Is the RLNI a breakdown service?

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However I do see a lot of people, mostly motor boaters of one sort or another, heading out of the estuary without even a back up outboard. No single engined mobo should put to sea without some sort of back up propulsion, either an outboard or a wing engine.



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I see plenty of airplanes (including the RAF) take to the sky without a back up engine.

I see inshore lifeboats take to the seas without a backup engine.

What's your views on them, foolhardy? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

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Well Ari, I think my view is this........

If the average boat owner (and I include raggies in this), operated the same kind of engine service / maintenance schedules on their engines that the RAF and the RNLI do, I would have a bit more confidence in their ability to accomplish a passage without having any problems.

During the course of my work, I have seen some horrendous sights in the engine spaces of both sailing and motor craft, the worst of it is that the owners are very often very unconcerned about the state of affairs on their boats.

I would like to say, that it seems that some forum members feel a tad upset from some of the things I have said, that wasn't my intention at all, and if I have upset anybody, then I apologise unreservedly. It has been a very interesting thread, and I have learned a thing or two from it, please don't let it decend into a slanging match /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Chanel 16 is for calling as well as rescue, maybe you have run out of matches and want a cup of tea. It's all OK, as long as you switch to other chanels.

Now if the CG send the life boat out with the matches, thats another problem and if the life boat goes, it's yet another iproblem. But 16 is the chanel is the first choice chanel, for whatever reason. What folk do about it, is another question.
 
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Chanel 16 is for calling as well as rescue, maybe you have run out of matches and want a cup of tea. It's all OK, as long as you switch to other chanels.

[/ QUOTE ]Strictly speaking that is not true.

I know we all do it (me included) but we are not meant to use the marine radio for any purposes other than safety and navigation related issues.
 
well, from ofcom
"maritime radio exists primarily for the safety of life and vessels at sea".

Thats not quite as you state?
 
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I know we all do it (me included) but we are not meant to use the marine radio for any purposes other than safety and navigation related issues.

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Also not right - from the Radiocommunications Agency site :

What is Channel 16?
Channel 16 (156.800MHz) is the international Maritime Channel used for distress and safety working and voice calling For non Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) equipped vessels you are required to maintain a listening watch on Channel 16 and may use it to establish initial contact with another vessel or a coast station and you should move to a working channel as soon as possible.

So for making a call to another boat to discuss the price of fuel or fish etc there is nothing wrong with making initial contact on 16 then moving off to another working channel as hlb says .
 
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It`s much more rewarding to tow a grateful boatload back into harbour and feel their warm embrace

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I had that very much in mind as I towed a RIB full of young ladies into Yarmouth a few weeks back, but unfortunately they decided on the handshake option.
 
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So for making a call to another boat to discuss the price of fuel or fish etc there is nothing wrong with making initial contact on 16 then moving off to another working channel as hlb says .

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I agree that we should use CH16 for calling only and then changing to a working channel but I still remember from my course that even on a working channel it should still only be used for safety and navigation issues. Dicussing the price of fish or arranging to meet in pub are not legitimate reasons for using the marine radio.

I know... we all do, me included, but strictly speaking we shouldn't IIRC.

I shall try to dig out the notes from my course.
 
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Anyway why are you forever changing your name.

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Oh no he doesn't /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
"No single engined mobo should put to sea without some sort of back up propulsion, either an outboard or a wing engine"

This boat only has one engine. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
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from the Nordhavn website

"The two arguments against single engine vessels are "get home'' emergencies and close docking maneuverability. In the first instance, the dependability of the Nordhavn's Lugger diesel engine is legendary. These engines have been known to run in excess of 20,000 hours without major service, and unless there is a fuel problem or cooling system failure, there is very little that can go wrong. P.A.E. has addressed these two areas by designing a foolproof fuel management system and eliminating the problems of a raw-water cooling system. In over ten years, nearly l00 single-engine Nordhavns have been cruising throughout the world, and there has never been a reported incident of a main engine failure causing serious concern"

Think most of the Dutch steel stuff has only one motor and they seem to go all over the shop without the need for an expensive second lump.Probably this has more to do with the UK markets obsession for speed rather than reliability concerns.?
 
It is quite acceptable to make CG aware of any minor incident. They will usually ask you Some people to report progress every half hour. They may well give you your position, if for some reason you have lost it. some people refuse help even when offered. But it's the CG decision.

So in short, no one calls the life boat out, except the coast guards. Then it's the life boat decision whether to go.


So if the RNLI is a break down service, It's there own decision. You cant actually stop them from coming.
 
Join Sea Start. Simple, you then don't have to feel crap about calling out the RNLI because your engine failed. I've been a member ever since I've had a boat (not long, only 3 years) but I HAVE used them once..

I realise that this is only available in the south coast, but there might be other similar services around the other parts of the coast.

T
 
Just some general thoughts, not a reply to anybody in particular.

If the RNLI were to charge for their services, how would they go about calculating the cost?
If we take a simple approach, and divide the annual running costs by the number of rescues each year, the cost of each rescue would be horrendous.

If they were to just charge for the cost of the diesel, incidental expenses and pocket money for the crew, this would be a minute proportion of the previous calculation, yet it would probably still be a very significant sum to any sailor in a small boat in distress.

If this sailor knew that he would be charged at cost for diesel he would possibly think twice about calling the CG - and if a fatality then occurred, who would be getting the flack?
Imagine the howls of protest then about the RNLI being mercenary and charging to rescue people.

I spent 5 years working at the RNLI HQ, and went out occasionally on trials on new lifeboats - the trials coxwain's brief was invariably to take it out and try to break it - very rarely did they succeed, even when punching into a F 8 at 25 knots.
These are amazing vessels, and they are all crewed by very enthusiastic and keen volunteers who know that the boat will look after them, regardless of the conditions they are going out in.

And it is not just the RNLI who have brilliant crews - think of all the other voluntary lifeboat organisations that are in existence, and who also operate to the highest standards feasible - there are a few in the Solent apart from the RNLI.
I spent a day at one (GAFIRS) a couple of years ago - it was a busy sunny summer Sunday, and the Solent was busy - a VHF call for assistance was made to Solent CG, and the Gafirs crew on duty were all ready to go IF they were called by the CG - same as the other voluntary lifeboats in the area.

Sailors in Britain should be very grateful that they have such an amazing service available. The majority of the funds donated to the RNLI come from large legacies / bequests - the ladies shaking their lifeboat tins and manning Lifeboat cake sales probably contribute the pocket money, but the free advertising they provide is invaluable.

Oh, and just one comment re the photo of Wind Horse posted above in St Katherines - she actually has twin John Deere diesel engines on direct shaft drives, but her smaller sisters currently being built in New Zealand have single engine propulsion systems with vee drives.
 
Good question...

Arny --> pac was to use my initials so people knew who I was in the real world. This was inresponse to a hoohaa about identities on the forum.

pac --> SnaxMuppet was to sync all my forum ids. I decided that the hoohaa about identities was a load of tosh and that it would be better if I just used the same ID on all forums. So, SnaxMuppet is here to stay.

At least I do it properly and change my ID instead of just starting up a new one which is what a lot of people do!

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