Doghousekeeper
Well-Known Member
\"Education not Legislation\"
The mantra of the RYA for as long as we can remember - but is it really the best option?
Last night I watched a small (about 20ft) yacht come storming up to a slipway, doing 16+ knots with the benefit of a 60hp outboard weighing down the back end. Failing to stop quite soon enough, he rammed the slip, leaving a significant amount of his gelcoat embellishing the concrete. Backing off, he tried again, and missed the slip altogether. 3rd time lucky, he got close enough for his crew to leap ashore ... almost. Fortunately, the water wasn't deep, and the boat wasn't close enough to squash the poor wet unfortunate against the hard stuff. By that time I'd got myself down to the slip and took a line, which the skipper then swung completely around on with his 60 horses revving away until the prop found it was no match for the rocks underneath at which point it coughed nastily and went quiet. Half an hour later, we had the engine running again, and the rest of the crew ashore (they seemed in quite a hurry to come off, for some reason). The skipper planned to take the boat out to a visitor mooring, and at the last moment remembered that he would need some means to get himself ashore. Young crew member dispatched with car key to collect "dinghy" which turned out to be a paddling-pool toy bought in the final death-throws of Woolies. Wind has been picking up and is now blowing a steady F5, but skipper is determined that he can cope with mooring up and getting safely ashore. Several interested spectators by now, one of whom has the Coastguard number just one press away on his mobile phone. Another phone call rather judiciously alerted a friendly local with a RIB who turned up to help after the hapless skipper had spent almost 40 minutes trying to pick up his mooring. 10 minutes later, with everything now under control, the RIB delivered the skipper back to shore. Wife was overheard suggesting to skipper that perhaps he should get some training. Response: "There's no need - you don't have to have training in this country"
OK. True and accurate. There is still no requirement to be trained - but is that still the most appropriate response?
What do you think??
The mantra of the RYA for as long as we can remember - but is it really the best option?
Last night I watched a small (about 20ft) yacht come storming up to a slipway, doing 16+ knots with the benefit of a 60hp outboard weighing down the back end. Failing to stop quite soon enough, he rammed the slip, leaving a significant amount of his gelcoat embellishing the concrete. Backing off, he tried again, and missed the slip altogether. 3rd time lucky, he got close enough for his crew to leap ashore ... almost. Fortunately, the water wasn't deep, and the boat wasn't close enough to squash the poor wet unfortunate against the hard stuff. By that time I'd got myself down to the slip and took a line, which the skipper then swung completely around on with his 60 horses revving away until the prop found it was no match for the rocks underneath at which point it coughed nastily and went quiet. Half an hour later, we had the engine running again, and the rest of the crew ashore (they seemed in quite a hurry to come off, for some reason). The skipper planned to take the boat out to a visitor mooring, and at the last moment remembered that he would need some means to get himself ashore. Young crew member dispatched with car key to collect "dinghy" which turned out to be a paddling-pool toy bought in the final death-throws of Woolies. Wind has been picking up and is now blowing a steady F5, but skipper is determined that he can cope with mooring up and getting safely ashore. Several interested spectators by now, one of whom has the Coastguard number just one press away on his mobile phone. Another phone call rather judiciously alerted a friendly local with a RIB who turned up to help after the hapless skipper had spent almost 40 minutes trying to pick up his mooring. 10 minutes later, with everything now under control, the RIB delivered the skipper back to shore. Wife was overheard suggesting to skipper that perhaps he should get some training. Response: "There's no need - you don't have to have training in this country"
OK. True and accurate. There is still no requirement to be trained - but is that still the most appropriate response?
What do you think??
