I need a liferaft, but theyre too expensive

[WayneS]

On my last crossing of the channel I attempted to call up 4 ships on CH16 so that they could confirm that I was being seen on Radar. in 3 of the 4 cases I even called them by the very large name emblazoned on their sides.

Not 1 responded. And yes my radio was working because I was able to raise Solent CG from Bembridge.

Sorry, people do not monitor CH16 like they used to.

Wayne

 

[alec]

[ QUOTE ]
Actually I cross the channel quite frequently but I admit only for the last 35 years or so so a relative beginner I suppose..... Yes you hear traffic. Mainly VTS (Joburg Traffic), and intership If you think that means everyone is keeping a watch on channel 16 all the time for your emergencies though dream on. You are indeed living in a fantasy world. Increasingly even MCA don't respond immediately to a 16 call and as Gaupa says they are no longer on full time listening watch either.
The truth is that Gaupa does indeed speak with a certain degree of experience and you should respect that. If you listen to him, and many other professional or ex-professional seamen (who in my own profession I have mixed frequently with) you l hear a different story from the one you imagine.
If you choose to ignore it and shout "rubbish" then fine, but I know he is right and so do most of the other forumites from planet Earth too I suspect.....

[/ QUOTE ]


Would really appreciate that these kind of aggressive , know all, lecturing, I know better than you , type of responses cease and some respect is shown for other people's views in a more agreeable way.

Could you and Gaupa lay off the forum for a while please.....................

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Personally, i'd go with the experience of someone who spends their whole working life out there over others anyday.... and besides it also reflects my own experiences..... I rarely get a respone when calling up on 16.... in fact, i'm often caught out with suprise when I do....

 

[webcraft]

Sorry about reverting to the actual topic but . . .

We have a 4 man Seago valise that cost under £500 and has a 3 year service interval. It is a good piece of kit - five guys survived five days in one in the Irish sea a year or so ago and the raft looked to be in perfect order when the prats finally got within mobile phone range of the coast and were rescued.

It would seem that the main reason the Seago is cheap is that it is not ISAF certified, so no-one had to pay for all the paperwork involved. A cheap liferaft and an EPIRB make a perfect combination IMHO as with an EPIRB you shouldn't have to spend too long in the raft. Our raft and EPIRB together cost under £800, and we considered the combination more than sufficient security for an Atlantic crossing, let alone a short offshore trip.

- Nick

 

[Abigail]

FWIW it's first boat coastal cruising we towed a dinghy. Now we have a cannister life raft on the transom, but have never used it in anger.

*Loved the sea survival course; made us really think about routines, kit, practice etc
*Always have handheld VHF charged and ready - since had engine failure which meant no radio and really needed help (in the Medway) and couldn't get it.
**Carry EPIRB too but only since crossing Biscay
*Have alwasy found that big ships answer VHF, but that;s my experience and I reocgnise others have a different story.
*In Biscay last year called up twice to advise engine faillure and difficulty tacking in heavy sea and both times got response and avoidance action. Some other people we know of had to do this 7 (7!) times off Brest (I think) in v heavy seas, no engine and waiting for the tide. 6 of the 7 boats responded and changed course.

So - as the americans say, your mileage may vary - but have something to abandon ship to, and as many means of communication as you can muster.

Altenatively, as Blondie and Eric Hiscock combined have said - no-one asked us to go out there. So you can die like gentlemen (and indeed ladies)!

Yes there is an engine failure theme, not only on my own boats. I sail onto pontoons quite well!)

 

[john_morris_uk]

[ QUOTE ]
On my last crossing of the channel I attempted to call up 4 ships on CH16 so that they could confirm that I was being seen on Radar. in 3 of the 4 cases I even called them by the very large name emblazoned on their sides.

Not 1 responded. And yes my radio was working because I was able to raise Solent CG from Bembridge.

Sorry, people do not monitor CH16 like they used to.

Wayne

[/ QUOTE ]Do you think it might be that lots of ships don't like being asked whether they have seen you? I don't EVER remember asking a ship if he has seen us! There's nothing in the IRPCS about calling up ships and some have argued that its bad practice as it distracts both you and the ship from what you ought to be doing. What are the chances that he has seen you and knows what is happening but is also watching the CPA of the ship that you can't see and is still some way away.

 

[bedouin]

[ QUOTE ]
Personally, i'd go with the experience of someone who spends their whole working life out there over others anyday.... and besides it also reflects my own experiences..... I rarely get a respone when calling up on 16.... in fact, i'm often caught out with suprise when I do....

[/ QUOTE ]
It is very dangerous to trust too much to anyone's self assessment unless you know them very well (and even then with Caution). One poster on this thread who claims years of experience has posted what is demonstrably nonsense.

By claiming n years experience there is a risk that naive people will believe what he says purely on the basis of his claim rather than actually assessing whether what he says really makes sense.