Where you draw the line and refuse to operate is a matter of professional judgement. It's the classic superior pilot - superior judgement - avoids need for superior skill - debate. I'm glad that when I have to make it there is no commercial element!
As regards the skills of the rig safety vessel crews. The last time I saw this was August 2005 in the SNS when the crew of the Puttford Provider manouvered close enough to the very small sailing yacht Molly Louise to hold a voice conversation over their bow with the one person on board. As a result of that conversation they established that 3 people were in the water. They gave us a position to go to, and within 30 seconds of arrival there we found the people in the water - 2 recovered alive. Our crew collected several awards. I have always felt that Puttford Provider should have had more recognition. Their seamanship was first-rate. I felt that, had the job been close in under a rig, they could probably have done better than we could (given a 63 ft rotor diameter) in closing a survivor. To watch a very substantial vessel close on a tiny little yacht in seas around 15-20 ft without error was impressive.
Sven