Do We Worry Too Much ?

[pissativlypossed]

We complete all the training, we carry all the safety gear, rope cutters, spare vhf, gps, lifejackets, flares, liferafts, tools, engine spares etc,etc,etc. Whilst in no way am i decrying any of this preparation for disaster, i am wondering how many forum members have had to use any of this safety equipment in earnest and under what circumstances. How many of you have offered assistance to other boat users in difficulties?
We all read the boating press and shudder at some of the stories told of engines failing on a lee shore, boats hitting submerged containers and such like, but in reality how often are such events taking place.

<hr width=100% size=1>"Open Another Bottle"

 

[jimi]

You only need to use it once. How often have you needed the seatbelt or airbag in your car?

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[pissativlypossed]

Yes, i accept that, i am just trying to determine the frequency of incidents.

<hr width=100% size=1>"Open Another Bottle"

 

[BrendanS]

VHF - yes (Pan pan medico for medical emergency on accompanying boat)
Battery booster - yes
Serpentine belt - yes


Towed in other boats - lost count and carry huge towing rope

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Trouble is... it ain't like a car. If it breaks and you can't make it work, you're stuffed - and so are your crew. So I do carry all the gear.

I have lost the use of one engine once. Luckily, I have two! I have helped out others with failed engines on 3 occasions in the last year. Two were downright silly, with no checks, no servicing, no spares, no tools and no anchor! One was just unfortunate. They had just had the engine serviced (badly) and it failed and they drifted onto rocks. I got them off but damaged two of my props in the process.

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[Andrew_Fanner]

Used the VHF to ask for assistance once, but on the putty on a falling tide and children aboard meant I was really glad I'd done so, no need to sleep aboard when deprovisioned!

I carry ropes for towing and have towed someone with engine failure through several locks on the Thames, while he tinkered and fixed the problem. Never, cross fingers, needed them myself.

I carry all the safety gear I can afford, its daft not to.

<hr width=100% size=1>Two beers please, my friend is paying.

 

[Jelly]

I hit a submerged railway sleeper (resplendent with 9" bolts) off Harwich earlier this year at 17 knots. I didnt panic (too much) cos I had plenty of safety gear and knew how to use it.

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[Althorne]

All ready to be a sea going AA then Brendan. Pass your phone number around and we'll all start sending you money each year, how's that.

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[BrendanS]

Sea going AA is SeaStart, and very good at it they are too! Bit more dependable than me

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[powerskipper]

I think to date I have towed in
4 power boats,
1 sail boat,
brought back
5 power boats on one engine [luckily they had 2 to start with]
returned one with no instrumentation working.
Had a fly bridge fridge door come of in bad weather , [made great spray shield]
Can't think of any more at mo.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/>http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/</A>
Julie

 

[jfm]

I have
1. pulled 2 yachts off the ground on the Lymington river - no gear needed just a rope
2. Stood by a dismasted hobie catamaran in Solent , called rescue boat, waited till they arrived, so only VHF used
3. Had a water pump impeller fail on an outboard, the anchor saved my neck while i fixed it and VHF to tell coast guard what was what
4. Found a dead body once. Not even my category C first aid kit could help it
5. My brother found a diver halfway between Clyde and N Ireland, last year, had been in water 12 hours, still alive just (becos drysuit) only VHF used for this

So I have found the most used gear is anchor, rope, VHF. Not used any other gear, but happy to have it

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[MedDreamer]

I had an engine failure last week that meant I had to be towed in, flat calm conditions so no panic, just sat and sunbathed but it would have been a very different feeling if we had been blown towards the rocky shore. It was reassuring to know that we had a means of a) Calling for help b) escape.

Martyn

<hr width=100% size=1>Living the dream

 

[itsonlymoney]

"not even my category C first aid kit could help it" /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Play the best game you can with the cards you've been dealt ! ! !

 

[jfm]

Yes, to this day I feel guilty. If only I hadn't been such a cheapskate. If I had bought the Category D, with Defibrilator, I could have said to the crew, "charging, 200 joules, is everyone clear?" and then Dumbkopfsizzzzleed him back.

Would I have needed new anodes afterwards?

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[Wiggo]

Lost an engine at sea three times (two blocked raw water strainers, one blocked fuel filter), so got myself going on all three occasions, although only one required spares that I carried.

Lost two alternators (one I could fix, one I couldn't), so spares/tools saved me again.

Towed in one broken down boat, and ended up acting as his anchor, as he had lost his, while waiting for Sea Start.

Kedging anchor saved us from a major crunch with a yacht, as we swung with the tide before he did (he was aground on his keels).

Used the VHF a few times to report floating debris.

Used the first aid kit a few times patching up friends who'd injured themselves working on their own boats.

Almost got run down mid channel in fog, so bought a radar. It was the only thing that got us home over summer, when we hit dense fog off Portland, in an area littered with fishing boats.

Had to cut lines free from an outdrive leg once with a big knife.

Thank god, we've never had reason to use the fire extinguishers or liferaft...

<hr width=100% size=1>Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.

 

[Doffy]

Don't panic is the best way out, it will all fall into place all the what if's that have gone thro the mind and how you would fix it.

VHF to coastguard is the best comfort zone I can recommend, even if you can make it home on a prayer.

I helped a friend bring his boat back from Holland after it had to have repairs, although perfectly competent, he and his wife are not best suited to a trip in a boat that caused near bedlem. So I went along, half way back the stb engine died, ask X to move box on it was his books they flew down the companion way, Hum I can see why wife did not want to come, changed filter primed ran for 5 mins and failed, changed on engine filters ran 5mins and failed, crawled round engine with boat pitching in a strengthing wind and it was getting late. Cleaned the guaze filter on lift pump ran for 5 mins stopped. By now we were plodding at 8 knts on one engine, so I decided to give CG a call told them were down to one engine but ok and would be late into lowestoft instead of 2000 it would be 0000hrs, no problem they said we know where you are and will contact you onshore people CG66 ??
. My wife got a call, "good evening mam, CG here don't worry they have a problem we know where they are and they will be late geting in" terrific service from the boys at Thames and Gt Yarmouth. Just called in when we arrived and thanked them.
The Problem still to be found I pulled out the dip tube not blocked, checked the isolation valve which was a diaphram type, blew down it and it passed then stopped,??? out came a length of fuel pipe bypassed the main filter and valve Bingo.

Checked valve out later and a bit of PTFE tape had come away and was acting as a flapper check valve.

Friends first enterance in the dark was a delight clear skys, mums cake was a life saver, now a traditional part of emergency rations to all boats.

Kebab house most welcome after 8hrs in shorts and wellies. Can't understand raggies taking 12 hrs + on the same route which takes us 4.5.

Get you CG66 filled in!

<hr width=100% size=1>I greet you all R Well

 

[tcm]

Re:category C first aid kit.

ah this is a good larf. I hope you haven't used any of the items? Otherwise, erm it ain't a cat C first aid kit any more is it? Doh! So you need a spare box wiv plasters in...

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[jfm]

Re:category C first aid kit.

Quite so. It is crucial not to break the seal on the Cat C box, else you have to buy another one for the next inspection. So you have this hermetically sealed Cat C kit on your boat plus a load of other day to day first aid kits, usually nicked from mercedes just before trade in, ahem. Your only son and heir would have to be dying to justify breaking the seal on the CatC.

The manufacturers probably know that no boat owner ever opens the Cat C. So I have this fear that if I do ever open it, it will just be full of polystyrene shapes.

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[tcm]

Re:category C first aid kit.

ooh hope not full of polystyrene shapes.

the merc kits are really good tho, cos certainly until recently, as well as 20 large bandages (enough to sort out all 5 in car even if they all break both arms and legs) - they also had a large piece of chalk, probly to draw around the dead bodies. You have to provide yer own bible for roadside funeral though, except with the Elegance pack i think.

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[Alistairr]

Re:category C first aid kit.

No, That comes with the Avantgarde.



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