Eastbourne lifeboat tried to assist French yacht for 9 hours

[Concerto]

A Fench yacht travelling from Le Harve to Cherbourg ended up 15 miles off Eastbourne with no navigation lights as it was dark and making little way. The Eastbourne lifeboat was launched to assist but the owner refused help, but to allow him to slowly cross the shipping lanes until daybreak the lifeboat remained on guard. The shout lasted 9 hours.
Long night for RNLI as lone yachtsman refuses assistance in shipping lanes

 

[[178529]]

There's always two sides to a story. Perhaps he didn't feel he needed help as he was able to get back on his own? Perhaps the 100m warp was to try to help the motion in the strong winds and waves?

I've told this before but around 15 years ago I was anchored for lunch at the mouth of the crouch rafted against my wife's cousin's boat that sported a long bowsprit. Anyway at the end of the lunch when we cast off I stupidly caught the shrouds in the bowsprit at a coouple of knots and the mast on our 24 foot cruiser racer came straight down. Not to worry, I was with my Son and we pulled everything back onto the coach roof, tied everything neatly and when sure nothing was dragging started the engine and headed back to our mooring a couple of miles away on the Roach. We had an emergency aeriel and as a matter of courtesy, called the coastguard, making clear we didn't need any help but that if they got any calls from other yachts about a dismasted yacht, not to worry. Anyway 5 minutes later and the D class lifeboat from Burnham turned up. Very friendly and even though we told them we were fine they said they had to shadow us back to our mooring. Anyway a couple of days later in the Burnham Chronicle there was a story about how the Burnham lifeboat had saved the lives of 2 souls and rescued us and towed us back in. Ever since then i've taken some of the stories with a pinch of salt.

 

[sailorman]

There's always two sides to a story. Perhaps he didn't feel he needed help as he was able to get back on his own? Perhaps the 100m warp was to try to help the motion in the strong winds and waves?

I've told this before but around 15 years ago I was anchored for lunch at the mouth of the crouch rafted against my wife's cousin's boat that sported a long bowsprit. Anyway at the end of the lunch when we cast off I stupidly caught the shrouds in the bowsprit at a coouple of knots and the mast on our 24 foot cruiser racer came straight down. Not to worry, I was with my Son and we pulled everything back onto the coach roof, tied everything neatly and when sure nothing was dragging started the engine and headed back to our mooring a couple of miles away on the Roach. We had an emergency aeriel and as a matter of courtesy, called the coastguard, making clear we didn't need any help but that if they got any calls from other yachts about a dismasted yacht, not to worry. Anyway 5 minutes later and the D class lifeboat from Burnham turned up. Very friendly and even though we told them we were fine they said they had to shadow us back to our mooring. Anyway a couple of days later in the Burnham Chronicle there was a story about how the Burnham lifeboat had saved the lives of 2 souls and rescued us and towed us back in. Ever since then i've taken some of the stories with a pinch of salt.

A former high Ranking Navel Officer was forcibly rescued on passage Ijmuiden > Harwich a few yrs ago, he was s/h in a Red Fox, i believe he received an apology

 

[lustyd]

A business like the RNLI with their massive marketing budget needs statistics to talk about. Having seen them in action on many occasions I'd guess around 80% of their "rescues" are forced on the victims. Don't get me wrong, I'd be glad they are there when I need them, and I do donate, but I don't think their attitude is healthy in a lot of cases. FWIW I was once forcably rescued by them too on a Sunsail yacht in the solent. The engine had broken down and we notified the coastguard and ferry that we'd be sailing in to Pool Harbour entrance but were perfectly happy under sail. 5 minutes later there were men jumping on board and taking the wheel. I was happier under sail

 

[LadyInBed]

I've come to the conclusion that I will not transmit 'information' calls to the CG apart from passage information and save the call for when I need help.

 

[Juan Twothree]

Having seen them in action on many occasions I'd guess around 80% of their "rescues" are forced on the victims.

I think you're guessing wrong then. I've been lifeboating for the best part of 30 years, and taken part in around 1200 calls, and the only instances I'm aware of where people have apparently been rescued against their will have been those that I've read about on this forum. It's more a case of 80% of our calls come from the casualty themselves i.e. actual requests for assistance, to the CG.

We have, though, had plenty of cases of yotties who have requested help, sometimes by means of a Mayday, but then once safely ashore in the Yacht Club bar have insisted that they were fine all along, and could have got themselves out of trouble without any interference from the RNLI.

The only time we forcibly rescue people against their will is when they have entered the water with the apparent intention of taking their own life.

 

[lustyd]

Well it stands to reason that you don't think there's a problem, and it would be very weird for someone to not be polite in that situation - I certainly was. That doesn't mean you're not forcing rescue on people either and certainly doesn't mean there's a problem someone later denied. I agree with Ladyinbed, I won't now call in with information, and I suspect a lot are in the same boat, so there's a good chance the RNLI are putting lives in danger by this gung ho attitude since had we not had these issues we'd continue calling in useful information which might become a real emergency. You'll now only hear from me in a full mayday situation which might well be too late.

 

[Juan Twothree]

I won't now call in with information, and I suspect a lot are in the same boat, so there's a good chance the RNLI are putting lives in danger by this gung ho attitude since had we not had these issues we'd continue calling in useful information which might become a real emergency. You'll now only hear from me in a full mayday situation which might well be too late.

Gung ho attitude? I think you're directing your anger in the wrong direction.

Nearly all lifeboat launches follow a request to do so from the CG, and our acceptance (or not) of that launch request is based on the information we are given at the time.

If you feel that the original tasking of a lifeboat was inappropriate or unnecessary, then that is something that needs to be taken up with the CG.

You can't complain about the RNLI responding to that request in good faith.

 

[FlyingGoose]

Me im just thankful we have brave lads and lassies willing to help others on the sea , without hesitation or critiques , we’ll done all And if there is any confusion on a rescue simply polite communication is the way forward

 

[cherod]

Me im just thankful we have brave lads and lassies willing to help others on the sea , without hesitation or critiques , we’ll done all And if there is any confusion on a rescue simply polite communication is the way forward

That of course is true , but not the whole story

 

[lustyd]

I'm thankful too, but without discussion and critique how would we determine whether it's a well run organisation in the public interest or a money making machine with great marketing? Several on this thread have highlighted issues and I'm certain all of us are thankful there are crews willing to go out and rescue in genuine emergencies. Polite communication clearly doesn't work - it's the core to the whole thread after all. If the coastguard are the issue then the RNLI would stand down when requested by the people they are trying to rescue. As mentioned by Moondancer the reality is they often proceed with the "rescue" and then make a headline out of it.
Why shouldn't we be able to have a grown up discussion about the failings of such an important organisation? Without criticism and feedback (and more importantly listening, rather than refuting) there's no way to improve and grow.

 

[[178529]]

Don't get me wrongi have no problem with the guys who came out and drove beside me. We had a very amicable chat on the way back as they trundled beside me. And I chuck money in the rnli pot whenever I can. I was just bemused the way they reported it afterwards.

 

[lustyd]

As I said, I also had polite conversation and often donate, I wasn't suggesting you were under duress etc. just using it as an example of where the CG didn't control that portion of the activity. The RNLI are not obliged to continue resuing people at the request of the CG if the skipper says they don't need help, neither are they obliged to do press releases extolling their heroic behaviour in such a situation.

 

[Biggles Wader]

From the other side of the event------If you inform the CG that there is an issue like a broken mast or engine problem and they then do nothing and a while later the little problem becomes serious and someone dies then the blame game begins. Thats why the CG is likely to ask the RNLI to attend. Indeed, any emergency service would far prefer to attend an incident and find no big issue rather than attend a coroner court and explain why they didnt.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Nearly all lifeboat launches follow a request to do so from the CG, and our acceptance (or not) of that launch request is based on the information we are given at the time.

As a matter of interest, how often do you decline?

 

[lustyd]

Biggles you're right of course, but when the skipper calmly explains that no help is required and what action they are taking that should be sufficient. All calls are recorded so there is no blame game to be had in that situation.

 

[penberth3]

....The only time we forcibly rescue people against their will is when they have entered the water with the apparent intention of taking their own life.

That does surprise me. Suicide isn't illegal, so how can you justify using force?

 

[Chae_73]

That does surprise me. Suicide isn't illegal, so how can you justify using force?

There is a duty to preserve life.

 

[penberth3]

There is a duty to preserve life.

If someone has made a decision to kill themselves, I don't think there is any "duty" to stop them. Using force would be assault.

 

[lustyd]

If that were the case we'd properly fund mental health services rather than relying on a charity to fish people out of rivers. The reality is more likely you can't determine why a person is drowning so it's better to fish them all out just in case since in that case it actually is clear they are drowning usually.