First trip out!

[Trevor_swfyc]

Boating is like driving you are most likely to have an accident in your first year or two. In your first year having your new boat/car you go head first into dangerous situations without realising it, then thud/bang you have hit the sand bar or the car infront. The article on page 46 (PBO March) reminded me of my first trip with my new boat I could now go to sea and nearly run aground on the Swallow Tail (Crouch). The depth gauge wound down at an alarming rate the sound of the waves crashing on the sand, this article/story bought it all back. The only thing that saved me was knowing exactly where deeper water was.
So although I was no Yachtmaster I realised I had to be Master of my own yacht.
It was clear this was no longer messing about in boats. Since then safety has become a big issue and I now enjoy yachting far more for it.
Clearly this story applies to many and even yachtmasters are not except, I liked the cartoon of a yacht on a sand bank and the crew saying "and to think you got your yachtmaster last week."
The RNLI we hope will pick up the pieces when things go wrong, but how better it is to see that they are now promoting safety with Boat safety checks, talks and e-learning for safety all good stuff but why does it cost £5 for this safety information.
I thought the RNLI were funded by donations to save lives, you can do this in so many ways and not all require heroes charging about in inflatables.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.lifeboats.org.uk/training/launch.asp>Free Peek</A>
What do you think?
Trevor

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[bobbyv]

You are responsible for your own safety!
The land is one thing,the sea is completely,another!
Treat it with respect,prepare well!
When you have prepared as well as is possible,then call on the emergency serevices.
They will risk their lives to rescue you!
I don`t want to patronise you, but that is the world as I see it!
What is £5 nowadays,if it could save your life,witout putting the lifeboat men at risk?
NO DISRESPECT INTENDED.
From a 40 year "boater"
Remember,the RNLI are volunteers.

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[webcraft]

Have you been drinking?

<font color=blue>Nick</font color=blue>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bluemoment.com>

</A>

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[Avocet]

Is it true boats are like cars and most people have most accidents in the first few years? I always thought they were like chainsaws and most accidents happened to people who were well used to them?

No "angle" here, just curious...

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[Reap]

Well this much is true....
The Day Skipper is usually cautious and will be vary careful about there planning,

The Yachtmaster can be over confident, take short cuts, and hence is more likely to get into trouble if they make a mistake.

Of course this is a generalism

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yacht-links.net>http://www.yacht-links.net</A>

 

[wooslehunter]

Let's not forget that not all Lifeboats are run by the RNLI. They do a great job and I'd never criticise however if you've ever needed the help of a lifeboat in the solent area, the chances are that coastguard would have tasked an independant boat. These organisations raise all funding themselves and are not funded through any national organisations. Solent is not the only area served by independants.

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[Trevor_swfyc]

No I haven't been drinking, and I certainly did not intend to be derogatory about the RNLI to which I have made small donations from time to time.
Can I share the following incident with you?
Last year a member with not much experience was to be hauled out, he went to get his boat which was less than 1/2 mile upstream. I was to help him and said bring your boat to the club buoy which is next to the ramp. I arranged to return within the hour after a bite of lunch. When I returned I was told his boat was next to the sea wall on the south bank, evidently his engine had cut out. He had his tender with him and the tide was rising. I got the rescue boat out to him and he told me "don't worry the RNLI are on the way" a 12 mile trip from Burnham-on-Crouch.
He was in no danger at all and could have 1. Rowed back to the club for help. 2. Taken a line to a buoy 20yds away and hauled himself to it. The lifeboat rib took his boat back to its mooring and I returned the member back to the club.
I would say that this cost the RNLI far more than a bit of training would have.
This nonsence was not the fault of the RNLI but many said what a waste of my donation money. So my point was that the RNLI hand out free training brochures and advice which is prevention rather than cure which is money well spent. So while in no way would I object to donating £5, I do wonder why this safety information on disk was being charged for, as it may well not reach the target audience which is a shame. I know they sell postcards and other items of merchandise but that is part of fund raising and not part of the safety message they are rightly promoting.

Long live the RNLI and lets keep it funded by donations.

Trevor

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

Did said member leave a sizeable donation for his "AA" rescue. Ashamed he should be, damn ashamed!

and so should the lifeboat secretary who allowed the launch!

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> Julian </font color=blue>

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ukstaffords.com>http://www.ukstaffords.com</A>

 

[wooslehunter]

Hindsite is a wonderful thing. If the boat came from 12 miles away then neither the crew or the hon sec who authorised the launch could have seen the incident before launch - such a case is almost unheard of.

No-one should ever criticise a person who calls out a lifeboat for what is believed to be a genuine reason. Lives can be lost due to delay and criticism could cause such a delay or even worse failure to call-out.



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[Trevor_swfyc]

Sadly No, and I don't think a decision to launch is taken by the RNLI secretary is it?

Trevor

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[Trevor_swfyc]

I am not so sure this is unheard off, nobody can blame or condeme a lifeboat call out for a genuine reason, but I can imagine the lifeboat service have a long list of time wasting call outs.

Stay safe.
Trevor

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[chriscallender]

Isn't it the coastguard who request the lifeboat to launch, after asking the casualty some questions and assessing the situation. At least thats how I thought it worked.

Chris

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[Trevor_swfyc]

Agree I thought this was the case, so it begs the question are the Coastguard using the RNLI as a fix all option. In a busy river in terms of leisure craft we should be able to get help from each other shouldn't we.
Last year I had a phone call, a yacht has broken free within 5 min I was at the yacht which was on the sea wall the tide had just started to fall, the boat was being blown onto the wall. No time to get the rescue boat out so I jumped on board found a tow line, hailed a passing speed boat and we towed it to a spare buoy. Got a lift back ashore, phoned the owner job done.

Trevor



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[wooslehunter]

In general launches are requested by coastguard who co-ordinate all emergency services at sea.

From what I understand, the general sequence of events is that coastguard will request a launch from the RNLI or an independant. RNLI launch authority resides with the hon sec, I believe.

The independants operate slightly differently. l can comment on one. Launch authority resides with the responding cox. Launch may be terminated by several authorised others if they think if it is judged too dangerous. This hardly ever happens if at all. Independants can also self launch if they see a situation that requires attention. Coasty is always informed. I'm not sure of the RNLI operating procedure for self launch.

Independants are treated by coastguard in exactly the same way as the RNLI.

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[bobbyv]

Yes Nick,I`m afraid I was the evening I posted my thoughts.
It was a bit garbled, wasn`t it?
However,the basic message remains the same.

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[chriscallender]

Anyway it seems to me that if the coastguard decides that a rescue service is needed, then launch authority would not question the coastgaurd's decision on how serious or otherwise the situation was. They would only likely refuse to launch if the weather was too bad, the lifeboat wasn't serviceable, the crew not available or some other technical problem like that.

I'm sure we all agree RNLI and independent rescuers should only be for serious marine emergencies, not to provide a free tow service. I for one would happily give a free tow to anyone I saw in the harbour that needed one and I could safely get to - since the boot may be on ther other foot one day...

Chris

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