Another drunken Yachtsman

"It's been debated here many times"

That never stopped us starting another punch up in the past has it.

Perhaps for a new twist link it to the effects of drinking alcohol on global warming.
 
The purpose of the breathalyser is to discourage people from using equipment, usually road vehicles, when they could cause damage or death to other people. In other cases the laws relating to being drunk and incapable are adequate.

I don't see any evidence in this thread, so far, that this guy was a threat to anyone but himself and it is quite likely the whole incident would have occured whether he had been drunk or not (assuming he was). It is certainly not evidence for introducing breathalysing for people in charge of yachts, which is a different, very complex and, in my view, an impossible law to draught and enforce.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Yet another drunken yachtsman causing havoc, is it now the time to allow the police to breathalise those in charge of boats and prosecute were necessary.

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-newsro...;m=4&y=2007

[/ QUOTE ]



ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!


There's more than enough of that already...
 
>>>
Perhaps for a new twist link it to the effects of drinking alcohol on global warming
>>>

Easy. The drunker a person becomes, the more the brain cells are starved and the intelligence falls and the gullibility rises. This is why fruit, sorry, Amusement With Prizes, machines are designed to be used by right handed drunks. Also, I assume, why all those who beleive in man-made global warming exist. They have over-indulged:-)
 
My understanding from someone who was close by is that the gentleman concerned ran out of fuel in his dinghy and drifted onto a mud bank. (booze may or may not have been involved). Having run aground on a falling tide he decided to wait for the tide rather than paddle through the mud and went to sleep.
Someone ashore spotted the dinghy & understandably called the cost guard who appaently launched a helicopter & lifeboat. Several other boats were including the police launch apparently also attended. This was in the Hamoaze. At the same time red flares were spotted from the Jenny Cliff area (the other side of Plymouth sound. This was nothing to do with the original call out.

The above was recounted to me 2nd hand and may not be complete & accurate record of the facts but I believe the dinghy rower has been charged with wasting police time.

If anyone was there & knows better feel free to correct my input
 
One of the reasons I sail is that it is the only thing I can do without interferance from the so called authorities. If I was pissed and drifted on to the mud for a sleep it is up to me! I recently read, on here I think, of someone who put out a pan-pan in the west Solent and was approached by four (I think) rescue boats before arriving in Gosport. A lot of the rescues I have seen on TV recently have not been required.
Allan
 
[ QUOTE ]

I agree totally that anyone involved in a serious incident should be tested for alcohol & if necessary prosecuted, but lets get a sense of proportion, if we make all people in charge of boats have a breathalyzer then we would require hundreds of extra police/officials to do the work for little or no result!

poter

[/ QUOTE ]

Mmmm! I believe the police would love to enforce this legislation. It's easy peasy and safer than chasing criminals or patrolling the streets. They get community officers to that! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
Surely its the guy who called the police who was wasting their time. Or the guy who let off the flares.

Even if the guy needed to be rescued, how on earth can that be "wasting police time"? That would set a really dangerous precedent under which anyone rescued or assisted, who could conceivably have contributed to their situation, could be prosecuted.
 
How on earth was he 'wasting police time'? And what ever has the fact he had been drinking got to do with engine failure. Strikes me he did exactly the right thing having made sure he was not at risk on his mud bank, made himself as comfortable as he could (not easy in a dinghy!) to wait it out.

Sounds almost like another case of 'compulsory rescue' to me, which seems to be happening increasingly often these days.
 
Well another clear case of a TT getting in the way of an operation.

As for breathalising yachties well no i do not think this should be put in place - the sheer paper work and also so view accidents happen at sea with alcohol that it would be a complete waste of tax payers money to do so. COLREGS are more important.
 
The response from Goby was excessive.

This sort of self righteous response from what appears to be some sort of coastguard groupy does little to help anyone.

I cannot abide this attitude of people who want to control everyone elses lives - "for their own good" of course.

It seems that the gentleman at the cente of this was content to wait for the tide having run aground to avoid being swept out to sea. An eminently sensible strategy in my opinion.

But no - a mere yachtsman cannot be trusted to wait for the tide, oh no, thats not allowed he isn't where he ought to be so he has to be rescued. Wouldn't it have been easier if the IRB had given him a tow to his boat. I mean, its not unknown for sailors with u/s engines to be towed home.

Not entirely sure how he is to blame because some clown decides to set off some flares.
 
Side issue

Strange to find under "New Press Releases" on a report dated 17 April:

[ QUOTE ]
The 4th season of Seaside Rescue will start on January 3rd 2007 on BBC1 at 8pm.

[/ QUOTE ]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top