamaran named S.Y. Nakamal. Leaving from Phuket we headed north towards the Similan Islands, nine islands that dot the Andaman Sea. Nature at its best: green sea, sandy beaches, lush jungle, unbelievable underwater life and...nothing else. The catamaran is very spacious allowing room for sunbathing, or alternatively finding shadow from the scorching sun. The cabins are quite comfortable for being a sailing boat, with a lot of storage space. But what my husband and I have loved best has been the relaxing atmosphere onboard the Nakamal. Our Captain Dieter and his precious wife Ah succeeded in making ourselves feel not their guests but longtime friends while giving us the best of service. The food (Thai, Italian, Swiss, Sushi) was excellent. Ah is not only a superb cook, but also a skillful sailor.
> The Nakamal carries on board a compressor so she is an ideal boat also for diving. Dieter and my husband, experienced divers, enjoyed themselves in very deep waters, making a contest among the best underwater shots. I had my own personal (and patient) instructor while I was completing the Padi Open Water Certification. We spent eight wonderful days . The only defect I can account for is that they run too fast.


From here :

Sy Nakamal Catamaran Saing Cruise - Reviews, Photos - Life in Paradise - TripAdvisor


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## harbin2 (Jul 5, 2008)

This cought my eye because 20 years ago I did my only "delivery" ever with a group of about 8 (that included my 14 year old son) from Annapolis to Ft. Lauderdale. Once offshore our hired captain drank himself into a stuper. Only two of us on the boat knew how to sail. We were in a huge storm for 3 days and nights and were very lucky to make it. 

Anyway....
Assuming Siam is legit, it seems pretty straight forward to contact the charter company or owner. Surely the charter wasn't booked through the captain. Just have the guy fired (assuming you have some kind of proof).


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## blackjenner (Feb 5, 2010)

CharlieCobra said:


> Uh huh, I see the OP ain't been back....


could have been a drive by, as someone else pointed out.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

M Paul

Good catch, smells very fishy.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

While not conclusive...that is pretty damning... nice job MP.


MorganPaul said:


> Check it out :
> 
> Sy Nakamal Catamaran Saing Cruise - Reviews, Photos - Dangerous & Drunken illegal opperation that ruined our holiday. Beware of Dieter Dongphrajan and Nakamal - TripAdvisor


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Unfortunately, that's just Tager being Tager.... 


blackjenner said:


> Wow. What a casual dismissal of what seem some valid concerns by a sailor who is willing to do something about a captain who could put the lives of innocent people at risk.
> 
> Yeah...it could be axe grinding but, let's say the account is mostly accurate.
> 
> ...


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## LandLocked66c (Dec 5, 2009)

Haha, awesome! Gotta love people! They will stoop to any level...


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## mgmhead (Jan 14, 2007)

Morgan Paul, awesome detective work.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

A lot of forums would flag this as a "bombing run" and remove the thread. All considered...the mods might want to consider that. If the OP really is Siamese (a term Thais don't use for themselves, from my acquaintance with several) he'd know that his complaint is with national authorities, not here.


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## krozet (Nov 29, 2008)

Hummm... I am not a diver but I have the sudden urge to visit Thailand.


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## CharlieCobra (May 23, 2006)

I hear ya...


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> Unfortunately, that's just Tager being Tager


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## blackjenner (Feb 5, 2010)

smackdaddy said:


> Helpful? He's fun. And that makes the forum more fun. That's helpful. See?


I am all the more amused at your statement because of the synergy it has with your awesome icon.


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## ROSA (Oct 22, 2009)

When in Rome. Best way to avoid such issues is to secure references well in advance. An adventure such as yours is no trip to the Magic Kingdom. This situation may actually be the norm in that part of the world.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

It is also common for destinations to post glowing reports of themselves, disguised as a tourist, on sites like Trip Advisor. There can be no adjudication on a blog, including this one.


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

hellosailor said:


> A lot of forums would flag this as a "bombing run" and remove the thread. All considered...the mods might want to consider that. If the OP really is Siamese (a term Thais don't use for themselves, from my acquaintance with several) he'd know that his complaint is with national authorities, not here.


The guy is not Siamese. I believe he is a Brit.

Craig McPhilimey - LinkedIn

I think it was a "bombing run" .


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Nicely done again MP


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## blackjenner (Feb 5, 2010)

sailingdog said:


> Nicely done again MP


Bombing run or not, he may have had that experience. If he did, which we can debate forever, then it's something that one has every right to be concerned about it.

The crux of it is, was it true or not.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

blackjenner said:


> Bombing run or not, he may have had that experience. If he did, which we can debate forever, then it's something that one has every right to be concerned about it.
> 
> The crux of it is, was it true or not.


Good point black. I've been the target of bombing runs in the past myself. It always boils down to the truth...or lack of it in the run.

I think it's always best to do these things in an arena where the target can (and is invited to) respond. That's the only way to ever know what's true or not.

Always entertaining though. I must say.


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## krozet (Nov 29, 2008)

smackdaddy said:


> I think it's always best to do these things in an arena where the target can (and is invited to) respond. That's the only way to ever know what's true or not.


That wouldn't be a bombing run, that would be a debate. The internet has proliferated on the ability to NOT have a debate.

Anyone can say anything hiding behind the perceived anonymity of a keyboard.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

The guy has a marine based adventure travel business (thanks, MP) and has been operating out of Thailand for a decade, and he has no idea who the governing body for charters and commercial licensing is in Thailand?

I know what the Starfleet Regulations say about finding the Captain drunk on the helm. And what Hamlet said about if you don't nose him within the week, check behind the arrabas, wasn't it?


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

Morgan Paul...great work. But I still think you're dandelion!


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## JimHawkins (Aug 25, 2006)

I sent email to Nakamal's website inviting them to comment. Should be interesting.

And I hereby nominate MorganPaul for Moderator status. Nice detective work, MP!


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

hellosailor said:


> A lot of forums would flag this as a "bombing run" and remove the thread. All considered...the mods might want to consider that. If the OP really is Siamese (a term Thais don't use for themselves, from my acquaintance with several) he'd know that his complaint is with national authorities, not here.


Could someone please distill all this for us? Who's who, what's what, etc?

MorganPaul, do you know any of these guys? What's going on here?

Cliff notes, speak slowly, please.


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## JimHawkins (Aug 25, 2006)

JohnRPollard said:


> Could someone please distill all this for us? Who's who, what's what, etc?
> 
> MorganPaul, do you know any of these guys? What's going on here?
> 
> Cliff notes, speak slowly, please.


I know Smacky, and he admits he's been the target of a bombing run. And I'm sure Tager will say he deserved it. Who knows? I don't know hardly anyone else, but it sure is an entertaining thread.


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## krozet (Nov 29, 2008)

JimHawkins said:


> I know Smacky, and he admits he's been the target of a bombing run. And I'm sure Tager will say he deserved it. Who knows? I don't know hardly anyone else, but it sure is an entertaining thread.


I think he's referring to the OP, not smack.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

krozet said:


> I think he's referring to the OP, not smack.


Yeah, sorry about the ambiguity. I was referring to the O.P., as well as all these other links that MP posted about someone having a conflict with someone else. I do not have time to read posts to all those other websites, so I was asking for a condensed version of what's going on here, from someone that has already sorted it all out.


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## PorFin (Sep 10, 2007)

John,

Reader's Digest version follows:

The prevailing suspicion is that the OP (Siamsailor) dropped a load of hooey on the assembled masses.

The target of his rant appears to be a competing charter skipper/company based in Thailand.

After to MP's background checks, enough suspicion has been raised to seriously question the OP's truthfulness. If in fact this is a legitimate complaint, the OP should return to prevent additional evidence in support of his case. 

If our suspicions are right, the OP is one of the lowest forms of whale excrement cruising the net and forums.

Enjoy!


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

Okay, thanks. Right now it sounds like a classic drive-by. We'll take a closer look. 

Don't anyone be surprised if this thread goes away. Although sometimes it's more effective to let these folks hang themselves.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

JohnRPollard said:


> Although sometimes it's more effective to let these folks hang themselves.


And entertaining. This is precisely why popcorn was invented.


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

JohnRPollard said:


> Could someone please distill all this for us? Who's who, what's what, etc?
> 
> MorganPaul, do you know any of these guys? What's going on here?
> 
> Cliff notes, speak slowly, please.


No John I do not know any of these guys.

PorFin has given a good analysis of what could have been a drive-by for the purpose of beating down his competition.

Or this Siam guy might just be a naive entrepreneurial type guy trying to make a quick buck as a middle man using Dieter Dongphrajan and his boat Nakamal for his Spear fishing expeditions, and felt he was screwed and now has an ax to grind.
Siam might have failed to do his Due Diligence.

The following quotes are from Siam Sailor/Spearo



> Andaman Spearfishing is a non profit organization, I run safaris at cost and although I profit as a distributer for Pelaj in Thailand all trips, charters and safaris are strictly non profit. We also follow a strict breathhold hunting only policy.





> We have a lot to work on before the next season in November, we will be spending a lot of time looking for a most reliable boat for the season, probably a 46" Cat.


Hey Smack, got some extra popcorn man.

Hey this Siam guy sounds a little like Sully.  :laugher


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

MP,

Thanks for digging into this. We posted a note at the beginning of the thread. We are going to give the OP a chance to come back and respond to some of this additional information that has come to light. This is a confusing account, so I suggest we remain open minded since we don't have all the details (probably never will, though).


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

He does, doesn't he....



MorganPaul said:


> Hey this Siam guy sounds a little like Sully.  :laugher


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## mackconsult (Mar 1, 2010)

Did you do a background check on the guy before you left ... what about references???

I have fished on boats that make this situation pale in comparison. It becomes partly a personal responsibility when you step on a boat, you should now what your getting into.

I get invited to go on the water all the time ..... that doesn't mean I go. I hand pick every situation I get into, and discriminate quite often the boats & people I go out on the water with.

This is one reason I love my little laser, and my 18 ft Avon. Out on the water by myself all the time  .


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

Wow!!!!


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## mackconsult (Mar 1, 2010)

It's so true though .....

Two years ago I got asked to do the transpac race on a santa cruz 50 from Hawaii. The skipper asked us all to fly over to Hawaii and do a practice shake down sail from Oahu to Maui. I was like, "are you sure you want to do that?"

So flew over and met the rest of the crew. For the next 50 hours I was all over the boat, doing bow, packing chute, headsail changes, reefs, trimming, even down below fixing the diesel before setting into Lahaina.

The rest of the crew were old fat guys, I was the youngest.

So at the end of the "cruise" I approached the captain and said, "I did a lot the last couple of days .... do you find me of value? ..... is this how transpac would be for 10 days?"

He said yes. 

I said that I would not pay $5k to do this race. We parted ways, and I took my $1k deposit back. They got last out of a fleet of 10 boats  .


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## blackjenner (Feb 5, 2010)

smackdaddy said:


> And entertaining. This is precisely why popcorn was invented.


don't forget the butter and beer.


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## imagine2frolic (Aug 7, 2008)

mackconsult said:


> It's so true though .....
> 
> Two years ago I got asked to do the transpac race on a santa cruz 50 from Hawaii. The skipper asked us all to fly over to Hawaii and do a practice shake down sail from Oahu to Maui. I was like, "are you sure you want to do that?"
> 
> ...


From, or to Hawaii? If you were leaving Hawaii then you were a delivery crew, and take it easy on us old fat guys. Some of us are sensitive when describing our gut:laugher :laugher .......*i2f*


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

blackjenner said:


> don't forget the *butter and beer*.


Ah yes, the breakfast of champions.


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## bluebear (Mar 17, 2010)

*FULLY TRUE - unfortunately !!*

Dear forum members,
Unfortunately the story mentionned by SiamSailor is fully true. I happened to be on the boat at the same time. I preferred to quit my vacation as early as possible rather than to stay on board Nakamal with Dieter Dongphrajan as a skipper. He did put his passengers at risk all the time. I can confirm that he:
- was drinking from morning to evening
- doing illegal dives
- stayed hours without checking for collision course boats during day or night cruise
- was expecting his inexperienced customers to do night watch while cruising on autopilot, or doing all sorts of other tasks that require prior training
- was unable to properly plan for any basic activities such as: having proper water or ice supplies on board
- did not even understand the meaning of an emergency fuel reserve for the dinghy
- asked his clients (me in this case) to show him how to operate the long wave radio
- navigated illegally in Indian waters after openly lying on security equipment
- etc, etc, etc

Frankly this guy is DANGEROUS and I hope that authorities will investigate his real level of knowledge before letting any clients on his board again.

Regards


SiamSailor said:


> Dear All,
> 
> I KNOW THIS THREAD SOUNDS ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE BUT IT IS VERY TRUE
> 
> ...


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## poltergeist (Oct 26, 2006)

*Damn*

Just when this thread was about to run out of steam, a new member surfaces!


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## flyingwelshman (Aug 5, 2007)




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## scottyt (Jul 19, 2008)

time for an IP check


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

hmmmmm, wonder if the IP is the same for both siam and bluebear? mods?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Considering that the OP hasn't responded beyond his three original posts... and that the only corroboration is from a new member, who may or may not be the OP... I'd say this has the earmarks of a drive-by, and if an IP check shows that the bluebear is reporting from either a proxy service or the same IP subnet as SiamSailor, I'd move the thread be nuked as a a driveby.

BTW, nice touch on the big red notice in the OP...


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Their IP's are different. One is from Thailand, one from France. We were on that about 1 second after the post.

I am not calling Craig a liar, however the thing seems a bit coincidental. He does have a partner named Simon, who may or may not be bluebear, but again - I don't know.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

SiamSailor said:


> Dear All,
> 
> I KNOW THIS THREAD SOUNDS ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE BUT IT IS VERY TRUE
> 
> ...


Craig,

I have to assume that this is a new live aboard boat for use with your charter business? I fail to understand why or how someone that is connected in Thailand as you are would be chartering a boat out of Thailand unless for your own spear fishing company? I assume the others on board were clients?

I believe some explanation is due. If you were in our shoes, you would ask the same questions. SOmething seems amiss. And is bluebear Simon, your partner?

Brian


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## bluebear (Mar 17, 2010)

Dear forum members,
I am not used to go on forums very often; but I understand that it is the best place to exchange information on various subjects, congratulate service providers and let it know to a wider public, or warn people of scams or dangers of certain service providers.
This is the only motivation I have here.
I was one of the persons who unfortunately shared the same "cruise" as reported by Craig.
Your skepticism is quite astonishing to me. But, please, be my guest and do go for a cruise with that skipper. You will learn at your own expense. Just don't say later that you were not informed.
I am quite willing to discuss in details any of the topics I developped in my previous post.
Regards.



Cruisingdad said:


> Their IP's are different. One is from Thailand, one from France. We were on that about 1 second after the post.
> 
> I am not calling Craig a liar, however the thing seems a bit coincidental. He does have a partner named Simon, who may or may not be bluebear, but again - I don't know.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

bluebear said:


> Dear forum members,
> I am not used to go on forums very often; but I understand that it is the best place to exchange information on various subjects, congratulate service providers and let it know to a wider public, or warn people of scams or dangers of certain service providers.
> This is the only motivation I have here.
> I was one of the persons who unfortunately shared the same "cruise" as reported by Craig.
> ...


I do not know why you are skeptical. You would have been in our shoes too. If someone came to you and said, "so and so is bad..." do you take it at face value or do you wonder why?? Maybe there are two sides to the story? Is there a hidden agenda? On the internet (and in life) you have to be cautiously skeptical.

We are neither supporting you or the captain, but the comments you have brought to this forum are serious and require serious evaluation from both source and nature.

Please understand that you may have nothing but the best of intentions. However, we have MANY that get on this forum and have hidden agendas. The anonmymity of the internet allows such.

You have never posted here before. You may never again. Your only interest seems to be this thread and this 'captain'. Same for Siam. Can you understand our reservations to accept it at face value?

Brian


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

So Brian, you're aaying everything I read on the internet ain't necessarily so?

I'm stunned, shocked, poleaxed to hear that!

But wait a minute, if everything I hear on the 'net is't true, then how do I know if that statement itself isn't true? Oh lordy, it's so confusing...worse than those _circular _wind shifts I get sailing under certain bridges...


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## mackconsult (Mar 1, 2010)

From and to Hawaii. It was not a delivery.

We sailed out of Waikiki yacht club to Lahaina and back over a period of 3 days as a practice shake down cruise. His mistake for arranging this .... if he hadn't then I would have gotten a day out of LA and been stuck with all these old fat guys ......

I have no problem with old fat guys ..... what I have a problem with is making every one pay an equal $5k to do the transpac race but not putting in the same amount of work or effort.



imagine2frolic said:


> From, or to Hawaii? If you were leaving Hawaii then you were a delivery crew, and take it easy on us old fat guys. Some of us are sensitive when describing our gut:laugher :laugher .......*i2f*


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

mackconsult said:


> ...I have no problem with old fat guys .....


Whew! Cruisingdad and I2F will be glad to hear that. They've both been stewing since your earlier post.

CD spent most of yesterday in front of a mirror, checking his hairline, sucking in his gut, and patting his paunch. He kept asking "Do these swim trunks make me look fat?" We finally told him "No, it's the fat that makes you look fat." He had a complete fit. Started doing push-ups, sit-ups, etc right there on the foredeck. Sometimes he'd even eek one out.

I hear he's looking for crew....


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## mackconsult (Mar 1, 2010)

That is funny :laugher


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## krozet (Nov 29, 2008)

bluebear said:


> Dear forum members,
> I am not used to go on forums very often; but I understand that it is the best place to exchange information on various subjects, congratulate service providers and let it know to a wider public, or warn people of scams or dangers of certain service providers.
> This is the only motivation I have here.
> I was one of the persons who unfortunately shared the same "cruise" as reported by Craig.
> ...


So if someone came here and slandered you everyone that read it should take it as the truth? A little skepticism is REQUIRED on the internet.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

Dear forum members, I know you won't believe this but there's this guy, calls himself bluebear... he's really an axe murderer. Really, I saw it myself. Honest. Now I have no proof, I can't verify my claim in any way, but you have to believe me. It happened just before the aliens came and took my dog and transformed him into Jesus. Really. Now my dog/Jesus won't fetch any more. I'm very sad.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

"bluebear... he's really an axe murderer." He murdered an axe? Is the video up on Utube yet?

Transforming a dog into Jesus might be a good trick, but for followers of other prophets it is easy peasy. Just hold the dog up to a mirror: DOG-GOD. GOD-DOG.

Einsteinian relativity and all that good stuff, you know. And as any enlightened dog would tell you, you threw the stick? OK, YOU GO GET IT. Heck, my dog knew that much before we ever met. Bit of a Bhuddist, she was.


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## Petar (Nov 20, 2005)

SiamSailor said:


> Dear All,
> 
> I KNOW THIS THREAD SOUNDS ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE BUT IT IS VERY TRUE
> 
> ...


How much alcohol and what other mood enhancing chemicals did the crew take to feel like that? what were your expectations? what was it that you did not get? what is your experience to judge someone on his ability to handle a boat? this forum should not be used for similar actions.


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## poopdeckpappy (Jul 25, 2006)

JohnRPollard said:


> Sometimes he'd even eek one out


Yeah, did he blame it on the dog or one of the kids ??


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

If I mention generators and lawyers, can we kill this useless thread?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Only if you mention the Solar-Stik will they kill this thread... the mods are frightened of another solar-stik thread starting.


bljones said:


> If I mention generators and lawyers, can we kill this useless thread?


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## Stillraining (Jan 11, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> Only if you mention the Solar-Stik will they kill this thread... the mods are frightened of another solar-stik thread starting.


Whats a Solar Stik?...................................


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

JohnRPollard said:


> Whew! Cruisingdad and I2F will be glad to hear that. They've both been stewing since your earlier post.
> 
> CD spent most of yesterday in front of a mirror, checking his hairline, sucking in his gut, and patting his paunch. He kept asking "Do these swim trunks make me look fat?" We finally told him "No, it's the fat that makes you look fat." He had a complete fit. Started doing push-ups, sit-ups, etc right there on the foredeck. Sometimes he'd even eek one out.
> 
> I hear he's looking for crew....


What Pollard isn't telling you is that I was fine until he came out and asked me, "Hey, CD, is pink my color?"










I'm not sure... maybe pink is his color, but I gotta do something to get out of this crowd!!


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## krozet (Nov 29, 2008)

Cruisingdad said:


> What Pollard isn't telling you is that I was fine until he came out and asked me, "Hey, CD, is pink my color?"
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Don't even want to know the context... SERIOUSLY!


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

Carl runs away from this thread as fast as he can.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

I just threw up a little in my mouth.


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

OK, Let me start by saying, I can not find any connections between bluebear and Siam on the internet.

But my gut instinct says SiamSailer and blurbear are the same person.

They both start there posts with Dear and end it with regards. And they both use parentheses in there posts.

Am I reading to much into this BS ? Probably.. Hey I need to go sailing.

BTW Smack that comment about Dog and his Prune Juice had be laughing my ahole off.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

smackdaddy said:


> I just threw up a little in my mouth.


 qwksaJD6VP AS<hjzx !!!uke

I just threw up a lot on my desk!

Damn, now I gotta go wash my eyes with bleach...

BTW - SolarStik!


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

MorganPaul said:


> BTW Smack that comment about Dog and his Prune Juice had be laughing my ahole off.


Ahhhmmm, I have no idea what you're talking about.

The real question is where does it rate on the "Painkiller Comedy Scale" HERE? The loss of an "ahole" has got to be up there.

BTW MoPaul are you an investigator of some sort in real life? You're good dude.


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## scottyt (Jul 19, 2008)

MorganPaul said:


> But my gut instinct says SiamSailer and blurbear are the same person.
> 
> They both start there posts with Dear and end it with regards. And they both use parentheses in there posts.


paul i dont see too many similarities with how they write besides the dear and regards thing. siam makes much longer sentences with a few comma's blur writes shorter sentences. now one thing i will say that kind of agrees with you in on trip advisor siam capitalizes every letter of scuba, and blur did the same thing here.

but as a internet attack this is going great for siam, the first 5 hits that you get on goggle on deiter ( sp wrong on purpose ) are this thread and trip advisor.

i think the mods need to add a few spaces in to deiters name and the name of his boat just to get google to stop linking to this thread


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

Another post by Siam

Could this be another hit and run ?
Or is it true ?

The quote below was found here :

Low price Catamarans - Boat Design Forums



> siam sailor Join Date: Aug 2008
> Rep: 10 Posts: 2
> Location: asia
> 
> ...


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## imagine2frolic (Aug 7, 2008)

Siam seems to be an easy take. Everybody in the world is screwing him. Maybe he needs to learn how to make smart decisions, and grow up becoming responsible for his own actions. Kind of sounds like a cry baby to me.:laugher .......*i2f*

& thanks for going easy on us old fat guys.........


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## legarots (Jun 9, 2009)

MorganPaul said:


> Here is another opinion of the captain and his yacht.
> 
> From here :
> 
> Sy Nakamal Catamaran Saing Cruise - Reviews, Photos - Life in Paradise - TripAdvisor


I'd also like to point out, that this positive review of the captain, came from a member of TripAdvisor since Aug 2007. This member has made some previous posts that seem believable to me.

The TripAdvisor post from SiamSpearo is his only post, and he just joined TripAdvisor this month. That post was made a couple days prior to him starting this thread.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

What fun would that be for him???


imagine2frolic said:


> Siam seems to be an easy take. Everybody in the world is screwing him. Maybe he needs to learn how to make smart decisions, and grow up becoming responsible for his own actions. Kind of sounds like a cry baby to me.:laugher .......*i2f*
> 
> & thanks for going easy on us old fat guys.........


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

Can anybody comment on "The effectiveness of Solar & Wind"?


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

*More of my life spent...*

Wow, I can't believe I actually read this entire thread! It's kind of like driving by an accident, ya just gotta slow down and see if here is any blood on the road :-(

Well that's a few minutes of my life I'll never get back, so I mite as well compound the original error by posting a completely useless reply.

Anyone else going to Block Island Race Week? It probably won't be as much fun as a trip to Thailand to charter a boat with a allegedly drunk skipper, but heck, I suppose I could drink myself. Hard to win a race that way, but ya never know. Maybe I can get that captain to come crew for me. If the story is fake, maybe I'll have a good crew member. If the story is true, now THAT would be fun!


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

As long as you feel just a bit safer jarch - that's all that counts.


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## NCountry (May 25, 2006)

I'm sorry...this thread was all my fault. I tried networking my autopilot and chart plotter to my blender, sausage grinder and a time machine I recently invented. The flux capacitor became overloaded when I failed to synchronize the transistors with the network modulator.
The whole thing got confusing when the darn thing turned into a small oriental bartender capable of mixing a drink that created a time portal. I've been chasing the bartender through the time continuim for 2 months in your time now.
The good news is I've lost about 40 pounds and my hair is starting to grow back. Please be warned that if you own a 12 volt blender it could start humping your solar stick. If this happens disconnect your batteries as this will be the only way to disarm your autopilot.
Sorry for the confusion.....
(yes, you can believe everything you read on the internet. This post is absolutely 100% true.)


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

NC - here's your new avatar:


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## NCountry (May 25, 2006)

hahaha....you're just picking on my cause I'm short as this guy!


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## captainalf (Apr 8, 2010)

*Clarification of this issue by someone who knows Nakamal and Dieter*

Reading through this thread, I have to say that this is the only forum whose members have really tried to get to the bottom of the story. On most of the other forums where Craig McPhillmey/siamsailor/siamspearo/worldtraveller/bluebear etc. was conducting his smear campaign, the allegations against Dieter and Nakamal were a lot less scrutinized. Thanks for that.

I'm running a yachtcharter company/agency in Thailand which is featuring Nakmal among other boats of which we are sure to deliver the best service and value/price ratio available in Thailand. 
Among the customers we found for Nakamal was the italian couple who wrote the first review for Nakamal on Trip Advisor. All other customers we found for Nakmal so far have given a completely positive feedback about their cruise with Dieter and his wife Ah (to ensure the quality of our charters we are contacting all our clients after the cruise to give us a feedback).

...to be continued( I just read that I have to have two posts if I want to put pics and links in and these are necessary to draw the picture)


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

captainalf said:


> Reading through this thread, I have to say that this is the only forum whose members have really tried to get to the bottom of the story. On most of the other forums where Craig McPhillmey/siamsailor/siamspearo/worldtraveller/bluebear etc. was conducting his smear campaign, the allegations against Dieter and Nakamal were a lot less scrutinized. Thanks for that.


The guy was on bombing mission. He came here dropped a load and than ran. 
It whold be nice if siam or bluebear came back to answer some quustions.

BTW welcome to SN.

Paul


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## scottyt (Jul 19, 2008)

i swear i have read the bluebear name some where


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

MorganPaul said:


> The guy was on bombing mission. He came here dropped a load and than ran.
> It whold be nice if siam or bluebear came back to answer some quustions.
> 
> BTW welcome to SN.
> ...


Hey MoPaul - 'sup dude?


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

smackdaddy said:


> Hey MoPaul - 'sup dude?


Not much man. SOS 
Hey do me yourself a favor and get a new pair of glasses :laugher :laugher.

Hey,...captainalf could be a prankster or he might even be siam.

Either way it could be entertaining.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

These ARE new! I paid $200 bucks extra to have them custom-cracked! 

Not enough FC these days! Heh-heh.


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

This could be captainalf.

From this site :

Sailing Thailand - Profile - Island Cruises - Koh Tao - Gulf of Thailand










This guy does not drink much beer.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Or it could be someone pretending to be him. As for the beer... he could have the metabolism of a rabid ferret on meth...


MorganPaul said:


> This could be captainalf.
> 
> From this site :
> 
> ...


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

That's hilarious.


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## captainalf (Apr 8, 2010)

*continued clarification of this issue by someone who knows Nakamal and Dieter*

...rather someone with the metabolism of a rabid feret on meth

to imagine2frolic: the answer to your private message was just eaten by the system - I can send PMs after min 5 posts but you can send me an e-mail over the web-site the other members have found me on.

Continuation:

You can imagine that I was quite surprised receiving an e-mail from Craig with all these allegations against Dieter, while he did not even book over my agency. I learned later, that the same e-mail was sent to every single charter agency which listed Nakamal.
The next move was, of course to contact Dieter and find out what was going on and who that lunatic was - knowing Dieter I did not believe most of it, but it's my job to find out.

Listening to Dieters story convinced me completely that this e-mail and the threads I soon discovered on the Internet was nothing more than a scam serving the admitted goal of Craig McPhillmey to destroy Dieter and his business with his yacht Nakamal.

In this forum the question was already brought up, why Craig is searching for help in a forum instead of reporting to the authorities. 
The reason is, he tried already but failed. After Craig and his cronies were dropped off at Port Blair they contacted the authorities and alleged Dieter among others of espionage and photographing Indian warships. The authorities ordered Dieter via SSB (which he was obviousely able to operate without siamsailor  ) to sail back 80 nm to Port Blair to investigate the case. Upon arrival the yacht was boarded by police, customs and immigration conducting a search to find evidence for the allegations brought up against Dieter. 
Unfortunately for Craig the outcome was not really what he was hoping for. Instead of photos of Indian warships they found nice pics of Craig and his cronies conducting illegal activities. Spearfishing is actually illegal in the Andamans. 
The outcome was dropping the case against Dieter, extending his visa and put Craig and the other scumbags with a never come back ticket on the next plane out.:laugher

So you will ask: Why all this hatred and how did it come to such a horrible relation between captain and customer?

...to be continued


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## JimHawkins (Aug 25, 2006)

I'm glad I stayed tuned in. This is fascinating.


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## bloodhunter (May 5, 2009)

wondering whether we should just wait for the movie??


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

The title could be...

"Aaaaa Phuket"


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

Hey Alf maybe you could get Dieter here to post his side of the story, first hand.

Someone on the forum at the link below tried to do a hit and run on siamspearo and got banned.

Was it you or Dieter ?

***** [EDITED TITLE oF LINK]


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

This quote from SiamSailor can be found on the link below.

The cuss word and phone number have been taken out.



> It just pisses me off when you Internet nerds get your virtual knickers in a twist and start typing away like there is no tomorrow and cum as you hit the submit button!!
> IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE GUY AND SPEAK TO HIM FACE TO FACE AND STOP BEING PUSSIES ABOUT IT, POSTING ON RANDOM WEBSITES ABOUT PEOPLES PRIVATE LIVES IS OUT OF LINE AND DISGUSTS ME, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. MOST IMPOTENTLY STOP INVOLVING HP! AN HONEST LOT, I WISH THERE WERE MORE LIKE EM IN HH. DECENT PEOPLE ARE AS RARE AS ROCKING HORSE **** THESE DAYS, SO STOP PUTTING THEM DOWN!!!!
> IN CASE YOU WANT TO TALK TO ME MY MOBILE IS *****IN CASE YOU WANT TO REPLY VIA EMAIL, ENJOY CAUSE I'M GETTING BACK TO MY LIFE AND WONT BE READING EM ANYWAYS.
> Craig


The link is here.

Problems in paradise for foreign property buyers - Monsters and Critics


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## captainalf (Apr 8, 2010)

Hello Morgan Paul,

hit and run is not really one of our strategies, not to mention the vocabulary used for the screen name. Following your link in the second post it seems, that this person just copy pasted a statement from Craig of 2008.


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## SailorsForever (Apr 10, 2010)

This is just unbelivable1 On my search for the NY Nakamal I've come across this defamation of captain Dieter and his boat. Following it up i found the same story posted under different pseudonyms in very different variations all over the net. The trip duration in these descriptions vary from 3 to 10 days, once it says the captain was on drugs while diving another time he was just talking about drugs or was he explaining nitrogen narcosis with a 'bad example' ? All these threats are amusingly posted under different names and with variations but all dated around the same time; it's a joke! 

Anyway, no captain could be as long in business and having so many happy customers with these accusations being true. All things being equal, i agree with Tager and I think this threat should be removed. .... and just to say, when I'm back from Chicago, i will book Nakamal anyway because it's a good offer and i don't like defaming people! 

What I found more believable is the part with the spear fishing. - SiamSailor has left this out in his OP - It seems that captain Dieter wasn't all too fund on his guests killing everything that moved or stood still underwater. I also don't like people who kill just for fun and I don't think they are trustworthy either.....


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## MorganPaul (Sep 16, 2008)

SailorsForever said:


> What I found more believable is the part with the spear fishing. - SiamSailor has left this out in his OP - It seems that captain Dieter wasn't all too fund on his guests killing everything that moved or stood still underwater. I also don't like people who kill just for fun and I don't think they are trustworthy either.....


Do you know Deiter ? If not. How do you know he is not too fond on his guests killing everything that moved or stood still underwater ?


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## captainalf (Apr 8, 2010)

*continued clarification of this issue by someone who knows Nakamal and Dieter*

Dieter has so far not posted anything on the internet concerning this issue. He has sent a rebuttal to the agencies who have received the beforementioned e-mail from Craig and has contacted his customers with the request to post their experiences with Nakamal in answer to the numerous threads with allegations against him posted by Craig.
Dieter is just leaving port with guests from my yachtcharter agency. You can easily confirm my identity by sending an e-mail through a contact form on my web-site.

The only reason that I have time for this is, that my boat Freedom Fargo is under repair which gives me some very unwanted free time (I normally would be now in Ang Thong with my customers marvelling at the natural beauty of this national park).

Anyway, to save me some work I will just copy paste part of Dieters rebuttal to the case with some additional pics:

Rebuttal in respect of false and malicious allegations directed at Dieter Dongphragan and his vessel SY "Nakamal".

Many friends and acquaintances have contacted me in the past few days regarding the malicious email vendetta currently being leveled at me by Craig McPhilimey, Luca Esposito and Stephan Cuglieri. Many of you have said that the attack appears to be spiteful but nevertheless I am sure there are many of you who wonder what could spark off such a concerted vendetta (I certainly have spent the past few days pondering this question). If you have any doubt as to the extent of this vendetta you need only Google my name or that of my catamaran "Nakamal". Internet aliases used by the trio include SiamSpearo, Siam Sailor , Blue Bear, World Traveller and Spear fishing France.

In order to fully understand why Craig Mc Philimey would find the need to co-ordinate such a widespread attack on me you would need to know Craig Mc Philimey the man as well as have some understanding of the conflict between us. I am unable to offer any worthwhile insight into the man as I barely know him. However, I can provide some insight into why there was conflict on this recent cruise. I apologise for the need to go into so much detail but feel the only way to try to provide some understanding of the matter is to give some insight into the conflict onboard and then leave it to you to draw your own conclusions.

Background:

The matter in question arises from a recent cruise to the Andaman Islands onboard my vessel sy Nakamal. Parties onboard include my wife, 5 guests and me. Co-ordination of the guest party was conducted by Craig Mc Philimey who advised that three of their group ( himself, Stephan Cuglieri and Luca Esposito) were very keen spear fishermen who hoped to make some deep water record catches. As this was my first trip to the Andaman Islands I informed Craig that I was eager that the trip should also be a bit of a holiday for my wife and I and in this regard I provided substantial discount to Craig and his group to reflect this arrangement.

Late start:

The trip was originally scheduled to commence on the 24th February 2010 with a planned return to Phuket on the 11th March 2010. Unfortunately due to medical reasons (removal of tumour on my finger) and what turned out to be a minor water ingress problem on the boat, the start date was postponed by 2 days. The medical delay was notified to the group prior to their arrival in Phuket.

Conflict 1:

The first instance of conflict arose during the day of the 25th when I informed Craig that we would have to delay departure until the following day in order to investigate and rectify water ingress through a rudder shaft. Craig's attitude was very abusive and confrontational insisting we should leave that night as they were losing valuable diving time. For safety reasons I had no intention of leaving Phuket until such time as the water ingress problem was rectified but Craig was not prepared to accept my reasoning. The exchange became extremely heated and eventually I told Craig that if he wasn't prepared to accept my reasons for delaying departure then we should cancel the trip and I would refund monies paid by his party ( Craig's volatile outburst was witnessed by an independent third party Brent McInnes of the Sand Bar Ao Chalong ). Later that day Craig apologised to me for his behaviour and by early the following morning the water problem had been satisfactorily resolved allowing Nakamal to leave port at 0900 hrs

The crossing to Andaman Islands was smooth and uneventful and after clearing in at Port Blair we set off for Barren Island.

Conflict 2 :

The second point of conflict was related to the spear fishing activities of Craig Stephan and Luca. In total we were anchored off Barren Island for a total of 5 days. As mentioned before my understanding was that the group were all keen and experienced spear fishermen in search of deep water record pelagic catches. It became obvious early on that the group were more intent on shooting anything and everything that came into sight. By the end of the second day we already had more than enough fish onboard to last the rest of the trip. On a number of occasions I raised this matter as I felt the fishing activities were mindless and destructive as we had no more room onboard to refrigerate further catches and being anchored off an uninhabited Island there was no opportunity to pass on any excess catch to local people. The group continued to spear fish which we had previously agreed were not good eating. In a discussion with Craig on this topic I was told that they needed target practice in advance of the big fish and on another occasion was told by Stephan "I'm a spear fishermen I shoot anything I see". I considered their fishing activities to be mindless and there were many heated discussions on this issue between me and the fishing group.

Conflict 3:

As mentioned before the arrangements for the trip were conducted on the basis of it also being a holiday for me and my wife. The three man fishing team would daily disappear with the dinghy early in the morning leaving me my wife and the other 2 guests stranded onboard Nakamal wondering when they would return. This issue was discussed and it was agreed that the spear fishing group would dive early in the morning and then return so that others onboard could make use of the dinghy. While this arrangement worked to some extent it was not without conflict as the fishing group seemed hell bent on spending every possible moment shooting fish.

Conflict 4:

By the third day the anchorage at Barren Island was becoming uncomfortable as weather conditions deteriorated. The original plan was for three days at Barren Island and then move to Narcondam Island however the fishing group were adamant that we should remain at Barren Island as they didn't want to lose valuable diving time traveling to another Island. I was personally keen to see more of the islands and by going to Narcondam we would at least have the opportunity of giving excess fish to the local inhabitants as clearly the fishing trio had no intention of reducing their fishing activities despite the fact that we had no more available storage onboard. By this time I was tired of trying to reason with the fishing group so I relented to stay at Barren Island despite the fact that the anchorage had become extremely uncomfortable and the motion of the boat at anchor causing some to be sea sick.

Conflict 5:

On the fifth day the spear fishing party had again set off at sunrise and the weather conditions were worsening. As normal they returned to Nakamal later than agreed and shortly thereafter the dinghy painter ripped the deck cleat from the hull ( the fishing trio had not secured the dinghy as previously instructed to them). It was clear that the weather conditions were such that we should leave and look for a suitable more protected anchorage. Craig and the others refused to leave Barren Island as they believed it offered the best fishing opportunities and felt I only wanted to move the boat to put an end to their fishing activities. He made such an issue that against my better judgement and tired from the confrontation I finally relented and agreed to stay at anchor providing the conditions improved ( it seemed as though I had no other choice). In the early hours of the following day (approx 3am) I was awoken by the boats movements straining on the anchor. I went on deck and decided that conditions had worsened and that we should leave as soon as possible. Andrew another guest sleeping on deck was awake at this time and agreed that the conditions were worsening. I woke the others and informed them that we had to leave and that they should store their equipment lying on the deck. Craig again became offensive accusing me of breaking my promise but at no time taking cognisance of my reasons for leaving what was now an extremely uncomfortable anchorage. I advise that the weather had worsened since we last spoke and that as Captain of the vessel it was my decision and my responsibility on whether or not it was safe to remain in the anchorage. I continued to get the boat ready and finally when securing the dinghy onboard the wind suddenly died and conditions improved. I told the guests that it appeared as though the bad weather had passed and assuming it remained that way we could remain in the anchorage for a final days activities.

Having gone back to sleep I was later awoken by heavy footsteps on deck. I went to investigate and found the spear fishing team packing their equipment. I asked what was happening and they told me they wanted to return immediately to Port Blair so they could get off the ship as I had ruined their holiday. I asked where Craig was and was told he was still sleeping and I should hope that he slept for a long time as Craig was going to kill me when he woke up.

On the way back to Port Blair passing Sir Hugh Rose Island the party asked if we could stop at the island to relax and swim. We took the dinghy ashore and some of the group went to the beach for a few hours. On return to the boat I advised that we would take a few hours sleep and then leave for Port Blair later in the night affording an early daylight arrival in Port Blair. The spear fishing trio immediately put up resistance and demanded to go back to Port Blair immediately. Like most skippers for safety reasons I prefer to make landfalls wherever possible during daylight hours however by this time I was tired of trying to reason with Craig so we left as soon as possible for Port Blair.

Conflict 6:

We returned to Port Blair arriving sometime around 9pm at night whereupon the guests packed their bags and Craig advised me that all other guests were leaving the boat and that he would stay onboard and I was to bring him back to Thailand immediately. By this time relations between myself and Craig were untenable as he was not happy to accept any decisions made by the Captain of the vessel he seemed to have the attitude that it's my holiday so I will make the decisions onboard. I told Craig that given his attitude onboard I was not in agreement to taking him back to Thailand but that I would transport his equipment. At this Craig jumped up and head butted me on the nose all the while ranting and threatening me while grabbing me by the throat. During this exchange Craig threatened to destroy me and my business.

Conclusion:

In answer to the question was their any conflict onboard the answer is obviously yes. From my viewpoint I was not happy with:

1. Craig not prepared to accept any decision making from the skipper if that decision had any impact on his spear fishing time ( e.g. His attitude when advised we needed to delay commencement of the trip in order to rectify and investigate water ingress through one rudder shaft and his attitude to my desire for moving the boat when conditions became extremely uncomfortable at Barren Island).

2. I was not happy with the fishing trios spear fishing activities which I considered to be mindless and destructive and contrary to the agreement prior to the start of the trip that no fish caught would go to waste.

3. Craig's unwarranted physical assault on me upon return to Port Blair when I refused to take him back to Thailand onboard Nakamal.

So far so good, this is the end of the quoted txt.


























On the second pic you see the catch of the day for 7 people. This is 
about 60 kg of fish of which about 57kg are going to waste! The yacht 
was anchored off an uninhabited island so no chance of giving the fish 
away to other people! Nakamal is not a fish trawler!
Those guys were slaughtering every day a similar amount of fish and 
forced the captain to stay on that anachorage even when the weather 
conditions became dangerous blaming Dieter that he only wanted to 
leave to stop them killing more fish.
I'm a spearfisher myself. but I never shot more than what can be 
consumed without rotting away. I'm deeply disgusted looking at those 
pics (I've got a lot more of them) thinking about how these rascals 
can intimidate a man almost double their age to do things against his 
better judgement and then when he finally decided enough is enough to 
even assault him.
What Dieter really can be blamed for is not getting rid of those guys after the second day on Barren island.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

JimHawkins said:


> I'm glad I stayed tuned in. This is fascinating.


I have completely lost track of the players. Someone should produce a program - ya can't tell the players without a program!

Never mind a movie, I'll wait for the cliff notes.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Sounds like the three, Craig McPhilimey, Luca Esposito and Stephan Cuglieri, are real pieces of work...


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## vega1860 (Dec 18, 2006)

Wow! Even if you split the difference and give both the benefit of the doubt I think I would be on the side of the Captain on this one.


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## UncleJim (Jul 27, 2009)

MorganPaul said:


> It appears you have had issues in the past.
> 
> Prices For The Andaman Safari - Spearboard Spearfishing Community
> 
> ...


What's amazing to me is the when the shoe was on the other foot, aka MP's first post with links to the spearboard fourm


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