There have been a number of comments about the abandoned yacht that drifted for three months to be salvaged off Antigua. This is from US reader Ginny Jones:

‘Thanks for bringing this egregious situation to the yachting public’s attention. Why did the couple leave the boat at all? Couldn’t they have attempted some repairs?

‘They should have taken some preventative measures, and then, if dismasted, they could have jury rigged a rig and kept sailing. Why is the headsail set and flying? If you are abandoning your vessel wouldn’t you put everything away and furl the sails? Were they just tired of sailing, or rethinking their passage?

‘And we all wonder why we have trouble getting insurance, or if we do have insurance why we have to sign away our first born to get permission for a transoceanic passage, and/or pay an enormous premium.

‘Folks have forgotten the age old advice about stepping up into the liferaft rather than abandoning ship at the first hint (only a hint, mind you) of a problem.’

Other comments always welcome.