ignorance or arogance?

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dam747iam

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speaking to someone at work the other day her and hubby have aquired small mobo and been given outboard, i ask the following; do you have insurance? no its only a small boat and we stay in the harbour, lifejackets? there expensive, vhf?blank look, chart whats a chart? and what about harbour dues?.
how many more accidents waiting to happen are out there?
discuss
 
dam747iam said:
speaking to someone at work the other day her and hubby have aquired small mobo and been given outboard, i ask the following; do you have insurance? no its only a small boat and we stay in the harbour, lifejackets? there expensive, vhf?blank look, chart whats a chart? and what about harbour dues?.
how many more accidents waiting to happen are out there?
discuss
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I can't see much harm in that. Good luck to them for getting involved in boating, I'm sure they won't regret it.

What is a tender but a small Mobo? How many tenders have VHF, charts, 3rd party insurance. Not all I'd wager.
 
Is anything what the're doing illegal? You never know they may be quite responsible.

Rather than getting all judgemental, how about giving them some practical tips about life jackets and channel 16 on a radio just incase things go pearshaped.
 
dam747iam said:
i ask the following; do you have insurance? ... lifejackets? ..., vhf?..., chart ... and what about harbour dues?.
Click to expand...

The only arrogance I see here is yours in thinking you have the right to interrogate anyone - I think your victim should be applauded for not telling you to p*ss off long before - I know I would have!

There is an acceptable way of talking to someone and - though I hope your version is overly concise - it looks to me like you have overstepped the bounds.

And what ABOUT harbour dues??? where does that come into your "self-assembly safety soapbox"?

It all sounded patronising and self-righteous.
 
No lifejackets is liken assisted suicide in uk waters, imho.

My nephew would be here today if he'd worn one.

useless unless worn.

You should tell her what the basic mistakes she is making can mean (I accept the VHf and charts thing might not be the end of the world)

David
 
mikemonty said:
The only arrogance I see here is yours in thinking you have the right to interrogate anyone - I think your victim should be applauded for not telling you to p*ss off long before - I know I would have!

There is an acceptable way of talking to someone and - though I hope your version is overly concise - it looks to me like you have overstepped the bounds.

And what ABOUT harbour dues??? where does that come into your "self-assembly safety soapbox"?

It all sounded patronising and self-righteous.
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So you would advocate, when meeting someone who is new to boating, not making any attempt to educate them about the small things that may save their lives, for fear of being patrosnising or self-righteous?

I suppose that there may be some value in a "Survival of the Fittest" approach, but when he collides with your boat, resulting in uninsured damages, and the death of his passenger from drowning, I wonder if you will think the same?

Who will be to blame for a tragedy.... the uneducated boater, or the man who turned his back and did nothing?
 
dam747iam said:
speaking to someone at work the other day her and hubby have aquired small mobo and been given outboard, i ask the following; do you have insurance? no its only a small boat and we stay in the harbour, lifejackets? there expensive, vhf?blank look, chart whats a chart? and what about harbour dues?.
how many more accidents waiting to happen are out there?
discuss
Click to expand...

People have been getting out on the water and learning the hard way for generations, there is not necessarily a need to nanny them. There is however a real risk of people doing something silly because they do not know the risks and from your post I think you are telling us that you took the second option.

In terms of practical help I would very strongly suggest that anyone who is a total novice to the extent of not knowing anything about safety gear, communications or navigation would benefit from an RYA Powerboat level 1 course. It will cost a couple of hundred pounds and at worst is a fun way to get out on the water an play with someone else's boat, at best it will reveal the true enormity of the skills essential to the pastime.

[/sermon]
 
Only dodgy bit there is being given an outboard! They are worth good money when they work!
 
Toad,

Thanks.

His name was Richard. 28 he was, got knocked off a rib off Bembridge, nice sunny day, in the old oggin for fifteen minutes. Life jackets neatly stowed in the bows.

David
 
dam747iam said:
speaking to someone at work the other day her and hubby have aquired small mobo and been given outboard, i ask the following; do you have insurance? no its only a small boat and we stay in the harbour, lifejackets? there expensive, vhf?blank look, chart whats a chart? and what about harbour dues?.
how many more accidents waiting to happen are out there?
discuss
Click to expand...

Perhaps you looked blank when you first heard the words "chart", "vhf" or thought lifejackets were expensive. (I still do having experienced an inflatable one that didn't)

Come on, we were all total beginners at some point in the past. The logical conclusion from the tone of your post is that you are going to badger your MP into legislation or something equally destructive.

Lets keep one of the few freedoms we still have in this increasingly Orwellian state, and gently encourage beginners to look after themselves.

I met a family this summer while working at a yard's pontoon in Plymouth, possibly similar to yours with their first mobo and driving very carefully and considerately (which made us first notice them) - we helped them tie up to our boat while they went to the yard's cafe, got talking when they came back, and as they expressed interest made a few gentle suggestions on the lines of lifejacket for adults (child was wearing one), anchor and rope, flares, a chart. The guy had already discovered his bow painter was not enough for mooring alongside.

Be gentle with beginners, most want to learn - but like the rest of us will only do so if encouraged.
 
I'd have thought the tactfull way of delivering a message would have been to give them or have sent to them an RNLI Safety at Sea booklet to read in their own time. It contains lots of things they might not have thought of in enough depth, and might help them revise their previous decisions.

In answer to your question, their attitude is probably a kind of overconfidence born of ignorance rather than arrogance. Given the right influences their learning curve can be nudged in the right direction.

Perhaps they had not heard of the three novices who lost their lives attempting to leave Whitby harbour in atrocious conditions on their newly bought motor boat a couple of years back. It was ignorance that killed those unfortunates.

Tim
 
I'd endorse the suggestions of 'Alfie 168' and get then a copy of this...

Sea-Safety.jpg


They're easily acquired by logging onto here and completing the online form lower down. Handing your workmate a copy would likely produce the wanted. result.

:)
 
As an experienced boater talking to newcomers who are unaware of the dangers or the actions that can be taken to minimize them, I think it is your duty to help. The only question is how to get the vital information across without sounding patronizing. I think giving them a copy of the RNLI CD would be a very good way.
 
I'm astonished that they have been allowed a berth in a harbour without producing a 3rd Party Insurance cert. I have always been required to produce one. Perhaps it's only because I look like a duffer? Its it only me?

I always believe we have a duty to encourage & advise others, They don't have to listen of course, but at least I have tried to help. I wouldn't walk past an injured man, why ignore an ignorant one if you can help. Don't you have an old lifejacket or B/Aid that you don't need any more? Even a kapok one is better than nowt - just make sure they know its limitations.
 
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