Fletcher sank in Bournemouth Bay yesterday

[Drew64]

From MCA website :-

Four people and a child were rescued from a sinking speedboat this afternoon. The boat began taking on water while anchored off Bournemouth Beach for the Bournemouth Air Festival.

At 2 pm one of four adults on board the Fletcher speedboat called Portland Coastguard by dialling 999 to report that their vessel was taking on water. When they called they told the Coastguard that they were standing in ankle-deep water and didnt have lifejackets.

Whilst the RNLI lifeboats from Poole (which had been stationed off Bournemouth Pier) made its way to the scene, the child was passed from the speedboat to a small yacht. Just before the Poole Lifeboats arrived on scene the speedboat sank and the four adults were rescued from the water. The lifeboats took them to Bournemouth Pier for medical treatment.

Portland Coastguard Watch Manager Ros Evans said;
They were very lucky to survive as they had no lifejackets, flares or radio. If the lifeboats had not been in the area they would have been unlikely to have kept themselves afloat for long.

Andrew & Noeline
Poochpower
Fairline Sprint 21

 

[lanerboy]

thats terrible news for the group, glad they are all ok but it makes me so angry that they would go out to see without life jackets flares radio etc that is just pure stupidity

the poor child was put at risk and had no say in the matter, where as the adults well they should have been paraded down the beach in shame

 

[Alan_C]

At 2 pm one of four adults on board the Fletcher speedboat called Portland Coastguard by dialling 999 to report that their vessel was taking on water. When they called they told the Coastguard that they were standing in ankle-deep water and didnt have lifejackets.

I'd say with no lifejackets or VHF, they were damn lucky the phone worked. So irresponsible!

 

[Whitelighter]

With so many boats packed watching the airshow, I'm suprised they had to be rescued from the water

 

[prv]

Pity the report doesn't say anything about bailers or bilge pumps - did they have them, did they use them? And indeed, where was the water coming from and what did they do about it? The text reads as if they just stood there mooing until the boat sank from under them, but that may be an unfair impression given by poor reporting.

Pete

 

[lisilou]

We were just leaving when the call came over the radio. It said they were half mile south of the pier but we couldn't see any incidents so we carried on. Not only no lifejackets but one non swimmer (presumably the poor kid). Glad they were rescued safely but blimey...how stupid can you be to put yourselves and perhaps more importantly, a young child at risk like that!
There was then a call to the coastguard from a boat anchored at the show saying he'd been rammed by another boat which then fled the scene. Anyone know the outcome of that?
L

 

[wilko999]

I was down there on a friends boat and we came passed just as the lifeboats were getting there. Can't believe anyone would go out without having life jackets! I make my kids wear them all the time, sea, river where ever we are. I leave any adults to choose for themselves but at least have 4 on board at all times in case needed although that doesn't help if someone falls or is thrown overboard but if they are grown adults it's their call. There were A LOT of boats in their vicinity, not sure why they just stood there when they could of yelled over for help and boarded another boat.

 

[VicS]

The "no life jackets " reminds me of a recent thread on here from a forumite reporting on and posting pictures of his first outings in and around the Wareham, Poole and Studland area in his new "speed boat" with his family.

Children were wearing lifejackets but no signs in any of the pictures of the parents wearing them

 

[gravygraham]

thats terrible news for the group . . .

Probably bad news for all of us. Stories like this eventually find their way to the ears of envious jobsworths in Whitehall, resulting in an additional nail in the coffin of self regulation of our hobby.

 

[Lakesailor]

I wonder if they did the obvious "forgot to put in the bungs"?

Surely (if that was the case) they could have leant over the transom and jammed some rags or something in the holes.

Maybe it was a genuine holing..........

 

[gravygraham]

Maybe it was a genuine holing..........

Or perhaps an accidental one . . .

 

[oGaryo]

There was then a call to the coastguard from a boat anchored at the show saying he'd been rammed by another boat which then fled the scene. Anyone know the outcome of that?
L

wonder if it's the same boat that sank, holed as already mentioned... electrics get wet, battery/VHF dies and he resorts to the use of mobile phone

 

[Solitaire]

The "no life jackets " reminds me of a recent thread on here from a forumite reporting on and posting pictures of his first outings in and around the Wareham, Poole and Studland area in his new "speed boat" with his family.

Children were wearing lifejackets but no signs in any of the pictures of the parents wearing them

+1 And then the guy posted about going up to the East Coast. Still nothing surprises me anymore. I'm not sure if it's stupidity or ignorance

 

[spannerman]

Here in Norway its compulsory to have life jackets for everyone onboard, £50 on the spot fine for each jacket you don't have. Interestingly a survey was just published here showing that most drownings are men over 40 not wearing a lifejacket and apparently being blase about their competance on the water. Wear mine at all times onboard now to keep the wife happy.

 

[Drew64]

We were just leaving when the call came over the radio. It said they were half mile south of the pier but we couldn't see any incidents so we carried on. Not only no lifejackets but one non swimmer (presumably the poor kid). Glad they were rescued safely but blimey...how stupid can you be to put yourselves and perhaps more importantly, a young child at risk like that!
There was then a call to the coastguard from a boat anchored at the show saying he'd been rammed by another boat which then fled the scene. Anyone know the outcome of that?
L

Do not know if this is the incident that you are referring to but freinds of ours were "hit " by a mobo called " off shore rebel" which damaged the top sides and rails..
Mobo is called "head office"

reagrds,
Andrew.

 

[lisilou]

Do not know if this is the incident that you are referring to but freinds of ours were "hit " by a mobo called " off shore rebel" which damaged the top sides and rails..
Mobo is called "head office"

reagrds,
Andrew.

That's the one Drew. What was the outcome? Did anyone catch up with the boat?
Lisa

 

[Franknstein]

+1 And then the guy posted about going up to the East Coast. Still nothing surprises me anymore. I'm not sure if it's stupidity or ignorance

hmm, well, we all had life jackets in the boat, each and every one of us, I asked everyone that came along to buy their own life jacket and bring it with. Like a previous poster said, I have the same policy - I require everyone to have them, but its their choice whether to wear them or not. And I have a radio too. So please dont put me in the same 'boat' as the clowns that this thread was originally about. ta.

In fact, I spent ages making sure everything was safe and fit for the water and the road, spent countless hours researching on this forum about making a proper anchor, getting charts, tide tables, bought a fire extinguisher, radio, studied the PHC harbour guide, obeyed the speed limits etc, rebuilt the trailer etc etc...

 

[Solitaire]

hmm, well, we all had life jackets in the boat, each and every one of us, I asked everyone that came along to buy their own life jacket and bring it with. Like a previous poster said, I have the same policy - I require everyone to have them, but its their choice whether to wear them or not. And I have a radio too. So please dont put me in the same 'boat' as the clowns that this thread was originally about. ta.

You are operating a small boat. Anything can happen, and quickly - you could easily fall victim to wash, or as another poster found out, get caught in nasty waves with wind over tide. Anyone who goes out in such a small boat without life jackets on is frankly a statistic waiting to be registered. Do you know the difference between a life jacket and a buoyancy aid? Your pictures in your post appeared to show a pregnant lady in one of the shots with again no life jacket. You may well have a radio, but do you know how to call for help? Or , as I once heard, "Mayday. Is there anybody there? " I was a coxswain on a harbour patrol vessel that when we arrived on scene, the people were in a small sports boat main channel with no fuel, and no life jackets.



I have some pictures of me and my family in my first boat, a 14ft Fletcher,some of those pictures scare me to death when I look at them now. We had on what I thought were "life jackets" they were not and frankly would have been as much use as a brown paper bag if anything had gone wrong. Just so you know, you are responsible for both the vessel and the crew/passengers, it is actually not up to them.

If the proverbial hit the fan then you would be swamped before you could do anything about it.

I have seen too many incidents of small boat users playing Russian Roulett because they think they know better. Owning a boat is a great thing, operate it safely and you will have many days of enjoyment. I went from boating for a hobby to doing it for a living and still get a great deal of pleasure. I wear a life jacket all the time. Even on big boats. To me not wearing a life jacket is the same as getting into a car and not wearing a seat belt. My statement still stands.

 

[Franknstein]

You are operating a small boat. Anything can happen, and quickly - you could easily fall victim to wash, or as another poster found out, get caught in nasty waves with wind over tide. Anyone who goes out in such a small boat without life jackets on is frankly a statistic waiting to be registered. Do you know the difference between a life jacket and a buoyancy aid? Your pictures in your post appeared to show a pregnant lady in one of the shots with again no life jacket. You may well have a radio, but do you know how to call for help? Or , as I once heard, "Mayday. Is there anybody there? " I was a coxswain on a harbour patrol vessel that when we arrived on scene, the people were in a small sports boat main channel with no fuel, and no life jackets.



I have some pictures of me and my family in my first boat, a 14ft Fletcher,some of those pictures scare me to death when I look at them now. We had on what I thought were "life jackets" they were not and frankly would have been as much use as a brown paper bag if anything had gone wrong. Just so you know, you are responsible for both the vessel and the crew/passengers, it is actually not up to them.

If the proverbial hit the fan then you would be swamped before you could do anything about it.

I have seen too many incidents of small boat users playing Russian Roulett because they think they know better. Owning a boat is a great thing, operate it safely and you will have many days of enjoyment. I went from boating for a hobby to doing it for a living and still get a great deal of pleasure. I wear a life jacket all the time. Even on big boats. To me not wearing a life jacket is the same as getting into a car and not wearing a seat belt. My statement still stands.

What you say all makes sense and I take to heart, I appreciate your wealth of experience and don't profess to know better than you. And perhaps what you have said will ring true and prevent disaster to me, my family and perhaps others reading this thread.

I do know the difference between life jackets and bouyancy aids. I've been doing slalom skiing since I was 12 and been boating on lakes and dams for many years. The experience I lack is sea-going. I've been on a boat where the outboard engine cover exploded, shot 20m into the air and caught fire, and in an attempt to extinguish the flames, water was thrown over the engine and it spread to the deck (this way many years ago). I appreciate how dangerous things can get.

What annoyed me was that my thread was referenced in this thread and compared to the unfortunate incident that happened with the crew that made no attempt at safety at all. I made many attempts to be safe at sea, and certainly didn't voyage out without a bit of common sense - yes perhaps slightly mis-directed in certain aspects, but its part the reason I come to these forums. Tactfully, you could have made your point in my thread rather instead of being referenced as perhaps stupid/ignorant and compared to the crew on the bournemouth incident.

Anyways, forget about it - lets move on, I dont like it when threads turn to this. No-one likes reading it really.

Happy days, we all will wear life jackets at all times now.

 

[Solitaire]

Happy days, we all will wear life jackets at all times now.