I realize that "Monday night quarterbacking" is frought with difficulties. Earthrace was proceeding at about 15 knots (reduced speed because of engine problems) at night, with crew which may have been fatigued. A flashing light was interupted as a beacon, rather than as a small craft. This small craft was run over, with loss of life and injury. The small fishing boats are not a problem just in Central America--it is almost universal that small boats-often glass, with an outboard so that the radar signature is small-- are used for fishing all over the world. We have had to stop, take evasive action and be aware of these vessels many times. It was not unusual that the crew of the small boat was sleeping--what was a bit remarkable was that there was any light on the boat (in our experience a light is the exception). So the question is--what could have avoided this collision? I'll confess that in voyaging vessels we rarely exceeded 8 knots--but if there was any question that a small vessel was ahead, a light seemed out of place etc. we either slowed or stopped the boat until we were sure. If only one of us were on watch, we would have a second watch stander on deck--often to the bow (if safe) to look and see what was there. Our postion was plotted (we didn't have the benefit of chart plotters, so a paper chart was used--but that gave us a reference point). We went slowly, one person watching the radar, and ahead, the other looking ahead. We would sound the air horn and sweep ahead with a light if it appeared that a target was near. Many times the boats we came upon had sleeping crew, and awoke when we sounded the air horn or put a light on the boat. In our voyages we have had to take evasive action in at least a dozen cases--most of these involved large ships which did not "see" us--despite a very bright white light on the mast head--62 feet high, plus running lights, and a decend radar signature. Our assumption was that many vessels were not really standing a proper watch. I can understand the other fishing boats being afraid of Earthrace--probably presumed to be a drug runner or military craft. Certainly the physician/crew on Earthrace saved the life of the fisherman they got out of the water. The collision must have been very substantial to bend 3/4 blades of the prop--plus??. The next question to me is communciations--was an EPRIB set off? What communication was instituded and with whom? Certinaly all forms of communciation should have been started--Marine SSB, Satellite, etc. Was AMVER alerted? Perhaps another issue was language. Finally medical care. I have lectured on this for many years--and am happy to furnish my suggestions for medical kit and training to an list members (as I have done a number of times in the past--please wait until the end of the week for requests; I will be back at home then and have the material). There is no way that even highly trained physician will cope with an injury such as this fisherman had short of an operating room. The saline certainly saved this fisherman's life. Yes, we carried Saline IV solutions--along with other gear. There is also no way that in a weekend, a week or even a month a layman will gain the experience necessary to do much beyond advanced first aid. I feel that a minimum of training is advanced firstaid, CPR (current), and other life support (if you have a defibrillator, then be certified regularly. Any of the Wilderness Medical Society courses are certainly excellent as are those given by merchant marine. I also advise that a couple take an EMT course at the local Junior college and then spend time on first responder unit to learn real life type of decision makinng. (All crew members should be first aid trained) My philosophy is that with good communication (and you may well want to have an established knowlegable physician "back home" available") and the proper supplies, that voyagers can handle the vast majority of medical emergencies which occur at sea. Unfortunately this is just one of those many skills one needs to learn before doing passagemaking. Although it may seem like "buy a boat and go"--the steps of learning skills and planing take a lot of time and effort. Bob Austin M D