Needs Repair

[+candyman905]

I just started playing and I am HOOKED.I come across containers that are cracked or falling apart. Is it okay to fix or replace these? Or is it the owners?

[+NanCycle]

I just started playing and I am HOOKED.I come across containers that are cracked or falling apart. Is it okay to fix or replace these? Or is it the owners?

 

It's really the owner's responsibility. But if there have been a string of NM logs, it's clear that the owner is not going to take care of it. If there haven't been any NM posts, your job it to let the owner know there's a problem by posting the NM and your responsibility ends with that NM post.

 

That said, it is generally a nice thing to do to make repairs if you can, or to replace the container, especially if the cache is in a remote area.

[+ngrrfan]

I just started playing and I am HOOKED.I come across containers that are cracked or falling apart. Is it okay to fix or replace these? Or is it the owners?

IMHO... minor field repairs are OK. Major repairs or replacement of a container is up to the CO.

[+The_Incredibles_]

The owner should be doing this. If they dont seem to be around you can replace if you like but probably best to post a Needs Maintenance followed by a Needs Archived if theres no action in 1 month.

[+Mudfrog]

I just started playing and I am HOOKED.I come across containers that are cracked or falling apart. Is it okay to fix or replace these? Or is it the owners?

IMHO... minor field repairs are OK. Major repairs or replacement of a container is up to the CO.

 

+1. Helping out with repairs on an ordinary container is a nice thing to do. Replacing a wet or full log is usually a nice jesture as well. But as was said above, it is the cache owner's responsibility to maintain so it's not something you're required to do.

 

I know you didn't ask about this but i thought i would add,,, please don't go to replacing what you think may be a missing cache without the cache owner's consent.

 

Edited to say,, Ooops, spelled gesture wrong.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Mudfrog

[Pup Patrol]

I just started playing and I am HOOKED.I come across containers that are cracked or falling apart. Is it okay to fix or replace these? Or is it the owners?

 

It's the owner's responsibility to maintain his/her cache.

 

Containers that are cracked / falling apart are major maintenance issues, as far as I'm concerned.

 

Post a "needs maintenance" log, in addition to your "found it" log, to make sure the owner is made aware of the situation.

 

 

B.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Pup Patrol

[+L0ne.R]

If it's the Lone Star cache, the owner is active. Someone mentioned the hole in the cache on 11/14/2012. There's a NM on the cache placed back on 11/25/2012. Another mention of the broken cache on 12/9/2012. Again on 01/27/2013, 01/29/2013, 02/28/2013, 07/02/2013 and finally your log. Personally, I would post another NM (in our area 3 NMs gets a reviewer's attention). Then I'd put a 'Watch' on the cache, in a month I would post an NA. The NA notice gets emailed to the reviewer (NMs don't). The reviewer will post a 'reviewer note' and that usually gets a cache owner's attention.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Löne R

[+dprovan]

Personally, I would post another NM (in our area 3 NMs gets a reviewer's attention). Then I'd put a 'Watch' on the cache, in a month I would post an NA. The NA notice gets emailed to the reviewer (NMs don't). The reviewer will post a 'reviewer note' and that usually gets a cache owner's attention.

If the cache needs to be archived, then post a needs archived log. Don't depend on special behavior by your local reviewer to cause the archive you want to happen. The NA does get the reviewer's attention, but it also gets the CO's attention, unless they're ready to let it go.

 

To the OP: I don't fix them. I normally let nature take its course. If it needs maintenance or archived, I just say so and let the CO deal with it, although I'm always happy to help if asked.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I just started playing and I am HOOKED.I come across containers that are cracked or falling apart. Is it okay to fix or replace these? Or is it the owners?

 

Its more than O.K., the owner will really appreciate it.

I just got back from vacation and replaced 60 containers and a couple hundred logs.....it works well to carry a bag of logs in the truck ( I print them out myself and put them in small ziplocks which you can get at craft stores) and I carry an assortment of containers as well.

Do you have to, no....but its a nice thing to do.

[+J Grouchy]

Personally, I would post another NM (in our area 3 NMs gets a reviewer's attention). Then I'd put a 'Watch' on the cache, in a month I would post an NA. The NA notice gets emailed to the reviewer (NMs don't). The reviewer will post a 'reviewer note' and that usually gets a cache owner's attention.

If the cache needs to be archived, then post a needs archived log. Don't depend on special behavior by your local reviewer to cause the archive you want to happen. The NA does get the reviewer's attention, but it also gets the CO's attention, unless they're ready to let it go.

 

To the OP: I don't fix them. I normally let nature take its course. If it needs maintenance or archived, I just say so and let the CO deal with it, although I'm always happy to help if asked.

 

Yeah, I'm not inclined to go to any trouble. Only twice have I added paper...once when the existing log was too wet to sign and once when there was no space and I couldn't bear to claim the find without signing somewhere.

[+L0ne.R]

I just started playing and I am HOOKED.I come across containers that are cracked or falling apart. Is it okay to fix or replace these? Or is it the owners?

 

Its more than O.K., the owner will really appreciate it.

I just got back from vacation and replaced 60 containers and a couple hundred logs.....it works well to carry a bag of logs in the truck ( I print them out myself and put them in small ziplocks which you can get at craft stores) and I carry an assortment of containers as well.

Do you have to, no....but its a nice thing to do.

 

In this case though, wouldn't it enable the cache owner to continue to ignore his caches? S/He has ignored this one for 8 months.

 

[+The VanDucks]

We just got back from a trip to a rural area where there were some caches that needed new logs or had problems with containers. (Before the trip, I added them to a "bookmark" list where I could write notes for each cache, this info not shared publicly, of course.)

 

I did replace logs in two, and put a new container into one cache, where the original container had succumbed to the elements. In each case, I sent an email to the cache owner, as well as noting in my online log what I had replaced. When I replace a log, if there's not room to leave the old one, I always keep the old log for a while and email the owner to say I will mail it to them if they want it. (No one has ever asked for the old log, though!) If a container is just cracked or leaky, I put the contents and log into a new zip-loc baggie; I carry a supply of different sizes in my caching bag.

 

This trip was the first time I had ever replaced the whole container, but the cache was such a good one that I couldn't resist making it findable again. The cache owner posted such a nice note, and also emailed me, to say how great it is for cachers to help each other. When you've played the game for many years, as we have (since 2006) you do feel that doing kind deeds for other cachers is the right way to play. We've benefited from other cachers doing the same for us!

[+Don_J]

If it's the Lone Star cache, the owner is active. Someone mentioned the hole in the cache on 11/14/2012. There's a NM on the cache placed back on 11/25/2012. Another mention of the broken cache on 12/9/2012. Again on 01/27/2013, 01/29/2013, 02/28/2013, 07/02/2013 and finally your log. Personally, I would post another NM (in our area 3 NMs gets a reviewer's attention). Then I'd put a 'Watch' on the cache, in a month I would post an NA. The NA notice gets emailed to the reviewer (NMs don't). The reviewer will post a 'reviewer note' and that usually gets a cache owner's attention.

 

If I found a cache that was in disrepair and then saw that there were seven notices about it in nine months, I'd simply post a NA log. Plenty of time has passed. I don't need to start my own personal waiting period.

[+Don_J]

I just started playing and I am HOOKED.I come across containers that are cracked or falling apart. Is it okay to fix or replace these? Or is it the owners?

 

Its more than O.K., the owner will really appreciate it.

I just got back from vacation and replaced 60 containers and a couple hundred logs.....it works well to carry a bag of logs in the truck ( I print them out myself and put them in small ziplocks which you can get at craft stores) and I carry an assortment of containers as well.

Do you have to, no....but its a nice thing to do.

 

That's sad. Why didn't you just offer to adopt all those caches and maintain them for the duration? It's a good guess that for the majority of those caches, all you did was delay the inevitable.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I just started playing and I am HOOKED.I come across containers that are cracked or falling apart. Is it okay to fix or replace these? Or is it the owners?

 

Its more than O.K., the owner will really appreciate it.

I just got back from vacation and replaced 60 containers and a couple hundred logs.....it works well to carry a bag of logs in the truck ( I print them out myself and put them in small ziplocks which you can get at craft stores) and I carry an assortment of containers as well.

Do you have to, no....but its a nice thing to do.

 

That's sad. Why didn't you just offer to adopt all those caches and maintain them for the duration? It's a good guess that for the majority of those caches, all you did was delay the inevitable.

 

No need to adopt....the cache owners were active.....we just gave a hand to folks who were kind enough to put out a lot of caches.

The inevitable will happen with caches as well as people. A fresh container and log will continue to provide fun for dozens of finders for another couple of years.

Again, its not something that is required.....if anyone feels geocaching benefits more from logging a NA or NM on such caches , and there is no cache for folks to find the next day , by all means do so. Its my opinion the game benefits from keeping caches in play.