Helping out 'Sea Start'

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Happy1

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Helping out \'Sea Start\'

I was out today in Swanage bay after a very choppy ride over, with SWMBO and Happy infant in my boat, and GeoffS in his boat . We had a lovely day and coming to the end of it a dinghy approached us where we were rafted up and said that the only other motor boat on the bay was in trouble and needed help, and could we go over. Being the good samaratans that we are we immediately headed off to help. When we arrived we found that they were almost aground having started their engine, brought up their anchor only to find the engine would not go into gear! They were now in 0.9 mtr of water facing being grounded, as they could do nothing with their anchor now. They told me that they had called Sea Start and they were trying to help, but that they only had someone in Lymington and it would be an hour or so before they could get there, and they needed immediate help. Anyway I towed them away from danger, with GeoffS acting as safety boat, into deeper water where they could anchor safely and wait. I asked them if they wanted any of the crew taken back to Poole or required any further help, but they said they were OK. Anyway we felt good that we had at least been able to do a good deed for the day /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

I think that a lesson should be learnt that you must still be capable of helping yourself in immediate danger situations and not rely 100% on others, as Sea Start can't be everywhere at once, all of the time. An hour is a long time if you are in imminent danger /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

SO should you ensure you can engage gear before lifting your anchor, or were they just unlucky?

By the way we had a brilliant time in Poole this weekend with a great turnout at the Saturday and Sunday BBQ's, good fun and friendship, thanks to all that were there.

<font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

Where are the photos you took at the bbq on Saturday night???

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L' Moose
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

All e-mailed to Col. Send me a Pm with yours and I will send the ransom photo to you, if it is published it may harm the victim /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

Glad you seemed to have got home OK.

Exciting stuff, eh?

<hr width=100% size=1>Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

Hi Geoff, Yes left at 6pm got back at 8.50pm, roads were very quiet. Send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will send you some photo's. Nice to meet up with you again, may be down next weekend /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

Yes roads surprisingly quiet. I left poole about 8:00pm and home by 9:30pm.

May see you again next weekend then.

<hr width=100% size=1>Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

We're back down at the weekend, probably friday lunchtime. Do either of you two fancy a trip to Yarmouth if the weather is up to it.

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Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

Can you elaborate here, Is the point of this post, you should spend more money on safety equipment, than the boat is worth (by my reckoning you could have purchased a Squadron 55 and still had change, and had space for all of it) or is it that Sea Start should have ribs posted every 500mts alone the south coast to get to someone in distress in 10 mins?

If it is the latter then I would say that even though I have a new boat and am a member, the services of Sea Start may be needed regardless of how well maintained a boat is, and I belive getting to some one in distress in 1 hour being a back up service is not bad. Secondly I have never heard a bad thing said about them and they do seem to do a bloody good job.... and you get free tickets for the Southampton Boat Show (thanks Nic and Joanne) IMHO



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Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

Sounds good, if sea not too bumpy.

<hr width=100% size=1>Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

Hi Barry. I have an important meeting PM Friday so will not be able to get away early. SWMBO also has a very heavy schedule with meetings all round the country this week, so may not get down until Saturday. Both trying to see if we can arrange to have Monday free as it is too far for us to travel for 1 night, but leaving late Friday, ready for an early start is not out of the question yet, only that I think Cobbs shut the slipway after a certain time.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

I'm sure there was not any criticism of Sea Start intended. Probably more than an hour from Lymington to Swanage, but still a good service. I was surprised they had to come from Lymington, usually see a yellow Sea Start RIB around Poole.

I think the point was, that they seemed to have everything OK, but still got into difficulties. Bad luck I guess, but lucky we were around.

I'm in Seat Start, didn't get any tickets!

<hr width=100% size=1>Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

Blimey, are you on commission or what? I only relayed some facts, you make of them what you want. I then stated that it would be prudent still to have some of your own kit to deal with an emergency and NOT to rely 100% on ANY kind of immediate assistance whoever it may be. I made that clear in the post so I don't know what you are waffling on about /forums/images/icons/wink.gif Some people may think that some angel will appear from ANY one of the available services, and all their problems will be sorted out immediately, I am trying to bring some reality to it from first hand experience, showing you HAVE to have some responsibility for your own safety e.g ideas of what to do in an emergency of any sort, and the means of carrying it out, whilst waiting say for up to an hour for help of ANY sort.

I have absolutely nothing to do with Sea Start, have never used the service as I am not in their area, never seen them in operation, so cannot comment at all on them. I have just stated the facts of what I was told and what happened today.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

I think he was referring to a time on another thrad when they were called out, and could not attend due to breaking down themselves, so sent a couple of tickets for the boat show as compensation.

I was not criticising them at all Geoff, just trying to explain that bad luck can come at any time, and being as best prepared as possible is your own responsibility e.g worst case scenario. It is up to each individual to decide at what level they wish to go. With me I have to take into account I have a baby on board therefore my preparations will be different to a solo boater.

<font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

I must say if I was in their area I may well have joined, but they don't cover Chatham so I have now had to become as self sufficient as possible.

As for SBS tickets, I found out from a mate in the trade that last year the BMF gave free tickets to their members and allowed them to buy as many additional ones for £4 each, is that happening this year, and who is a member? Perhaps we could get a bunch for Mobo chat forumites.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

Thanks Dave, I was begining to think that my eyes and typing were playing me up /forums/images/icons/wink.gif Thank goodness I had a very experienced boater and forum member with me today when we helped, it is always nice to know you are not alone, but if you are you have to be able to cope as well. This was only my second tow and I was in danger of grounding myself as it was so shallow, the first tow was an unlucky forum member will remain anonymous /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

'Thank goodness I had a very experienced boater and forum member with me today when we helped'

Who was that then???

<hr width=100% size=1>Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'
 
Re: Helping out \'Sea Start\'

just thought of a great idea, that would give you a back up without paying for sea start.

go down to the local diy and buy yourself a long pole. then get the wife/partner/ girlfriend to sew up a large triangular piece of cloth which you can fasten to the pole. erect the whole set up on your boat, and with a few bits of rope you will be able to use the wind to get out of trouble./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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Re: Good of you to help, but...

What exactly was the problem? If the boat was sub-25 foot or so, then in 3 foot of water the crew could jump overboard and hold the boat, or just run it up onto the beach to await repairs. If the waves were too big, the boat too big, or they were being pushed onto the rocks in the corner of Swanage, then there's an all weather lifeboat based there.

I remember the time we went to the Folly, and they'd run out of crisps...

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