A safe Harbour in a Storm

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Gludy

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In a situation where I boat has to run for cover from a storm to a port - is it possible for entry to the port to be refused in what is an emergency situation?

Are there any rules/practice/etc concerning this?
 
I Have Heard Of This Happening But If I Thought My Boat Or Crew Were In Danger I Would Go In Any Way, Safety First, Any Port In A Storm!!!!
 
Sometimes, the entrance to a port is more dangerous than out at sea.

Someone bought a boat from me in Devon, sailed it to some port just east of the Isle of Wight, and tried to get into the port ( it was blowing force 6, he'd been out for over 24 hours, and he was tired ). The harbour master told him to turn back, due to breaking waves on the sand bar at the entrance. He refused and got stuck on the sand bar. A life-boat pulled him back out to sea, and as soon as they let go the rope, he went back to the harbour, stuck on the sand bar again, and this time, the boat was broken in two. He survived.

I had survived several gales at sea in that boat, and it was perfectly sound. It could have survived more. He should have hove to, at sea - although I grant this is a little harder if you don't have sail!
 
In a nutshell yes, but only if the harbour authority considers there is greater danger in entering.

I have had to enter a private harbour as a yacht in distress (broken steering) they weren't happy but had to allow us entry.

On the Portuguese coasts subject to Atlantic swells ports are often closed, trouble is you are advised to contact them by radio before entry but I know of at least one incident where there was no clear English information available to an English skipper. He entered and encountered dangerous breaking seas in the entrance channel (the swell was in excess of 10m at sea) he made it through and was greeted by the police and arrested. For some time he was given the impression the boat would be impounded.
 
I would say that if the harbour or marina is privately owned they can do what they want. Certainly I've heard of boats being refused entry into marinas in the Med during a storm. In the Balearics in July/Aug there are far more boats at anchor than could possibly be accomodated in harbours and marinas. Personally, I've been towed out of a marina in Ibiza against my wishes when I could'nt start my engines and been unceremoniously dumped outside so I could well imagine the same marina refusing entry to incoming boats in a storm
 
All that is very interesting - I agree that entrances can be dangerous but if you need to escape before the storm hits you could enter sagely just to get sanctuary but I imagine sailing in a few hours before the storm maybe more of a problem for the harbour authorities.
 
I don't know that there are rules as such. We Brits have a tradition of helping other mariners in trouble but in other countries it's every man for himself
 
[ QUOTE ]
I don't know that there are rules as such. We Brits have a tradition of helping other mariners in trouble but in other countries it's every man for himself

[/ QUOTE ]

Absolutely Mike! It is the most important unwritten rule of the sea. I think even in foreign lands, most would go along with that? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
I'm not underestimating Brit traditions here, but imho it's rather a matter of being a 'sunday boater' rather than a proper mariner - regardless of the passport and the sea.
Re. regulations, isn't 'aid omission' (generally speaking, not only at sea) a criminal offense?
Now, if/how/when refusing the entrance in a marina can be qualified as aid omission, that's another matter.
But I suspect that under a declared emergency, and if those refusing the aid could not prove to have compelling reasons to do so, they do risk to be prosecuted.
 
Yes - all i know would go out of their way to help anyone in trouble at sea.
When i had left one port with a vessel waiting for my place as I left - the harbour master ensured that there was a place for me when I radioed in with a emergency and slowly made my way back to port.

Mind I seem to have had a few things go wrong at sea! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Well, a quick google shot returned this and other results, but to be honest I'm not so interested to investigate further...
In practice, if and when you'll be in trouble, what else can you do aside from hoping to find sensible people willing to help?
 
A quick google brought up this

The 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention) obliges the

“master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance, on receiving information from any source that persons are in distress at sea, is bound to proceed with all speed to their assistance, if possible informing them or the search and rescue service that the ship is doing so…”3

The 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR Convention) obliges State Parties to:

“…ensure that assistance be provided to any person in distress at sea… regardless of the nationality or status of such a person or the circumstances in which that person is found”… and to “provide for their initial medical or other needs , and deliver them to a place of safety.”4

On 1 July 2006, amendments to the SOLAS and SAR Conventions concerning the treatment of persons rescued at sea entered into force.5 The SOLAS amendments add to and clarify the existing obligations to provide assistance, adding the words: “This obligation to provide assistance applies regardless of the nationality or status of such persons or the circumstances in which they are found"

I think that might oblige state owned harbour authorities to provide shelter but where privately owned harbours stand I don't know
 
Its interesting because the maser of a privately owned boat/ship is obliged but it states nothing about the harbour.

The situation seems as I thought it was - regs applying to boats but the rest is not clear and relies on common sense not law ...... so my guess is that here is no specific law.

This means I have a weak case arriving in a little Cornish harbour two hours before the storm hits and whilst it is still calmish with a big cat and making sure I can stay there /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
. Personally, I've been towed out of a marina in Ibiza against my wishes when I could'nt start my engines and been unceremoniously dumped outside

[/ QUOTE ]
what!! I would like to hear the full story on that one. Did they just leave you adrift?
 
I and another boat were denied access to Camaes inner harbour once (mid1980's) as there wasn't enough room. As a NWly gale was due & the bay is very exposed I sought shelter under Wylfa head. The other boat anchored off the beach and was smashed to matchwood.

Swmbo, me & the kids (age 5 & 9) had a really bad night & went ashore in a cove the following day to escape the rolling (gunwhale to gunwhale) until the wind eased & we escaped in the afternoon (into a mere F6 and overfalls) to get into Holyhead for a night & day spent sleeping!

Not exactly an "emergency" in that the boat was in good order, but there clearly was severe danger. The other couple were lucky to get out alive but lost absolutely everything on the boat. Townspeople did at least have a whip round for them for clothes, lodging & to get back home.
 
We had a charging problem with one engine in our previous boat, an Azimut 46, whilst cruising off Ibiza. The starboard engine failed whilst still at sea. Not knowing what was wrong, I radioed the nearest marina, Botafoch in Ibiza Town, explained that we had lost 1 engine and begged them for a berth. At first they refused but then said we could occupy a berth until 16.00 that same day. We berthed and I got hold of an electrician who proceeded to disconnect a lot of wires and then announced that we needed new batteries. He then buggered off promising to return later with new batteries. I explained this to the marina staff but they kept insisting that we had to leave at 16.00. At the appointed time, 2 marina staff came to the boat and I demonstrated that I could'nt start either engine. They insisted that they would tow me out of the marina despite my protests. A few minutes later they returned to the berth in a dory, untied us and towed us out of the marina and dumped us inside the new harbour wall where we could do nothing but drop anchor. Anchoring is prohibited in this area because of commercial traffic docking there and in fact last year, somebody was fined very heavily for anchoring there but we couldn't move because we had no engines
The electrician did'nt return until the following day and I had to ferry him and the batteries out to the boat with the tender. As it was, the batteries were not the problem. I found out later that a faulty alternator allowed 1 battery bank to drain completely with the result that the fuel solenoid closed and shut off the fuel to the failed engine
 
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