HM Coast Guard

[Belle Chasse]

Is it acceptable to contact the coast guard on ch.16 to advise them of passage information departure, time, distance, destination, call sign, music

 

[ash2020]

I think they don't mind that at all. I do it for anything over a few miles. I'm sure they prefer that to the endless requests for a radio check! The only thing is, I sometimes forget to check in on arrival, which is really bad!

 

[Daydream believer]

Contact on 16 & tell them you have routine information. They will tell you to change to another channel & wait ie 67.
Sometimes you can call them direct on 67.
But don't the RYA have some other system for recording route info?. Never used it, as I do not use a phone at sea so others here may advise.

 

[Plum]

Is it acceptable to contact the coast guard on ch.16 to advise them of passage information departure, time, distance, destination, call sign, music

Yes, is acceptable but much better to use the RYA SafeTrx app. It sends a text to your emergency contact if you do not click that you have reached your destination on time so they can check with you or call the CG. If you give your pasage plan to the CG they do not usually followup. On SafeTrx you can also enter all the info about you and your boat and the CG can get that info if necessary (this replaced the old CG66 system)

 

[Graham_Wright]

NCI Coast Watch will also welcome the information.
There is a fair chance they will be able to spot you visually.

 

[Plum]

NCI Coast Watch will also welcome the information.
There is a fair chance they will be able to spot you visually.

If you use the system suggested in post #4 and your emergency contact calls the CG then the CG will ask NCI, if they think you might be visible to one, to have a lookout for you.

 

[Dellquay13]

NCI Coast Watch will also welcome the information.
There is a fair chance they will be able to spot you visually.

Could you remind us of the vhf ch for NCI?
Last weekend I had a nocturnal bird strike bend my antenna and take my wind ex off. I was too far out to Google their details, but at about 10miles distance they would have been perfect for a radio check. I had call to the much closer CG instead

 

[ylop]

Is it acceptable to contact the coast guard on ch.16 to advise them of passage information departure, time, distance, destination, call sign, music

Yes (as DDB says - tell them "Routine Traffic" either direct on 67 or in quiet areas on 16 and they will change channel). Two things to consider (a) make sure you have the facts in a clear, logical order to tell them; (b) why are you telling them? They will keep a record of your call but they aren't going to have you on a list to check up on if you don't tell them you've arrived. They will want to know: name of vessel, type of vessel (I have always included length -e.g. "23ft sailing vessel"), no of persons on board, planned destination and any route choice, ETA. They've never asked me for callsign, or any detailed distance info etc. I've only done it on trips where I felt a bit more exposed than normal, I didn't expect good mobile phone coverage (see safetrx below) or I thought I might arouse concerns in some locals (dinghy going camping - trailer left ashore and not returned to at night) or when we had multiple boats in a flotilla where it seemed like one call with the whole "fleet" details was prudent (in fact I provded all the details in advance and so just called to confirm starting and then finished).

Contact on 16 & tell them you have routine information. They will tell you to change to another channel & wait ie 67.
Sometimes you can call them direct on 67.
But don't the RYA have some other system for recording route info?. Never used it, as I do not use a phone at sea so others here may advise.

Yes - Look at the RYA SafeTrx app. Conceptually it is quite good. It doesn't immediately pass the details to the CG. You assign shore contacts, and can use the app to report when you are safe ashore etc. If you don't report it it automatically contacts your shore contacts and provides them a code they can pass to the CG when the report you overdue. That code unlocks your vessel and passage details for the CG.

Yes, is acceptable but much better to use the RYA SafeTrx app. It sends a text to your emergency contact if you do not click that you have reached your destination on time so they can check with you or call the CG. If you give your pasage plan to the CG they do not usually followup. On SafeTrx you can also enter all the info about you and your boat and the CG can get that info if necessary {this replaced the old CG66 system)

Its worth being aware they if your destination is an idyllic anchorage you may not have mobile reception etiher with data to stop the app (report safe) or to contact your shore contacts (a text message is more likely than data to arrive). You may then have to call the CG (assuming you have VHF) to warn them that they will (should!) get a call but you are actually safe!

NCI Coast Watch will also welcome the information.
There is a fair chance they will be able to spot you visually.

NCI doesn't operate north of the border so I'm interested how their communication sharing with CG works. Are they waiting for an incident to share details? How well does that work if you log your plan with NCI station X and then sail through area Y before going out of comms somewhere in Z?

 

[Plum]

Could you remind us of the vhf ch for NCI?
Last weekend I had a nocturnal bird strike bend my antenna and take my wind ex off. I was too far out to Google their details, but at about 10miles distance they would have been perfect for a radio check. I had call to the much closer CG instead

You can call NCI on channel 65

 

[Plum]

NCI doesn't operate north of the border so I'm interested how their communication sharing with CG works. Are they waiting for an incident to share details? How well does that work if you log your plan with NCI station X and then sail through area Y before going out of comms somewhere in Z?

NCI are very good but I would not rely on NCI to respond to a passage plan or communicate it from one NCI station to another. Many of the NCI stations are not 27/7, there are large areas of coastline they do not cover and each station has a different phone number so no reliable way of telling them you have completed your passage, particularly if out of internet range.

 

[capnsensible]

An excellent reminder to UK sailors how lucky they are to have a fairy godmother.

 

[chris-s]

An excellent reminder to UK sailors how lucky they are to have a fairy godmother.

Indeed. With a dead engine, lack of wind and the current slowly drifting us onto rocks at the weekend, we called the coastguard just to notify them off our situation, not asking for any assistance and they kindly put a call out asking if anybody nearby could assist us. A fantastic young chap with a large rib came and got us towed back in a very professional manner.

 

[jbweston]

Expectations are important. Informing the Coastguard who you are and where you're going is all very well, but what do you expect them to do with the information and in what circumstances? Presumaby they'll write it in their radio log . . .

 

[Graham_Wright]

Please speak SLOWLY AND CLEARLY.
I wish the professionals would do also. Cryptic is good for reducing traffic but, for deaf old gits like me, SLOWLY AND CLEARLY as directed during VHF training would make life a lot easier.

 

[Plum]

Expectations are important. Informing the Coastguard who you are and where you're going is all very well, but what do you expect them to do with the information and in what circumstances? Presumaby they'll write it in their radio log . . .

Do not expect them to be pro-active. They record the information you give, then if a worried person ashore calls the CG they have a lot to go on. It is frustrating if the worried person does not know what the passage plan was, just that they had not made an expected contact.

 

[dunedin]

I think they don't mind that at all. I do it for anything over a few miles. I'm sure they prefer that to the endless requests for a radio check! The only thing is, I sometimes forget to check in on arrival, which is really bad!

So what happens in that case? Is a full SAR initiated?
There are thousands of Recreational craft voyages every day, surely the MCA cannot track all of these and follow up the people who then fail to check in.
I never record a passage unless some very unusual circumstances. In the last 5 years or so the only one was a solo trip to St Kilda when there were some additional risk factors.
PS I did call in to Radio 2 and got a shout out when going round Muckle Flugga if that counts

 

[Mark-1]

So what happens in that case?

Nothing, IME. Which is just as well because I was fine in both cases. The CG, quite rightly, don't operate a free "check if you're overdue" service but IMHO they should probably be a bit clearer about that when they take a passage plan from people.

 

[dunedin]

Nothing, IME. Which is just as well because I was fine in both cases. The CG, quite rightly, don't operate a free "check if you're overdue" service but IMHO they should probably be a bit clearer about that when they take a passage plan from people.

So what precisely was the point of submitting a passage plan to the Coastguard? Effectively none.
Hence why I don't bother.

 

[Mark-1]

So what precisely was the point of submitting a passage plan to the Coastguard? Effectively none.
Hence why I don't bother.

At the time I thought it would be helpful, but now yup, me neither.

There really is no substitute for direct contact stating from the casualty stating that there is a genuine emergency.

IME even someone on land credibly reporting you as overdue doesn't lead to an actual rescue. (Again lucky it didn't because I was fine.) Fortunately in this day and age you have a very good chance of making that contact in a variety of ways.

Having said all that I know someone this year who was rescued because he was reported overdue, and he'd have been rescued faster if his contact knew precisely where he was. So there's a balance IMHO.

 

[ctva]

Like Dunedin above, in the last x number of years I have only done it for a serious off shore passage to St Kilda (you would be daft not to), otherwise, no. On the St Kilda one, they mention to remember to call before turning into Village Bay as the reception disappears there.