Clacton RNLI

[nortada]

For the record, leaving a tack too late, we have been aground in a twin keeler, on a dropping tide, very close to where this incident occurred - well away from any bank and any onshore habitation or roads. We were on our own.

Fortunately, we were on a patch of sand but stern to the tide when it returned. We walked the anchor out to full rode so the boat would not continue up the bank but would swing to tide and waited the 8 hours.

Unfortunately as night and the tide approached the NE wind strengthened and the sea got up, bang on the stern. Very unpleasant until we unstuck in the dark in steady rain and a cold wind. The boat felt that it was breaking up but we were not in real danger. We had we been a fin keeler, we could have been swamped and come home in the life raft.

Fortunately, we are fairly experienced sailors - a novice would have been terrified.

 

[Adios]

‘Hail them from the bank’, clearly you have a clear understanding of the Walton area of operations.

I know the area well. It looks like a wide expanse of mud so I guess a mile from the marina they had tried to do a circuit of Horsey Island and got stuck around the causeway. I wouldn't want to cross that expanse with my kid even with a team of helpers.

But I was making a general point and thinking more about the incident in the post I made it in, with a figure of speech thought that case they might have literally been able to.

A pleasure boat drying out on the mud is NOT an emergency. Do they ever try anything other than 100% response? To find out if anyone is in danger of more than a little listing. Is it too crazy to suggest they first put out a call on Ch16 asking for anyone in the area to look out for the grounded boat and report their intention if they have managed to communicate with them. Give that 10 minutes first. Don't want to rely on a third party? Fair enough, ask the nearby boat to ask the people enjoying the sunset to call the CG to let them know they are ok and don't need help. Which was the case in that other incident.

 

[nortada]

I know the area well. It looks like a wide expanse of mud so I guess a mile from the marina they had tried to do a circuit of Horsey Island and got stuck around the causeway. I wouldn't want to cross that expanse with my kid even with a team of helpers.

But I was making a general point and thinking more about the incident in the post I made it in, with a figure of speech thought that case they might have literally been able to.

A pleasure boat drying out on the mud is NOT an emergency. Do they ever try anything other than 100% response? To find out if anyone is in danger of more than a little listing. Is it too crazy to suggest they first put out a call on Ch16 asking for anyone in the area to look out for the grounded boat and report their intention if they have managed to communicate with them. Give that 10 minutes first. Don't want to rely on a third party? Fair enough, ask the nearby boat to ask the people enjoying the sunset to call the CG to let them know they are ok and don't need help. Which was the case in that other incident.

So you think it happened on The Wade

 

[38mess]

I have noticed maybe in the last 20 years or so that in my neck of the woods when boats go aground, usually in the same place cutting the corner in a rush to make the locks that they are asked by the lock keeper if they require a lifeboat to attend. Some do and the inshore LB turns up with water. Before most boats had radios as recently as 20 years ago they used to sit it out and wait for the next tide, it would be considered shameful to request a lifeboat to attend especially if everyone was ok. It would take some living down in the local yacht club.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I have noticed maybe in the last 20 years or so that in my neck of the woods when boats go aground, usually in the same place cutting the corner in a rush to make the locks that they are asked by the lock keeper if they require a lifeboat to attend. Some do and the inshore LB turns up with water. Before most boats had radios as recently as 20 years ago they used to sit it out and wait for the next tide, it would be considered shameful to request a lifeboat to attend especially if everyone was ok. It would take some living down in the local yacht club.

Something like 60 years ago, my dad put our 27' converted lifeboat aground at Trent Falls on an ebbing tide. Not his fault - the channel had changed since the last time it was charted, echo sounders were a rarity in those days, and we didn't have one. No one had VHF! In terms of tide that's a far worse position than anything in the Walton backwaters. We simply put the anchor out, and we kids had a wonderful time playing on miles of nice clean sand! I'm sure my dad had some concerns about when we refloated, but as far as I recall, it all went very smoothly and we continued on our way after a very peaceful night's sleep!

 

[Juan Twothree]

This thread title and subsequent comments would have a little more credibility if it was about the right lifeboat. The vessel attending was the Walton Tamar Class not the Clacton inshore boat.

There are loads of issues surrounding the Walton station and this incident was a convenient excuse to get rid of the Walton Manager, whose family has been intimately involved with the Walton boat for many generations and like the crew have unrivalled knowledge of these waters with their particular hazards.

When the RNLI have pushed through their ‘plan’, in the event of a subsequent attributable accident, I trust those responsible will identified and held to account.

Walton is very proud of it’s long lifeboat tradition and I understand there is a rumour that Walton may continue with its own non-RNLI boat.

Before somebody says this can’t happen, in the past Walton had 2 lifeboats, the ‘institute, boat and the True to the Core local life boat. No love lost, the 2 boats used to compete to answer calls - not the best situation.

Of course, Walton already has its own lifeboat The James Stevens a retire RNLI boat, moored at Titchmarsh Marina. During it’s 27 years in service the James Stevens helped save 227 lives so it would appear that Walton needs a suitable life boat.

The fact that Walton had two lifeboats in the past isn't really relevant, as they didn't do 25 knots in those days.

The RNLI is placing a Shannon at Clacton, which can cover all of the area that the Walton boat currently covers, plus it can get into more places.

The only reason the Walton boat is being withdrawn is because of the issues with the pier. I suppose they could have put the Shannon at Walton instead, but there isn't really any suitable land to build a new station. Having the boat afloat in the Backwaters isn't a solution, as by the time they're at Pye End it would have been much quicker to send Harwich LB.

In his most recent statement Mr Oxley didn't dispute that the ALB had to go, his issue was with which type of ILB was to replace it, and to that end he may have a point.

I don't know the age profile of the current Walton crew, but all of them would have been able to continue on an Atlantic, as it has the same nominal (but flexible) retirement age as the ALBs. Whereas the D class has a 55 age limit due to the bumpy ride.

 

[penberth3]

.......There are loads of issues surrounding the Walton station and this incident was a convenient excuse to get rid of the Walton Manager, whose family has been intimately involved with the Walton boat for many generations and like the crew have unrivalled knowledge of these waters with their particular hazards.......

Now I'm not saying it's the case here and I really don't care either way. The family situation you describe is not always a good thing. Private empires can develop which lead to all sorts of trouble. It's a management problem that crops up all over the place and it's never easy to deal with.

 

[nortada]

The fact that Walton had two lifeboats in the past isn't really relevant, as they didn't do 25 knots in those days.

The RNLI is placing a Shannon at Clacton, which can cover all of the area that the Walton boat currently covers, plus it can get into more places.

The only reason the Walton boat is being withdrawn is because of the issues with the pier. I suppose they could have put the Shannon at Walton instead, but there isn't really any suitable land to build a new station. Having the boat afloat in the Backwaters isn't a solution, as by the time they're at Pye End it would have been much quicker to send Harwich LB.

In his most recent statement Mr Oxley didn't dispute that the ALB had to go, his issue was with which type of ILB was to replace it, and to that end he may have a point.

I don't know the age profile of the current Walton crew, but all of them would have been able to continue on an Atlantic, as it has the same nominal (but flexible) retirement age as the ALBs. Whereas the D class has a 55 age limit due to the bumpy ride.

What ‘more places’

The primary role of the RNLI is to save life, a secondary role is to recover vessels. Where will a Clacton based lifeboat recover these vessels to

One assumes that the Clacton station will have to recruit and train a new crew and where will this lifeboat station be located

Another end of the pier job - access could be complicated during the summer holiday season.

 

[Juan Twothree]

What ‘more places’

The primary role of the RNLI is to save life, a secondary role is to recover vessels. Where will a Clacton based lifeboat recover these vessels to

One assumes that the Clacton station will have to recruit and train a new crew and where will this lifeboat station be located

Another end of the pier job - access could be complicated during the summer holiday season.

It's a Shannon that's going to Clacton. It's carriage launched, and can be fairly easily accommodated at the existing station, with a bit of tweaking.

When I say it can get to more places, it has half the draft of the current Walton boat (only 0.75m), which makes a big difference across the banks. Plus it's very.manoeverable, as it has jets.

The current Clacton crew can easily be trained for the Shannon. Lots of the things a lifeboat crew needs to know are generic, and it's not uncommon for a station to receive a different class of boat. The navigation system is the same as that fitted to their current D class and 85.

As regards where the Clacton boat would take a casualty vessel, where do Walton take them now? It depends where they're towing them from, but Brightlingsea, Mersea, or Bradwell spring immediately to mind.

 

[ylop]

That is just ridiculous - how exactly are they in any danger in those conditions?? I can see why RNLI bosses weren't best impressed at their (very expensive to run) offshore boat being used for that.

I doubt he was stood down for that. Lifeboats have been launched for less. Good chance it was requested by the CG - difficult to imagine the Fire Service getting involved without the CG and Lifeboat being aware.

Ops manager would have been tasked by HMCG, possibly because they feared an unsafe attempt to reach the shore.

I think that is a very likely scenario.

Difference being these people had a perfectly good shelter. They were on the phone or radio and could have advised them that it would be suicide to try walking across the mud, If they said they were going to try anyway then its a matter for the police and social services to investigate. Really don't make excuses for this, its ridiculous. Man up, stay put and quit your whining.

At which point the police would likely have asked for the lifeboat's assistance in getting to the boat!

If I ever get stuck and don't mind waiting I'm going to phone the coastguard to tell them I'm ok where I am, in case someone calls it in and they put me in more danger saving me.

That would seem like the prudent seamanlike thing to do.

My guess is he's done something none of you have considered like:
1. Launched with insufficient crew
2. Launched whilst he or one of the crew had been drinking
3. Acted/commented inappropriately in the earshot of the firefighters who have reported it.