Embarrassed or gratefull

[pennycar9]

Here are a couple of photographs of our boat being towed by the two Gorleston Lifeboats. How many of our collegues on the forums have been rescued by the RNLI? I was in 1968 and dont mind admitting to the fact.
Would you be immensly relieved or excruciatingly embarassed if you were hanging off the end of a lifeboat tow rope. Honest now!!!!!!

All is not as it seems as we were actually involved with an exercise when these photographs were taken. [image]

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[Sixpence]

Personally I have no problem with being seen to be rescued , I saw a boat coming in with an RNLI escort a couple of weeks ago and thought nothing to it , poop happens , when it happens and you're in a car you call for help , no different here

 

[BrendanS]

Depends really. If it was my fault, such as running out of fuel on a passage, very embarassed. If on a long passage, and had to head into waves at 4knts to ride out unexpected bad unforecasted weather, then eventually run out of fuel, a lot less embarassed.
If mechanical failure, and I couldn't sort it, and seastart couldn't get to me, and I couldn't get anchor to set on a lee shore, very happy to accept a tow, etc.

Holed hull, please get to me with a pump ASAP! Please.

All a matter of prorities, and in circumstances where I needed a tow or help, I'd holler for them in an instance.

 

[Sneds]

Broke down off Watchet last August, F6 gusting 7 (not forecast) was unable to deploy ground tackle as my deflated dingy was stored on top of the anchor(!), we were being tossed around like a paper cup. V frightning.
Put out a pan pan. The Coastguard were very calm and reassuring.
Local charter fishing boat "Scooby Doo Too" got a line on us and held us off the rocks and started to tow us towards the harbour entrance as the Minehead lifeboat came racing towards us, Scooby then got stuck against the wall so the RNLI took over the tow and got us in, Scooby followed and then the life boat broke down!
There was a crowd of around a hundred people lining the quay wall, clapping as we came in. Embarased? No. Grateful? Oh yes!
Just had the engine serviced, prior to the trip, the mechanic bought me a pint when we got home, on a trailor, courtesy of Chris at Coast2Coast Marine. Good bloke!
Unable to pass a life boat box without putting some money in, maybe a little more than I would have done!

 

[boatbuilder]

But have you found somewhere else to stow the dinghy?

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Agreed with all of that.

I'm guessing now but...I bet the majority of shouts are for stuff that should have been prevented by the skipper and down to proper maintenance and kit on board.

I know, I have towed a fair few broken Mobos in to harbour over the past few years. I think I am right in saying that none of them had anchors or rope or flairs or radio or fenders...or anything really??

 

[JasB]

After my engine packed up...twice on a windless day (raggy) I waited for a friendly mobo to get near enough and begged for a tow rather than call the rnli. I thought that it was not life-and-death so leave the rnli alone.
However, even though being towed into the marina is nothing to be ashamed of, although my "friends" watching let me know otherwise.

 

[Nautical]

Quite true a goodly percentage of call outs are indeed from incidents which with a bit of foresight could have been prevented, some quite ridiculous too.

A chap who left the NW of England bound for the Isle of Man armed with no more than a hand held compass and a AA road map, when we called him up and asked his lat / long ' eh whats that' ..." a position on your chart".....'oh you mean my map, I dunno it just all looks blue'. Then a gentleman in a home built steel cruiser with an air cooled dumper engine attempted three times to get to the Island and three times had to be searched for and eventually found, the last occassion took two lifeboats six hours to find him.

The majority are just poor planning but the guys will always go no matter what or how silly it may seem, in the end people to do stupid things beit on land, sea or the air but none intentionally set out to be rescued.

Winter time round this way it tends to be alot more hairy and the majority are commercial vessels mostly fishing, the seas round this way pick up really quick and this last winter quite a few forecasts have been well off the mark resulting in a few nasty incidents and bloody horrendous conditions but as they say 'Caister men never turn back' and the guys (and girl) have done a superb job.

 

[sb99]

As I usually will have my family aboard I would definately be immensly relieved and show my gratitude on a safe return.

From what I have seen of this boating lark you have to accept that something embarrassing will happen from time to time , it just seems to be the nature of the game. ------Some more than others /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

There may of course be exceptions??????

 

[Sneds]

Yes the dingy is no longer where it was!! And never will be again.
The coast guard came on board and checked our equipment, 2 GPS, 2 VHF, flares, life jackets, fuel etc and put our incident down to bad luck.
I didn't show him the dingy though!