[sailgpc]

I just want to let other Captains be aware of a situation I just encountered on my last boat. A Broward 88' that was recently cruising Alaska from San Diego. I got hired with all the right intentions and promises, and after bringing the boat to Vancouver and having the owners and guests aboard for a total of 62 days aboard with 3 days off, well it seems that I was told to ask the existing crew (who had been on board for over 3 years, about the protocal of what the boat provides for the crew, ie toiletries, soaps, shaving blades and cream, food, , well you get the idea, but turning in receipts weekly. After being ordered by the owner to bring the boat out to sea in a gale, after a fire in the engine room, I informed the owner that we needed time to inspect the damages from the fire (water hose burst and wet all the electricals in the engine room ( burning contactors and wires) before we could safely head out to sea) he would have no part of it, and wanted me to motor down the Washington,Oregon and California coast in Gale conditions. I did the most prudent thing I could do, I resigned, stating my inability to put the boat and crew at risk. Next I know I am not getting my last paycheck, nor my accrued vacation pay, but to top it all off, I am informed that I am being charged with felonious convertion of boat funds for my private use! (The toiletries,crew food ,diet, etc. to the tune of the amount that he had owed me for my last paycheck and vacation pay!. It is now over a year later and I have had to retain a lawyer, this has cost me over $20,000, my monies owed me were$5,500., but the thing I had to fight for was my reputation, as I cannot get a job with a moniker of being a theif from my last employer. It seems that this owner had started looking for another crew two week prior and didn,t like the idea of anyone quiting on him!

if what you are saying is not one sided and is really how it was/is, that is messed up! to play the devils advocate though, here is some stuff that jumps out at me.....
no one employer should be enough to ruin you. if you left your other employers on good terms and have good references, then 1 accusing you of stealing should not be enough to do you in. especially if you were not even with them for very long.
another thing......you stated the crew has been there 3 years....most bad owners that i know of can not keep crew for 3 months much less 3 years!
what gives???