I couldn't believe it!

[Guest]

I couldn\'t believe it!

The boat went back in last Friday so I decided to go for my first sail of the year yesterday. I left Lymington bound for the Hamble. It was a lovely day and we were slipping along very nicely thanks to a clean bottom. That goes for both me and the boat. As I passed Calshot I spied an orange rib following us. It then closed in very fast and ordered us to heave-to. There were three Coastguard guys in the rib who then announced that they were going to board us to 'check a few things'. Anyway they asked to see my Radio Log Book and Passage Plan. As I had neither I was given a fixed penalty ticket for £75 and I had my Yachtmaster Ocean Examiner certificate stamped with a warning which apparently last for 10 years. Oh well I guess it is for my own good. They said that they will be checking every boat in the Solent from April so take care out there.

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[jimi]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

Happened to me on Sat, fortunately I had the documents, and they accepted my hasty scribbles in the log book as a passage plan. They seemed very efficient.

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[trev]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

What's the date today?

<hr width=100% size=1>Trev

 

[tome]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

I had the same thing happen off Langstone. Gave them my verbal passage plan then they checked the boat over. Spotted bulb blown in anchor light and £75 fixed penalty. One of them appeared to be wearing a side-arm, unless it was an EPIRB.

Shook me up, I can tell you.

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[mike_k]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

Nearly happened to me, but went on a broad reach and managed to out-run them until I got outside territorial waters.

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[claymore]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

You should worry - they came into the yard half an hour ago and slapped £75 fixed penalty notices on all boats that didn't have a mast up with a reflector on it and then did the rest for not displaying a RNLI Offshore sticker (2003)
Then they wheel clamped all the boats on cradles with wheels and told them that there's a £75 release fee and that they were being done for exceeding the parking time limit and not being afloat with this massive high pressure dominating.
Apparently the Insurance companies are going crackers as there are doubts about the 'in commission' dates.
And then to cap it all - the bloody AA stopped me on the A74 and demanded to see my passage plan - well that just took the biscuit - where will it all end?

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[warrior40]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

Think I'll leave sailing in the solent 'till after dark then, do you think I'll be safe under the cover of darkness or not. What happens if you refuse to pay then, as I would certainly not be very happy about it and would make sure that they Knew!!

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[Twister_Ken]

Stealth

If you want to try this after dark, I'd suggest taking down your radar reflector, and using them new fangled black navigation lights - otherwise the beggars'll have you.

You could also try towing your radar reflector on a long line, a few hundred yards behind you. Either it will act as a decoy, or it will foul their props. leaving you enough time to slip into a quiet creek and hoist the camouflage netting.

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

i haven't had my 2003 ofshore sticker
seems rude to ask tho

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[claymore]

Never mind the blasted sticker

what about my offer?

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[zefender]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

Whilst still attached to the pontoon, I hoisted the main since it had been stowed for some time and I needed to check its condition. Admittedly my engine was running. Uniformed chap arrived and gave me a ticket for not flying a motorsailing cone. Seemed a bit unfair but since he took AMEX, at least I've got the airmiles.

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[TheBoatman]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

I wonder if this is not another "stealth tax". Lets get the rich buggers! I can just imagine Gordon saying OK MCA I'll reduce your Gov grant by X millions but I'll let you nick the buggers at £75 quid a throw and anything you get above my reduction you get to keep?
It's amazing that this time last year Sheppey CG were told that they were going to lose both their ribs but then low-and-behold they were told NO, OK guys you can keep them!
I wonder why that was?

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[milltech]

Re: Stealth

Also possibly make a bid for a surplus T55, (one careful owner, full service history available, apply in person to Chemical Ali, downtown Basra), remove all those useless bunks and cooking facilities you keep aboard, replace with mighty iron main, and at the first sight of a civil servant, (ANY civil servant), crank the mighty beast and make your getaway at 40 knots under a smoke screen.

If you asked he might throw in the odd disposable rocket launcher and some AK 47's, just to provide back-up you understand.

<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[AnneW]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

What exactly is a radio log book? I have a licence (for me and the boat) do I need something else?

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[summerwind]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

Now this wouldn't have anything to do with the date would it?

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[AndrewB]

I could believe it!

Nice one Les_Hanois, had me going there for a moment.

What's the betting that by this time next year this whole scenario will be all too real?

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[tcm]

Re: I know it...

in france, it actually happens already. In a brit reg boat the gendarms/douaniers in marseiles fined us 1000 french francs for not having the original of the P1 ships papers on board cos we had left it with a broker for safekeeping overwinter, even tho we got a fax copy sent over.

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

on the last sail of season 2001 we got a close drive past fom HM customs. 2, what appeared to be, marine types in a big rib having come from holyhead direction and heading south maybe to Beaumaris. One very wet miserbale looking desk jockey with them.
they just came over had a snoop at us from their boat waved and sped off south.
thing is it was well late in the season october. which for the small boats is quite late. we were off round to treaddurr to stick boat on a friends mooring as sw swell was too big for ours.it was tipping it down. i assume they may have been looking for drugs. no other boats out between us and head of the straits or round toward south stack.


never seen anything else other than man from RA reported en route from Conwy to holyhead.


<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[romany123]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

Got fined last year after we sunk in the walton channel it cost me £1000.25p for not holding a submariners licence. I asked them what the 25p was for and they said it was for the stamp to send me the fine.....cheek

<hr width=100% size=1>Dave

 

[davidhand]

Re: I couldn\'t believe it!

What is all this B.S. "Radio Log", "Passage Plan", "Radar Reflector", "RNLI sticker". Are these all requirements? how can one write a passage plan with SWMBO changing her mind every few minutes. The U.S. aint perfect but there's not nearly that level of buracratic nonsense here, even a radio license is not a requirement unless one leaves US waters, then you just have to fill in a form claiming to be able to speak and write basic English and the FCC will send you one. I liked the bit about the AA on the A74 though that nearly got me going but I assume that's just a bit of Gaelic humour.

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